A “commitment to service”: DC’s faith communities rally to protect bused-in immigrants
EMILY NEIL, of Religion News Service, reports that organising efforts in Washington have become a blueprint for other cities…
Meet Imran Siddiqui, the first Asian American vice president of the ELCA
United States RNS When Imran Siddiqui’s name was put forward for vice president of the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States, he figured, why not fill out the paperwork? He didn’t expect to make it far in the process. After all, every one of the more than 800 voting members of the Evangelical Lutheran […]
Reckoning with their history, Lutherans issue declaration to Indigenous peoples
Columbus, Ohio, US RNS There was a time when Lutherans were recognised as the advocates for Indigenous peoples, according to Vance Blackfox, director for Indigenous ministries and tribal relations for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the United States’ largest Lutheran denomination. In the 1960s and 1970s, Lutherans vocally supported the American Indian Movement, said […]
In the US, Lutheran bishop issues public apology to Latino congregation
United States AP Elizabeth A Eaton, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, issued a public apology Tuesday to members of a majority Latino immigrant congregation for the pain and trauma they endured after the predominantly white denomination’s first openly transgender bishop unexpectedly fired their pastor. Speaking during the 2022 Churchwide Assembly being […]
First transgender bishop of largest Lutheran denomination resigns
RNS The first transgender bishop of the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States has resigned amid criticism over the decision to remove the pastor of a Latino congregation on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in December. “The constant misinformation, bullying and harassment has taken too hard a toll in the Synod I […]
ELCA Presiding Bishop requests resignation of first transgender bishop
Last updated: 11.15am (AEST) RNS The Presiding Bishop of the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States has asked its first transgender bishop to resign amid criticism over their removal of the pastor of a Hispanic congregation on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in December. In a report to the church published on […]
Christian leaders press US lawmakers to extend child tax credit for poor families
Washington DC, US RNS A campaign backed by a broad coalition of Christian leaders will urge Congress to extend the child tax credit to low-income families, hoping to broaden access to the popular financial assistance program after lawmakers allowed an expanded version to expire last year. Beginning with an advertisement in Politico Magazine that will […]
ELCA Lutherans mark 35th anniversary amid calls to expand beyond European roots
RNS It’s both the oldest and the youngest of large Lutheran denominations in the United States, by the World Council of Churches’ reckoning. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America logo. GRAPHIC: Courtesy ELCA The mainline Evangelical Lutheran Church in America officially was created 35 years ago this Saturday, the result of a merger of three […]
Vaccine mandates: Many US faith leaders wary of religious exemptions for vaccine
DAVID CRARY and PETER SMITH, of Associated Press, report on how Christian leaders and those of other faiths are responding to vaccine exemption requests…
Catholic, Protestant groups support commission on US Indian boarding school policy
RNS A number of Catholic groups and Protestant denominations are calling for the United States to establish a Truth and Healing Commission to reckon with the country’s history of boarding schools that separated thousands of Indigenous children from their families and cultures during the 19 and 20 centuries. Their support comes as the Catholic Church […]