In March 1994, the House of Bishops of the Episcopal

  To encourage the development of liturgical expressions

Church published a pastoral letter entitled  The Sin of

that reflect the church's racial and ethnic composition

Racism.  The pastoral letter declared that at the heart of

and to articulate clearly the good news that in Jesus

racism is fear.  We fear those who are different from

Christ every barrier that separates God's people is

ourselves, and that fear translates into violence, which in

broken down.

turn creates more fear. Institutionalized preference,

primarily for white persons, is deeply ingrained in the

  To establish a standing committee of the House of

American way of life in areas such as employment, the

Bishops to implement and monitor the fulfillment of

availability of insurance and credit ratings, in education,

this covenant.

law enforcement, courts of law and the military. 

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Racism, according to the pastoral letter,  perpetuates a

Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and

basic untruth which claims the superiority of one group

respect the dignity of every human being? I will, with

of people over others because of the color of their skin,

God's help.

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their cultural history, their tribal affiliation, or their ethnic

identity. This lie distorts the biblical understanding of

God's action in creation, wherein all human beings are

EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN

made `in the image of God.' 

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 It blasphemes the

CHURCH OF AMERICA 

ministry of Christ who died for all people, `so that

everyone who believes in him may not perish but have

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) is a

eternal life.'  

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scriptural based faith that actively seeks to become more

The pastoral letter asserts that  God's response to

inclusive minded. The ELCA demonstrated its

human sin is to establish a covenant in Christ Jesus that

commitment to denouncing racism in its official

overcomes division and isolation by binding human

statement on the topic. The church confesses Christ, who

beings to God and each other in a new way. For

has broken down the dividing wall (Ephesians 2:14).

Episcopalians, the implications of this new community in

Christ, our peace, has put an end to the hostility of race,

Christ are spelled out in the baptismal covenant. Our

ethnicity, gender, and economic class. The church

ability to live into that covenant, personally and in our life

proclaims Christ, confident this good news gets at liberty

together in the church, witnesses to the power of Jesus

those captive behind ways of hostility  (Luke 4:18).

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Christ, with whom we have died to sin through baptism

The ELCA defines racism as  a mix of power, privilege,

and risen to a new life of joyful obedience. 

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and prejudice in sin, a violation of God's intention for

Accordingly, the  House of Bishops and the General

humanity...Racism fractures and fragments both church

Convention as a whole have long rejected the evil of

and society. 

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racism and have supported full civil rights for people of

For the ELCA, racism is not simply a personal attitude,

color among all races. 

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Asserting a commitment to

but a mind set that is so complex  we underestimate it. 

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combat racism in the Church and society, the Bishops

The ELCA recognizes that racism  infects and affects

entered into a new covenant, in pertinent part, as follows:

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everyone  and has attempted to address its predominant

white membership about the negative effects of racism.

  To make an inventory of racist attitudes in their

 What has been the case is still the case: skin color makes

feelings, habits and actions toward others.

a difference and white people benefit from a Privilege

Position. 

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  To commit themselves to be better listeners.

The ELCA recognizes that racism not only affects the

victim, but the perpetrator as well. It undermines

  To teach and preach the gospel in ways that sustain a

community, encourages prejudice and unhealthy

vision of justice and peace among all people.

competition, and deforms relationships.  It robs white

people of the possibility of authentic relationship with

  To proclaim the vision of God's new creation in which

people of color, and people of color of the possibility of

the dignity of every human being is honored.

authentic relationships with white people. 

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Racism can

lead to  the rejection of self  that  hinders us from

  To place a high priority on the development of

becoming who God calls us to be. 

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strategies for the recruitment, deployment and support

The ELCA asserts that racism leaves both the

of persons of color.

perpetrator and victim in a precarious situation. It

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