In a December 4 letter to President Biden, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton called for urgent action to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank. She condemned new Israeli laws restricting UNRWA’s operations and emphasized the catastrophic toll on Palestinian lives. Rooted in Lutheran theology, Bishop Eaton urged the U.S. to restore humanitarian aid and uphold human dignity.
Read MoreIn her Christmas message, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton calls our attention to the word “joy” in the angel’s proclamation to the shepherds. “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of a great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.’” (Luke 2:10-11). Eaton reminds us that the message of Christmas is joy, not happiness. Happiness is transient and humanmade. But joy given by God is deep and strong and unshakable. Read the message in English or Spanish, and download a video file at bit.ly/3D9ULKc.
“Joy is a sign of the reign of God…Perhaps that is why in the middle of the night, to terrified shepherds, outside of a small town, God chose to send the angels to announce the birth of Jesus. No distraction. No interference. Just the simple, deep, profound gift of true and lasting joy.”
Read MoreThe day after the 2024 presidential election, Bishop Eaton reflects on the many expressions of our church being woven together as strands of a large tapestry, even as individually people are experiencing joy or grief. She reminds us that regardless of who is elected president or to other leadership positions in our country, our call to be Christ in the world doesn’t change. View on YouTube or in this post, or download here.
“As we're moving through these next years, no matter what happens and what befalls … imagine all of us woven together and in Christ, and we will continue to serve the gospel and to serve the world.”
Read MoreStand Against Christian Nationalism: Register for the Forgotten Luther IV Conference on October 25-26, 2024, in Silver Spring, MD. This event will feature key Lutheran leaders and thinkers addressing the threats to democracy. Register now at www.fliv.us. View a PDF ad and poster as well.
Read MoreDuring this election season and as we prepare to vote as part of our civic responsibility and commitment to the Gospel, Bishop Eaton reminds us, "We are not defined by our political affiliations but by our shared baptism and our commitment to the Gospel. As people of faith, we are called to engage in our communities and work for justice and to advocate for the dignity and well-being of all people. One way we do this is by voting, ensuring that our voices are heard, as we shape our society together." To read more, visit https://www.ELCA.org/CivicEngagement.
Read MoreStand Against Christian Nationalism: Register for the Forgotten Luther IV Conference on October 25-26, 2024, in Silver Spring, MD. This event will feature key Lutheran leaders and thinkers addressing the threats to democracy. Register now at www.fliv.us. View a PDF ad and poster as well.
Read MoreCelebrate 50 years of ELCA World Hunger on World Food Day, Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. Central time. Hear firsthand stories of hope and transformation from ELCA World Hunger partners, including EPES in Chile and Tapestry Farms in the Midwest. Register by Friday, Oct. 11, and join the celebration via Zoom to hear from Presiding Bishop Eaton and learn how we can continue building a just world where all are fed. Learn more here.
Read MoreThe recent national spotlight on Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, clearly has fanned flames of hate and stoked threats of violence. The rhetoric has created discord and mistrust of people who have already suffered civil unrest in their nation and been granted legal protection in the United States. History shows us that this kind of hatred often carries negative national and global consequences. Our church teaches that immigrants are children of God, made in God's image and worthy of respect and lives of dignity. God calls us to witness boldly to this truth when people tell dehumanizing lies that perpetuate racist tropes and support white supremacist narratives.
Read MoreIn observance of the one-year anniversary of the start of the current conflict in the Holy Land, Bishop Eaton offers prayers for peace, healing and justice for all people in Israel and Palestine, and the regions where the war has escalated. “We grieve this violence and loss of life with all people of the Holy Land — and with the Palestinian community of the ELCA, our Jewish and Muslim neighbors, and all who live in fear, pain and anguish. We believe the presence and love of God in Jesus Christ can always be found in the places of the cross. Wherever violence, injustice and death seem to have the last word, God is there and has not abandoned the people.”
Read MoreIn anticipation of Election Day in the United States, Bishop Eaton reminds us that “civic engagement through political and nonpolitical processes is how we live into our baptism and share Christ’s love as we work to make a difference in our communities and strive for justice and peace across the globe.”
Read MoreJoin us on September 10 for a special regional conversation with Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton on “God’s Love Made Real.” This live Zoom event, hosted by Bishop Brenda Bos, will explore how we can embody God’s grace and love in our communities. Registration is encouraged but not required.
Read MoreJust a few weeks ago in my June column for Living Lutheran I wrote, "I can't think of an election cycle more fraught and divisive than this one. People all across the political spectrum claim that life as we know it is on the line. It's not possible to agree to disagree—one must decide and put a stake in the ground. There is the potential for violence." That potential is now a reality after last weekend's shooting at a Trump campaign rally that killed Corey D. Comperatore and injured other attendees. I am thankful that former President Trump's injury was minor and pray for his recovery alongside those affected.
Read MoreIn her letter responding to recent Grants Pass Supreme Court decision, Bishop Eaton encourages us as a church to:
Learn and Engage: Let us educate ourselves about housing insecurity and about justice for the homeless. Visit the ELCA Homeless and Justice Network for more information.
Pray: Let us use the ELCA's Homeless and Justice Ministries dedicated devotional guide to pray for those affected by this decision and for our ministries that work to secure shelter for those in need.
Speak Out: Let us review the ELCA World Hunger resource on housing and engage in activities to support effective policies, such as writing a letter to a local news outlet or speaking out at a town hall.
“Criminalizing homelessness is an injustice we must reject. We remain committed to advocating for our unhoused neighbors.”
Read MoreHave you heard the phrase, “May you live in interesting times?” Many would say we live in uncertain times, with a world experiencing war and famine, the stress and lingering effects of the pandemic. But Bishop Eaton reminds us that as people of the Resurrection we also live in hope. God’s love sustains us even in the most difficult times. We live in interesting times because God’s love is always real.
Read MoreThere is a movement in this country that seeks to define “real Americans” as white, Christian and native born. That is not only untrue but unpatriotic. In her video addressing Christian Nationalism, Bishop Eaton reminds us that “what binds us together is not ethnicity, but shared participation in our civic life springing out of our cultural heritages and working for the common good.” Download this message here, learn more about the Lutheran perspective on Christian Nationalism in this resource from ELCA Advocacy, and take action and join the movement here.
Read MoreFor eight horrific months war has raged in Gaza. Thousands of people have died, and thousands more are suffering. In recent days we have seen unspeakable images of violence in Rafah and escalating violence in the West Bank. Like the prophet Isaiah, we lament, "How long, O Lord?" (Isaiah 6:11).
At times a just peace for Palestinians and Israelis doesn't seem possible, yet as Christians we believe that it is. The psalmist assures us that God "makes wars cease to the end of the earth" (Psalm 46:9). At times it seems that there is nothing we can do, yet through baptism God calls us to be peacemakers. We live out this calling in many ways, including through prayer, advocacy and accompaniment.
Read MoreIn her message addressing mental health, Bishop Eaton stresses that “telling someone they aren’t doing enough to be happy creates a stigma that they are not living correctly… it’s important that we, as the body of Christ, provide compassionate support for those in our families and in our communities who are living with mental illness. God loves us all; no matter how we are coping, we are not alone, God is with us.”
Read MorePresiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton reflects on the profound changes emerging from the recently concluded United Methodist Church (UMC) General Conference in Charlotte, N.C. After being postponed since 2020, the conference highlighted the UMC's adoption of significant measures including the lifting of a 40-year ban on the ordination of practicing homosexual clergy, and the expansion of marriage definitions to include same-sex couples.
Bishop Eaton underscores the ELCA's joy and gratitude for 15 years of full communion with the UMC, celebrating the shared commitment to inclusivity and unity in Christian teaching.
Read MoreIn her Easter message to the church, Bishop Eaton focuses on three words that describe what the women at tomb experienced when the angel announced that Jesus had been raised from the dead: fear, amazement and being seized or possessed.
“These three words really say something about the women, and I think about us and, most especially, about Easter…I think it's very important to take time to be a little amazed, to be standing in a different place, to have a sense of this awe and trembling before the Lord, and to allow ourselves to be possessed by the Spirit, who will give us power and courage in these times.”
Read MoreELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton will be on a 4-to-6-month leave of absence starting November 17, 2023. During this period, former Southeastern Iowa Synod Bishop, Rev. Michael Burk, will serve as Presiding Bishop Pro Tem. We are grateful for Bishop Eaton's dedication and leadership and keep her in our prayers as she takes this time for rest and rejuvenation.
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