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R-2
RESOLUTION CALLING FOR SUPPORT AND MONITORING OF
ELCA ANTI-RACISM WORK
WHEREAS, in its Constitution the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) in its Principles of Organization (5.01.b) declares its
commitment to be an inclusive church in the midst of division in
society, and throughout its governing documents names specific ways in
which it will live out its commitment to cultural diversity; and
WHEREAS, the 1993 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, while meeting in Kansas
City, Missouri, adopted the social statement, Freed in Christ: Race,
Ethnicity, and Culture which states that “the Church confesses Christ,
who has broken down the dividing wall (Ephesians 2:14). Christ, our
peace, has put an end to hostility of race, ethnicity, gender, and
economic class. The Church proclaims Christ, confident this good news
sets at liberty those captive behind walls of hostility (ef. Luke
4:18).” (page 1); and
WHEREAS, the social statement also declares that “racism — a mix of
power, privilege, and prejudice - is sin, a violation of God’s intention
for humanity...(and that) racism fractures both church and society.”
(p.4); and
WHEREAS, the social statement calls on promises to be kept, stating: “We
expect our leadership to name the sin of racism and lead us in our
repentance of it We expect our Leadership to persevere in their
challenge to us to be in mission and ministry in a multicultural
society.” (p. 5); and
WHEREAS, the Church has not lived in full compliance with its
commitments, in not examining the structural and cultural realities of
racism at all levels within the church, not requiring anti-racism
education of its leaders, and not allocating adequate resources for
staff and programs to address the sin of racism; and
WHEREAS, this failure is manifested in the continued lack of growth
among communities of color, with the membership of the ELCA remaining
97% White in a society that is 69.1% White, Non-Hispanic; and
WHEREAS, the ELCA needs to allocate staff and program budget to
implement the usage of the many anti-racism resources it has produced,
including the recently published Breaking the Bonds and Troubling the
Waters for Healing of the Church: A Journey for White Christians from
Privilege to Partnership, and to train facilitators to lead anti-racism
efforts at all levels of the Church; and
WHEREAS, the re-structuring of the ELCA takes seriously the challenge
for its leadership to name the sin of racism and lead efforts to
challenge its effects by placing the work of anti-racism within the
Office of the Bishop, but fails to provide full-time staff or funding
for that work; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Northern Illinois Synod memorialize the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America at its Churchwide Assembly in Orlando,
Florida, August 8-14, 2005, to declare its intention to live out its
commitment to persevere against racism and white privilege and strive to
be transformed, by allocating resources for a full-time position,
support staff and program budget for the work of anti-racism and
dismantling white privilege, education, action, and resource development
within the Office of the Bishop and the Commission for Multicultural
Ministries; and he it further
RESOLVED, that the anti-racism efforts of the ELCA be monitored by the
Commission for Multicultural Ministries and that a full report on the
efforts against racism and toward transformation and growth be reported
to each Churchwide Assembly.
Submitted by the Northern Illinois Synod, Sub-Committee Anti-Racism Team
Contact Person: Pastor Frank Samuelson
Date Submitted: February 26, 2005
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Action of the Resolution Committee -
Date of Action: May 28, 2005
Action Taken: Recommend the Resolution
(Resolution adopted by the Northern Illinois Synod Assembly, Plenary
session 4, Saturday, June 18, 2005.)
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