What we believe

A Lutheran pastor in red chasuble sharing communion at a church service.

I’m new here. I have questions about God and church and faith.

All people seek meaning. This can come in the form of knowledge, relationships, spirituality or organized religion. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is part of the Christian church. We believe God’s grace, God’s unfathomable love, is available to all people as a gift through Jesus Christ. All are welcome here with their whole selves, which includes one’s race, ethnic background, past wrongdoing, socioeconomic status, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical ability and legal status. Questions and doubts are welcome.

  • God is the creator of the world; the giver of life; the source of wholeness, healing and forgiveness; the champion of the poor and oppressed; the power of new life and resurrection. God creates, redeems and continues to sustain the world. Christians know God as the Holy Trinity — one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As Christians, we believe all people are created in God’s image and loved by God. We know about God thanks to the witness of the Scriptures and especially through Jesus Christ, who embodied God’s love for humanity. God’s grace is a gift, given through Christ and received by faith. There is nothing we can do on our own — good or bad — to earn this gift. We call this “good news” or the “gospel.” Through this gift of God, we are led by the Holy Spirit to love and work for justice and peace.

  • Christians believe that God came to us in Jesus Christ, a true human, humble and vulnerable. Jesus lived among us and demonstrated the good news in all he was and did. The good news is the promise that God loves us and saves us by grace alone. This promise was realized when Jesus was crucified. He died on the cross but was raised again in the body and in a new wholeness. As a result, through the gift of grace received by faith, all people can be made whole in Christ and set free to love and serve all people, particularly the vulnerable, just as God loves us.

  • Martin Luther, after whom the Lutheran branch of Christianity is named, once wrote, “Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that you could stake your life on it one thousand times. … Through faith, a person will do good to everyone without coercion, willingly and happily; serving everyone, suffering everything for the love and praise of God, who has shown such grace.” Faith, then, is not about intellectually agreeing to a set of beliefs but about living in a trusting relationship with God in response to God’s grace. Faith is our confident hope that living in God’s promises sparks renewal to love and serve neighbors, as God in Christ loves us.

I’m thinking about going to church. What can I expect?

A congregation is a community of faith that gathers for worship, fellowship, learning and service. It’s a place to find connection with others as you experience and share God’s love and grace together. Congregations have many ways to welcome new people who are interested in participating in the life of the community.

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  • Worship styles and languages vary widely across the ELCA’s nearly 9,000 congregations. Some congregations worship in storefronts or parks, while others gather in historic church buildings. Some have contemporary music and a praise band, while others have an organ and a choir. Some have both!

    Within that diversity, there are common elements of worship. Those elements include gathering words and music, sharing the word of God through Bible readings and a sermon, receiving Holy Communion, and delivering a sending blessing. To learn more about what a worship service is like at a congregation near you, contact the church leadership or try a visit. Here are some questions you can ask before visiting a congregation for the first time: [Link to new document]

  • People who identify as Lutherans are those who actively practice their faith in the Lutheran tradition or who have joined a Lutheran congregation through membership. Becoming a member is a way of expressing one’s long-term commitment to the life and work of the church. It also expresses a commitment of resources to sustain the work of the congregation as well as the national and global church.

  • All types of people and families are welcome — seriously! The ELCA teaches that it doesn’t matter what your experience with religion has been or what kind of doubts or questions you might have about faith. You are welcome as you are.

    Many ethnicities and cultures are represented in the ELCA. Together we strive to be a church that celebrates diversity and that welcomes all people as they are. Come as you are to worship, learn, serve and grow in faith with others.

People carrying candles and a crucifix in a church procession during a religious ceremony.

What should I know about the ELCA faith tradition?

We are a church that is deeply rooted and always being made new. Our roots are in Scripture and a collection of writings called the Book of Concord, as well as in the rich histories of our congregations. We’re a church that strives to be faithful to the gospel and work toward more justice and wholeness in the world.

We are equipped to live and serve in the world with all its complexities, tensions and ambiguities. All are welcome here.

  • We believe that all people are imperfect and are saved (made right with God) by God’s grace and God’s grace alone, through Christ. There is no special prayer you need to pray, no special state of mind you need to achieve and no good deed you need to perform. We believe that through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God became one of us and took upon himself the sin and suffering of all the world. God did this to demonstrate God’s love for us. We believe that we receive the gift of grace by faith alone on account of Christ. We live in the tension of still being sinful but trusting that we are forgiven and that God is at work in us. The gift of grace expresses God’s unconditional love, and in response to that love we are set free to live gratefully and lovingly.

    An important date in the Lutheran tradition is Oct. 31, 1517, when a German monk named Martin Luther started a movement known as the Reformation. He insisted the Bible showed that salvation could not be earned or bought, which was contrary to church teachings at the time. Luther believed salvation was a gift and a sign of God’s never-ending love. The most influential documents for our church were written by him and other Lutheran reformers. These are compiled in the Book of Concord. Key writings there include the Augsburg Confession and Martin Luther’s Small Catechism. We don’t believe that you are born or are baptized Lutheran, but if you participate in the Lutheran tradition, you identify as a Lutheran Christian.

  • We believe it’s important to have relationships and understanding with other Christian faiths, and with other religious traditions and worldviews too. With other Christians we read the Bible, gather in congregations for worship services and affirm core Christian beliefs.

    The ELCA has established “full communion” agreements with six Protestant denominations: the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Reformed Church in America, the United Church of Christ, the Moravian Church in America (Northern and Southern Provinces), The Episcopal Church and the United Methodist Church. These agreements mean that we share enough essential understanding to participate in common mission. We exchange clergy and encourage opportunities to work together toward justice and peace. We acknowledge that differences remain, but we can talk about these, learn from each other, challenge each other and just agree to disagree.

    In our multireligious world, the ELCA is committed to working with people of other religions and worldviews toward mutual understanding and for the common good. Learn more.

  • The Lutheran movement was born as a reform effort in the heart of the medieval Christian church in Europe. The framework for our beliefs began in the 16th century, in what became known as the Protestant Reformation. American Lutherans trace their roots back through the mid-17th century, when early Lutherans arrived from Europe, settling in the Virgin Islands and present-day New York.

    The ELCA was formed in 1987 when three Lutheran churches merged to form one denomination. The American Lutheran Church, the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches, and the Lutheran Church in America came together to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

    Lutheran women were first ordained as pastors in the United States in 1970, in churches that eventually formed the ELCA. The first woman of color was ordained in 1979. In 2009, after a long period of studying the Scriptures and discerning our theological understanding of human sexuality, the barrier for ordination of LGBTQIA+ individuals was removed even as the church affirmed a variety of convictions. People of all sexual orientations and gender identities can serve as pastors and deacons in the ELCA. The gifts of all people called to ministry are received with joy.

    Explore more notable ordination anniversaries in the ELCA.

    Look    ing for a specific piece of Lutheran history? Try searching the ELCA Archives.

    The     ELCA has repudiated Martin Luther’s anti-Judaic writings and is committed to Jewish relations and combating anti-Semitism.

Green sign reading 'Prayer Garden and Labyrinth Everyone Welcome' mounted on a wooden fence.

Where is God in pain and loss?

God is with us — always. God’s love for us is limitless and persistent. God’s goodness and mercy prevail. In Scripture we read that “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39). We know that God is present in every aspect of life. God, through Jesus, knows pain and suffering and death. But through Jesus, we know resurrection. It can be difficult to see, but this faith helps us find that God is with us — even in oppression and injustice, even in the greatest pain and loss.

  • You might be surprised to learn that Christians today talk about heaven and hell much more than the Bible does. It is understandable to try and determine what will happen to us and our loved ones after death. What is heaven? Is hell real? Who is “in” and who is “out”? The answers to these questions are in God’s hands, not ours. Theologians have grappled with these questions for centuries and have arrived at various interpretations and insights. Many leaders in our church point out that we do not need to speculate about the afterlife. We do know that it is not our job to divide, sort or draw the lines by which we, or others, will be judged. We are free to focus on serving one another following Jesus’ example of abundance, justice and peace.

  • Suffering is part of the human experience — bad things happen. As we move through life, we encounter injustice, loss, fear and pain. It is a fact that humans make choices that cause each other troubles and sorrows. But there are also natural disasters and tragedies. The question of why bad things happen is honest and real. The ELCA doesn’t pretend to have easy answers, but God is with us through all of it. The resurrection of Jesus teaches us hope, and when we turn to God, we experience God’s grace in times of need.

  • Pastors, deacons and chaplains are prepared to walk with people and provide support in a time of loss and grief. The church provides a place for worship and also for counsel. Pastors, deacons and chaplains can be with people in homes, hospitals and other care facilities to offer prayer, guidance and insight. Familiar with the processes of medical institutions and funerals, they are available at times of illness, trauma and death. Find a local congregation.

An elderly woman smiling and making a peace sign with her fingers inside a church or community hall, surrounded by other women.

Am I welcome in the ELCA?

Welcome is what our church strives for. We recognize that there are groups and communities of people who have been hurt by experiences with church. They have been made to feel that they cannot be their God-given selves in church settings. The ELCA is continually working toward reconciliation and to share our fundamental belief that God’s love and grace are limitless and for everyone.

  • Sin is a complicated thing to talk about because it comes in many forms, through our actions and inactions. Sins can be individual as well as communal. In short, we believe sin is separation from God. It describes the harm, injustice, systemic oppression and evil that is done to people and the earth. All people, including Christians, fall short. It’s difficult to admit our sins, but we trust that God’s grace has the power to continually forgive us, heal us and free us to love others. This conveys God’s unconditional love for us.

  • Nothing. There is no limit to God’s grace and forgiveness. Through Jesus Christ, God promises to forgive our sin. Though humans are capable of causing pain and suffering, with God there is always the possibility of healing and transformation. God’s love is unfathomable. When we confess our sins, we are assured of God’s forgiveness, and we respond to that grace by serving and loving our neighbor. Still, ultimately, the gift of grace is that — a gift from God’s infinite love. Our faith is how we receive and respond to this good news.

  • God’s love for everyone compels us to stand against anything that harms or divides us from each other, such as injustice, prejudice and systemic oppression. We confess that churches, including the ELCA, have been complicit in this discrimination and division. We are, however, committed to doing the hard work of examining ourselves and engaging in honest dialogue with those who challenge exclusion and domination. Our desire is to do our part in God’s great work of bringing reconciliation, restoration and wholeness to the world. Confronting injustice is ongoing work done locally and throughout the world.

    Learn more about the justice work of the ELCA.

I’ve seen the ELCA make an impact in my community.

How do I connect more deeply to this church?

A group of musicians and choral singers posing for a photo following Bach Vepsers at St. Mark's.

We are a church that rolls up our sleeves and gets to work. Lutherans actively participate in their communities, so maybe you’ve noticed our members in action — hosting meals through a food pantry, rebuilding homes through Lutheran Disaster Response, providing spiritual care in times of loss, marching for the civil rights of marginalized communities, caring for seniors at Lutheran-affiliated nursing homes, or teaching children at preschool.

Lutherans have affiliations with schools, colleges, hospitals, summer camps, care facilities and many other social ministry organizations impacting communities around the country.

  • Each person is created in God’s image, and following the example of Jesus, we’re called to show love and compassion for all people and creation. By working for healing, peace and justice in the world, we seek to uphold human rights and dignity.

    We use our voices and actions to demonstrate God’s love. This takes place through everyday actions of members, such as being an active citizen or helping in a food pantry. It also takes place through our church’s advocacy work and ministries such as ELCA World Hunger and Lutheran Disaster Response. We join with Lutherans around the world in service work and justice through the Lutheran World Federation, our global communion of churches.

    In these and many other ways, our church strives to put its faith into action to work for the common good. Or as we say in the ELCA’s official tagline, “God’s work. Our hands.”

  • Contact a congregation and learn how to get involved with local service activities and ministries through the Lutheran church at ELCA.org/FindACongregation