The 2025 South Carolina Synod Assembly passed the Resolution entitled: Resolution on Fulfilling Our Baptismal Call Through Truth, Unity, and Transparency in the South Carolina Synod.
This Resolution encourages each of us to speak clearly for the purpose of building up the Body of Christ, and discourages us to disseminate misleading or divisive claims. It asks us to commit to respectful dialogue grounded in Christian love and resist divisive narratives.
You can find the entire Resolution on our Synod Website here:
Resolution on Fulfilling Our Baptismal Call Through Truth, Unity, and Transparency in the South Carolina Synod
Resolution on Fulfilling Our Baptismal Call
Through Truth, Unity, and Transparency in the South Carolina Synod
I encourage you to read it in its entirety.
In an effort to faithfully live out this Resolution I find it important to share that some groups, including the North American Lutheran Church leaders and those who support them, are producing misinformation about the South Carolina Synod and the ELCA to spread seeds of mistrust. The best way we know to address this is to name it and to share truthful information. Several specific questions about the upcoming ELCA 2025 Assembly and the work of the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church (CRLC) have been asked, and untrue rumors have been spread. I encourage you to read the report and recommendations for the CRLC which have been published on the ELCA website since April and may be found here:
Response of the Church Council to the Recommendations in the Report of the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church and the Report of the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church
Response of the Church Council to the Recommendations in the Report of the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church and the Report of the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church
Here are some additional questions we have been hearing about the ELCA Assembly, church autonomy, church property ownership, and congregations not being able to disaffiliate from the ELCA:
Assembly is reviewing constitutional amendments:
Yes. As always, the Churchwide Assembly will consider proposed changes to the ELCA Constitution, Bylaws, and Continuing Resolutions—including the Model Constitution for Congregations—based on recommendations from the Church Council and the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church (CRLC). Updates to Constitutions happens each time an Assembly meets.
Proposed Amendments to the Articles of Incorporation of the ELCA and to the Constitutions, Bylaws, and Continuing Resolutions of the ELCA
Proposed Amendments to the Articles of Incorporation of the ELCA and to the Constitutions, Bylaws, and Continuing Resolutions of the ELCA
Rationale for Proposed Amendments at the 2025 Churchwide Assembly
Rationale for Proposed Amendments at the 2025 Churchwide Assembly
CRLC is advisory only:
The CRLC has no authority to enact changes. Its role is to gather input, make recommendations, and help shape potential amendments.
Property remains in congregational ownership:
No changes are proposed that would allow synods or the national church to seize property.
This is a persistent rumor that the ELCA directly addresses as untrue. Proposed changes for the 2025 Churchwide Assembly do not affect congregational property ownership. Each ELCA congregation is a separate 501(c)(3) entity, and the Synod or churchwide organization has no interest in “seizing” property.
ELCA will eliminate congregational autonomy:
No. Proposed amendments are minimal and don’t reduce your self-governance. No proposed changes allow taking control of property.
Congregations won’t be able disaffiliate after 2025/the process will become harder.:
This is not true. Disaffiliation rules are unchanged, and there’s no effort to make it illegal or harder. The process is outlined in the Constitution and is the same as it has been.
CRLC will remove ‘Bound Conscience’ or force DEIA initiatives:
CRLC hasn’t discussed Bound Conscience. That topic is in a separate review with possible Assembly edits later; again, no loss of rights. DEIA standards are advisory, not mandatory, but require our attention to the call of Scripture for inclusion of all God’s beloved.
They’ll require financial audits or penalize churches based on giving:
No. Annual internal audits are standard; no new punitive financial policies are coming.
Proposed change to “floor amendment” rules:
There’s a push an amendment that if passed during the Assembly will allow some decisions to go into effect sooner—via Council approval—instead of waiting an additional three years and another Assembly vote. That’s a process change, not content.
When concerns were raised about this Amendment I asked the ELCA Office of the Secretary for clarification on why it is being proposed. The answer I have received is that it was a recommendation for update that would give the opportunity for more nimbleness in some situations where it may be better to implement the change after one Assembly vote, rather than an additional delay for three years until the next assembly. There are people I have talked with who feel that the vote of a second Assembly is worth the wait because of the time it takes to help congregations know about the changes. It is also important that substantive changes need discernment time. There are others who feel that in some circumstances it would be helpful to be able to implement a decision after one Assembly vote. There will not be any decision on this Amendment or any of the others until we are actually in session, but it is certainly not a done deal.
Please
Join us online at the Assembly and hold the Assembly work in prayer:
Happening in Phoenix, July 28–August 2, 2025.
I hope this information is helpful to you in understanding some of what is happening in this time when rumors seem to be so prevalent.
In Christ,
+Bishop Ginny
