“And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars..” Matthew 24:6
The past few weeks have brought disturbing headlines of children kept in detention on the border, escalating hostilities between Israel and Palestine and the downing of a passenger jet as a result of civil unrest in the Ukraine.
How do Christians respond to the news of such pain and suffering around them? How do we as Lutherans stand against some of the troubling pronouncements and interpretations of those who claim to speak for all Christians?
Lutherans have always recognized that there are no easy answers and good people of faith don’t always agree on solutions. Here are some ELCA resources to help church leaders and members grapple with the difficult issues facing us to find ways to respond in faith.
Unaccompanied Children on the Border
- ELCA Bishops in Iowa express the faith community’s call to provide care for the unaccompanied children from Central Americas
- Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Service Response to Crisis at the Border
- Houses of Welcome Provide a Community-based Alternative to Detention
- A Visit with Children at the Border
- Our Journey to Children at the Border – Guest Post from Rev. Stephen Bouman
- Lutheran Disaster Response
- Bulletin Insert
Israel & Palestine
- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land
- Bishop Elizabeth Eaton letter to Rev. Dr. Munib Younan
- Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land
- ELCA presiding bishop joins call for peace in the Holy Land
- Peace, Not Walls
- Free Printed Materials on Israel and Palestine
- Prayer Litany and Bulletin Insert
Ukraine
- God’s Work. Our Blog. A Prayer for Peace in Ukraine
- Lutherans, Anglicans, Episcopalians call for peace, prayer in Ukraine
- A call to peace and prayer for Ukraine
- A real ‘Les Miserables’ in Ukraine – Living Lutheran
Other
- “For Peace in God’s World” ELCA Social Statement
- “The Church in Society: A Lutheran Perspective” ELCA Social Statement
- Classic Prayers for Peace