New Social Message on Gun-related Violence and Trauma

Comment period now open!

The ELCA has been developing a new social message about gun-related violence and trauma. A draft version of the message has been released for review and public comment. The draft’s themes focus on trauma, public health, and an ethic of shared responsibility for peacemaking, seeking to move beyond the strict polarization of gun rights vs. gun control.

What is an ELCA social message?

ELCA social messages and social statements are policy and teaching documents that are drawn up in order to give churches and parishioners a framework for engaging in social issues. Social statements are written to be broad frameworks, which assist us in discussing and thinking about issues within the context of life and faith. They help communities with moral formation, discernment, and community engagement, as well as setting policy for the ELCA and guiding its advocacy. Social statements are formed over a period of years, by diverse taskforces, with an extensive process of deliberation and participation, and then must be adopted by a churchwide assembly.

Social messages are topical documents adopted by the ELCA Church Council to focus attention on timely social concerns. Social messages do not establish new policies or teachings, but instead draw from pre-existing statements.

Draft on Gun-Related Violence

The latest social message to be developed is the Social Message on Gun-Related Violence and Trauma. Please take the time, alone or with a group, to study the message draft and share your affirmations, concerns, and suggestions via this survey form.

Please email any questions, comments, or concerns to draftsocialmessage@elca.org. Feedback is due by January 31, 2024. The draft will be revised in light of the public feedback and then considered for adoption by the ELCA Church Council in late March of 2024.