The ELCA has been working for the past year on developing a “Social Message on Gender-Based Violence” (GBV). JamieAnn Meyers and Nicole Garcia, board members of ReconcilingWorks: Lutherans for Full Participation, participated as consultants on this project, which is headed by Mary Streufert, Ph.D. Mary is the Director of Justice for Women in the Office of the Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
A draft of the document is ready for review by the public and can be read at
www.elca.org/Faith/Faith-and-Society/Current-Social-Writing-Projects/Gender-Violence
The preface of the draft document states that “Gender-based violence has been a largely ignored epidemic in human society. This message [if adopted by the Church Council of the ELCA] seeks to bring the epidemic into the open for the sake of survivors and perpetrators, for education and deliberation, and as a call to action.”
Feedback on the draft of this significant Social Message is especially requested from members of ReconcilingWorks. The response form can be downloaded from or filled out online at
Please submit your response at any time prior to November 26, 2014.
The document contains ten major sections. You may wish to focus on any one or more of these sections in your response, depending on your interest and your knowledge base. The sections include a Pastoral Message, Definitions of GBV, Context and Sources of GBV, Confession of Sin, Religious Contributions to the Problems Social Forces, Confession of Faith, The ELCA’s Calling, the ELCA’s Social Witness, and Commitments to a New Beginning.
Thank you for your faithful witness to the Gospel.
Yours in Christ,
JamieAnn Meyers, Ph.D.
Board Member, ReconcilingWorks