Bishop’s Message: Being lutheran in Violent Times
Dear Church,
I’ve talked with some of you recently about your connections with the neighborhood in Minneapolis where Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed by ICE last week. I know some of you have connections with Venezuela and other parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, too. “Who is my neighbor?” and “How do I love my neighbor?” are questions from scripture that have always been real and relevant for us, and that may be hitting you even more profoundly as neighbors and family members nearby and farther away face violence and uncertainty in daily life.
Our congregations are politically diverse, and that can make conversations about local, national and global events feel tense and complicated. In his recent messages to the church, ELCA Presiding Bishop Yehiel Curry has stressed that our connections to each other and to the wider church and world are more nuanced and deep than partisanship and polarization. As Lutherans, we are called to live, listen and speak in those spaces of tension with curiosity and courage, rooted in Christ.
I shared with rostered leaders last week about the ethic of crisis communication that’s emerging in the Conference of Bishops, and the guidance of that ethic may be helpful in your context, too.
We ground all our communication and conversations in Scripture, Lutheran theology and practice, and the social statements, prayers and worship resources of our church. We don’t speak, act or do anything alone. Being in the ELCA means we’re part of something bigger than ourselves, and beneficiaries of a tradition that keeps us rooted and confident in Christ when everything feels uprooted and unsure.
We honor and amplify the voices and experiences of people most directly impacted by natural disasters, human-made disasters, acts of violence and and other crises. This means not trying to be the first to speak, but starting with listening and making sure that we’re not unintentionally doing harm to people in the midst of crisis when we do speak.
Bishops, Pastors and Deacons in the ELCA are called to speak publicly “in solidarity with the poor and oppressed, calling for justice and proclaiming God’s love for the world.” Common narratives sometimes present that call as separate or a distraction from our call to proclaim the Gospel, the Good News of God in Jesus Christ. But this is not the case. Jesus’ death on a cross and astounding resurrection is not separate from his commands to love one another, his frequent teaching on economic justice, and his care for the alien, the orphan, the widow, and the outcast. It’s all part of the Good News of how God defies human expectations–the expectations we have about who is “last” and who is “first,” and even our expectations about life and death. God’s grace is more powerful than death, and a call to oppose everything death-dealing in this life.
Please keep all rostered leaders in prayer as we navigate proclaiming the Gospel and speaking to the realities of our world without exacerbating polarization. If you are curious about how our church handles politics and partisanship, consider studying–individually or with a group–the 2025 ELCA social statement, Faith and Civic Life: Seeking the Well-being of All. To help keep the synod up-to-date on messages and resources from our presiding bishop and other leaders in the wider church, we are adding a section in our weekly newsletter, The Wave, for wider-church communications. To receive The Wave, sign up for it at www.ecsw.org, under the News & Events tab.
Finally, beloved of God, “May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7) At times and in places when worldly peace is elusive, God’s peace in Christ abides.
A prayer for peace adapted from the ELCA hymnal supplement, All Creation Sings:
Eternal God, all people have refuge in the shadow of your wings. Spread over us the shelter of your peace. Hold before us the wisdom of your cross, where we are drawn to you not by might and power, but by your boundless love and forgiveness in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Your sister in Christ,
Bishop Anne Edison-Albright
Bishop Anne Edison-Albright
Bishop Anne Edison Albright is the fifth bishop of the East Central Synod of Wisconsin, one of 52 regions in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Statements from Presiding Bishop Curry
In his Statement on Venezuela, Presiding Bishop Curry responds to the Jan. 3, 2026, U.S. military action in Venezuela by grounding the church’s response in baptismal faith, calling for prayer, solidarity with Venezuelans, humanitarian support, protection for migrants, and a focus on peace, justice, and self-determination. It encourages us to seek accountability, resist exploitation, and advocate for a lawful, peaceful path forward.
On January 9, 2026, Presiding Bishop Curry issued a statement on the ICE shooting in Minneapolis. The statement mourns the killing of Renee Nicole Good, calls for a full investigation, accountability, de-escalation of immigration enforcement, and prayers and vigils for peace and justice. It reaffirms the ELCA’s commitment to human rights, humane immigration policies, accountability in law enforcement, and continued advocacy and care for immigrants and refugees.
