Representing the CORE faith and principles of Lutheranism in North America
Lutheran CORE (Coalition for Reform) is a coalition of individuals, congregations, and reform movements in the ELCA.
Lutheran CORE’s members and participants represent the vast middle of American Lutheranism, spanning geographical regions, vocations, and political viewpoints. We are united by our common commitment to the authority of Scripture in the life of the ELCA.
Lutheran CORE seeks to be a voice for the solid, faithful core that is the majority of ELCA members, pastors, and congregations.
Prominent Lutheran theologians and church leaders
affirm biblical teaching on sexuality and
call for defeat of ELCA sexuality proposals
- read their open letter to the 2009 ELCA
Churchwide Assembly, a news release
about it and add your name
to the list of additional signers.
The 2009 Lutheran CORE Convocation will be at
Christ the Savior Lutheran Church in Fishers, IN, a suburb of Indianapolis on Sept. 25-26. Make plans to now to be at the constituting convocation and download
the registration form for the event.
ELCA Church Council rejects pleas for 2/3 majority - Read the April issue of CORE Connection, which includes a news report of the Church Council meeting in Chicago, March 28-30, comments by Lutheran CORE leaders, and much more.
The three members of the ELCA sexuality task force who uphold the biblical norms, Scott Suskovic, Corinne Johnson, and Carol S. Hendrix, have issued a new public statement about the task force's documents and recommendations.
Read “Some Questions and Answers about the ELCA Sexuality Discussions,” a document to help you to better understand some of the questions on human sexuality that will be considered at the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.
Read the March 2009 letter from the Lutheran CORE Steering Committee that outlines Lutheran CORE's vision and plans for the future.
Read Prof. Paul R. Hinlicky's response to the ELCA theologians in support of the ELCA task force recommendations, "Against the 130 'Teaching Theologians,'" and his responses to the task force documents, It's Not About Homosexuality--Not Really and I Think I Want a Divorce plus other responses on Lutheran Forum's site
Download model resolutions to use at synod assemblies to ask the ELCA churchwide assembly to reject the social statement on sexuality (rich text file or PDF) and the rostering recommendations (rich text file or PDF) from the sexuality task force. There is also model resolution to request that the rules of procedure for the 2009 Churchwide Assembly require a super majority vote to approve changes to the standards for rostered ministers in the ELCA. The resolution is intended for use at synod assemblies.
Check the results of the 2009 Synod
Assemblies.
Read Carl Braaten's Critique of the two documents from the ELCA sexuality task force.
Read Robert Benne's response to the report from the ELCA sexuality task force - When There Are No Biblical or Theological Grounds to Change, Don’t
Response to the task force report from the pastors of St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, Roanoke, Virginia - Pr. Mark Graham, Pr. Gerald McDermott and Pr. Elijah Mwitanti
Pastor Jonathan Jenkins, Lebanon, Penn., using the reasoning and concepts of the ELCA sexuality task force, has written Implementing Resolutions in Support of the Ministry of Rostered Indulgences Salespersons
Pr. Jenkins' tongue-in-cheek resolutions illustrate that if the ELCA churchwide assembly were to approve the task force's recommended social statement and rostering recommendations, in theory the ELCA could revise its practices in any number of other "contexts for ministry."
Lutheran CORE leaders urge rejection of ELCA task force recommendations - you may download a short news release or a longer news release from Lutheran CORE in response to the ELCA sexuality task force proposals that you can send to your local news media or distribute in congregations. A special edition of CORE Connection with more news related to the task force proposals is available. The ELCA task force's report is available at www.elca.org/faithfuljourney.
The Institute of Lutheran Theology invited Lutheran CORE leaders to lead a six-week course about the coalition for reform. The institute has archived the course and graciously made it available for all to watch. It is a good introduction to Lutheran CORE and the coalition's five goals. Here are links to the six sessions.
Make an online donation to Lutheran CORE.
Read CORE Connection, Lutheran CORE’s monthly newsletter.
ELCA council says majority enough to change sexuality standards - a report on the November 2008 ELCA Church Council meeting by Mark C. Chavez
Read two responses to the cover story, “Our Mutual Joy” by Lisa Miller, in the Dec. 15 issue of Newsweek. Pastor Jonathan Jenkins in Lebanon, Penn., has responded with "No Mutual Joy." Robert Gagnon, Associate Professor of New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, has also provided a response.
Read Carl Braaten's presentation to a Lutheran CORE meeting in the Grand Canyon Synod, Theological Issues Challenging the ELCA.
The acronyms and jargon used in the ELCA and among our reform groups can be very confusing. See this Glossary for a guide to clear up some of the confusion.
The Lutheran CORE Steering Committee is thankful for the ELCA leaders that are serving on the Advisory Council, which includes former bishops John Beem, James Crumley, George Mocko and Ken Sauer; and other leaders like Robert Benne, Carl Braaten, James Nestingen and more.
Download a trifold brochure that describes Lutheran CORE's mission. An alternate format is also available for use in annual congregational reports.