“As for me, I am establishing my covenant withyou and
your descendants after you” (Genesis 9:9).
Dear church,
In today’s lectionary text,Genesis 9:8-17, Noah receives God’s covenant. The rainbow becomes a sign of theirrevocable promise of God’s faithfulness and mercy — of God’s peace for allcreation. So, too, are we called to be signs of, or witnesses to, God’s peace.
With you, we are alarmed by acompletely different kind of sign. As you know, protests against stay-at-homeorders have erupted over the past few weeks. Protesting is avalid public expression, but here in Illinois, protesting has included peoplecarrying placards with anti-Semitic messages directed at our governor, J.B.Pritzker. There is a twisted logic in comparing our Jewish governor with theNazi regime, but the impact ofthese messages is still to promote anti-Semitism and its evil companions: whitesupremacy, racism and sexism. We, the ELCA bishops in Illinois, publiclydenounce this bigotry here and wherever it occurs. Anti-Semitism is contrary tothe irrevocable promise of God and “a violation of our hope and calling” aswitnesses to God’s peace (Declarationof the ELCA to the Jewish Community, 1994).
In our ELCA social teaching weacknowledge that there are times when “through faithfulness in its life andactivities as a community for peace, the Church in the power of the Holy Spiritbecomes a presence for peace that disturbs” (ForPeace in God’s World, 1995). This is one of those times. Even as we seek peace amid apandemic, we must uphold our commitments to our Jewish neighbors. No matter our politics or opinions about our elected leadersand their policies, all of us must come together on the basis of our church’scommitments to “oppose the deadly working of such bigotry” (1994 Declaration).
In Christ’s love, all of uscontinue to pray for Governor Pritzker and all our elected leaders as they makedifficult decisions intended to protect lives. As a church, we encourage oneanother to abide by government policies that seek to safeguard the health andwell-being of our communities, and to participate in healthy forms of civicengagement.
In peace and in partnership,
The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton
Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Rev. John Roth
Bishop, Central/Southern Illinois Synod
The Rev. Yehiel Curry
Bishop, Metropolitan Chicago Synod
The Rev. Jeffrey Clements
Bishop, Northern Illinois Synod
- - -
About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 3 million members in more than 8,700 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
