I am disappointed by the Supreme Court's decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson, which clears the way for onerous civil and criminal penalties for unsheltered neighbors forced to sleep in parks or on other public property. This could jeopardize the work of Lutheran ministries and organizations dedicated to helping people experiencing homelessness. As a church, we are called by God's grace to love and serve the most vulnerable and marginalized neighbors in our communities.
Worshiping communities in the ELCA include people experiencing homelessness, which is not a moral failing; often it results from societal factors such as lack of affordable housing, stagnant wages and lack of affordable access to mental health services. Fining or imprisoning people without addressing these root causes drains public resources better directed at supportive housing services.
Criminalizing homelessness is misguided both ethically and pragmatically. As Christians, we are called to embrace marginalized neighbors with compassion, not punishment. Penalizing people for lacking adequate housing runs counter to our core tenets of justice and dignity. Christ himself had "nowhere to lay his head" (Luke 9:58) and the prophet Isaiah urges the people of God to "bring the homeless poor into your house" (Isaiah 58:7). Criminalizing their circumstances compounds their suffering and diminishes their opportunities to find stability.
The ELCA upholds the dignity of all people, affirming in its 1990 social message "Homelessness: A Renewal of Commitment" that "God's love in Jesus Christ ... [moves] us to care for homeless people as God cares for all."
I call on our elected leaders and public servants to implement solutions rooted in basic human rights. Rather than punish those without shelter, we need to support policies and investments in affordable housing, boost homelessness prevention resources, collaborate with ministries and expand supportive services.
As a church, we can:
1. Learn and Engage: Let us educate ourselves about housing insecurity and about justice for the homeless. Visit the ELCA Homeless and Justice Network for more information.
2. Pray: Let us use the ELCA's Homeless and Justice Ministries dedicated devotional guide to pray for those affected by this decision and for our ministries that work to secure shelter for those in need.
3. Speak Out: Let us review the ELCA World Hunger resource on housing and engage in activities to support effective policies, such as writing a letter to a local news outlet or speaking out at a town hall.
Criminalizing homelessness is an injustice we must reject. We remain committed to advocating for our unhoused neighbors.
In Christ,
The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- - -
About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 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
