[1] In November of 2025, the ELCA approved a social message on child protection which calls for a number of reforms and greater theological engagement with the topic of child abuse. One of the resources cited in the social message is Here We Stand: A Lutheran Response to Child Abuse. This book is a collection of writings by scholars from the three largest Lutheran denominations (LCMS, WELS, and ELCA). Drawing on Scripture and Lutheran doctrine, they offer a rich theological

20 Then the Lord said, "How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! Verse 21 I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know." Verse 22 So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the Lord. Verse 23 Then Abraham came near and said, "Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Verse 24 Suppose there are

https://faithlead.org/seeds/seeds-fellows/ Staci Stought is the founder of Unnamed No More, A Safe Church Initiative, promoting open dialogue, prevention, healing, and accountability in Christian communities to address child abuse, elder abuse, sexual violence, and domestic violence. She is a retired police officer with specialized forensic expertise in Child Abuse and Sexual Violence, and currently serves as an ELCA Pastoral Care Minister. In addition, Staci works in the Tra

https://www.luthersem.edu/story/2024/11/19/bridging-the-gap/ By Jamie Hudalla Winter 2024 Peter Peregrine ’24 M.A. walks down the halls of an assisted living facility in Wisconsin, smiling at everyone he’s met who won’t remember him. As a full-time chaplain, Peregrine spends many hours in the memory care unit. He tells each resident he’s happy to see them—and he genuinely means it. Even if there’s no favorable resolution to their condition, he hopes sitting with them is comf