In Process — A Social Statement on Criminal Justice
Hearing the Cries: Faith and Criminal Justice
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is preparing a social statement that addresses issues in criminal justice. The 2013 Churchwide Assembly, it is anticipated, will consider the proposed social statement. This is the place to learn about the statement's development and to find resources for thinking about the issues.
In early 2011 the ELCA released,
Hearing the Cries: Faith and Criminal Justice, a study written by the Criminal Justice Task Force. The study was created to invite members of the church to engage in moral deliberation on this major social issue
. The responses from the study are being used by the task force as they write the draft social statement. The draft is expected to be released in March 2012.
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StoriesWhen crime happens, it touches many lives in many ways, forming different perspectives. Here are a few of those perspectives, those stories.
How to Get Involved Once the
Draft Social Statement on Criminal Justice is released, synods will be holding hearings to receive feedback on the document. Those who are not able to participate in a synodical hearing are invited to study the draft in a group and submit a form (available at the end of the document or online) to provide feedback to the task force.
Related Documents and Information 
A Social Statement on the Death Penalty ELCA Advocacy ELCA Assembly Calls for Social Statement on Criminal Justice by 2013 (ELCA News Service, August 7, 2007)
Order printed copies of Hearing the Cries: Faith and Criminal Justice
Visit
www.elca.org/resources