In its biennial meeting last month, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America passed a resolution that seeks to eliminate bullying in church, school, and society.
By a 932–23 vote, the assembly voted to “encourage new partnerships among the church-wide organization, synods, congregations, campus and outdoor ministries, Lutheran School Associations, Lutherans Concerned/North America, Lutheran Social Services organizations, public schools, counseling centers, and other governmental organizations in order to support the prevention of bullying, harassment, and other related violence.”
The assembly heard from a series of young people who have been bullied or seen the consequences of bullying. The assembly heard them speak of being attacked for physical attributes that can’t be changed, of being vilified because of their sexual orientation, of not knowing what to do when friends are bullied, and of losing a friend to a violent attack.
The anti-bullying resources—a booklet of stories, theological reflections and devotions, and a curriculum for large- and small-group discussions about bullying, appropriate reactions, and prevention—are available for download from lcna.org under the Resources tab.
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