What this shows is that the "4 million ELCA members" is a bogus number and certainly includes many, many "members" who are either deceased or no longer attend their (former) ELCA church - they just quit coming and either attend a different church or no church at all. The attendance has dropped because those members either died or left but are still listed on the rolls. Given that the average age of ELCA members is over 60 years these numbers will continue to decline drastically as members die and are not replaced. They aren't attracting young members because they don't need a church to tell them they can do whatever they want, the world preaches that message quite well, thank you.
they happily slid down that slippery slope
I’ll bet if you go into the ELCA bylaws that it takes an act of congress to remove a name from the membership rolls.
“Membership” should never be used to evaluate a church’s size and reach. It should always be attendance (average weekly, monthly, annually...take your pick)
I wise person once told me that without law, there is no sin.
I keep thinking that no one believes in the law - with secular or religious. Both areas of human activity are suffering as a result.
It is not enough to focus on forgiveness, the law still exists.
Neither the President of the US nor the Bishops recognize any law but what equates to their own personal desires.
We are still in freefall. We will not hit bottom for some time. That is why it is best to keep your powder dry, and await the right time to build society up again.