ELCA Ecumenical Lutheran Council of America, it is no longer a church but a council of ecumenical beliefs and values. If you are an ordained minister in a American Baptist Church, or ELCA or PCUSA Prsbyterian Church USA, and there is a need for a minister in any of thre ecumneical churches in your local area, you can be a pastor there. Myself I am a lutheran pastor but not in ELCA or LCMS. LCMS participates in the World Federation of Churches as a prospective member. Be wary there are changes coming to the LCMS too, that will shock many in Lutheran circles. Since the 1960s LCMS has become more progressive (liberal). Look at ELCA and ALC joined in the 1980s. ALC was the conservative element of the ELCA/ALC merger and the conservative element has been pushed out. watch for the world council of churches to endorse the UN against Israel.
The BS will continue to arise in the mainstream churches until the people leave these churches entirely. MS Churches are United Methodist Church, Presbterian Church USA, American Baptist Church, Baptist General Conference, Ecumnecal Lutheran Church of America and there are others too.
Your exactly right.
But you missed WELS, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. They are aligned with ELCA and ALC also.
“ELCA Ecumenical Lutheran Council of America”:
Um...huh?
I think it was defined in the article - Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.