The ELCA is now an unholy owned subsidiary of Satan, Inc.
Sadly, that has been true for longer than many think. In the 80’s, even shortly before ELCA was formed by a union of the LCA, ALC, and AELC (1988), there was an active effort made to inculcate higher-critical exegetical principles into the minds of its (their) people. In other words, to undermine the trust of their people in the Bible. This was pursued very actively ... I have some of the materials from back then (mid- to late- 80’s). They seduced many people into thinking of the Bible along the same lines as higher-critical “scholarship.” (For the difference between higher and lower criticism, see any number of articles, books or, all else failing, the internet). Over time believers trickled out of ELCA, knowing that something was amiss, but not sure exactly what it was.
Obviously, in the last few years the leadership of ELCA decided that the percentage of problem members (i.e., real believers) to members of whom it approved had declined to a small enough number that they could openly declare their true allegiances, e.g., homosexuality, same-sex marriage, abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, divorce, open marriage, socialism/communism (all the “causes celebres” of the 60’s). What remains of the ELCA, as congregations leave by the hundreds, is the unbelieving but nostalgiac, who think that worship is “nice” and “comforting,” but otherwise really have no idea why that might be true. But, above all, they are thralls to every new progressive whim that comes down the path.
The ELCA is not Lutheran. It is not Christian. It is not American (at least not according to the way of thinking of the Declaration and Constitution). It is a feel-good society that gathers on Sunday to participate in warm, fuzzy worshipy activities. It is, in other words, shallow and meaningless. It will not survive.
And business, thankfully, is declining.
"In 2008 after adjusting for inflation, the value of mission support income had declined by half since the founding of this church in 1988," [ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark] Hanson wrote to the council. "From 2008 to 2011, estimated churchwide mission support dropped from $65.3 million to $48 million." The work of the design team is based on an estimated range of $45 million to $48 million in annual mission support income for the next three years, Hanson said.