Church Language at the Service of Gender Justice: The Example of the Lutheran Churches in the United States (ELCA) and Canada (ELCIC)

Abstract

This article is aimed at presenting a certain limited and at the same time significant area on which such cultural and political pressure is exerted, i.e. the Churches’ language policies. The issue of language policy, which is seen as a symbol of actions undertaken for the sake of gender equality in church life, will be presented based on the example of the Lutheran Churches. This is because it is Lutherans who, in recent years, have been the most committed to promoting equality between, and equal rights for, women and men (especially in North America) in social, economic and political life as well as within the Church’s structures. The article begins with a presentation of the issue of gender justice in modern mainstream Lutheranism. Then the role of church language for this trend in the Church is shown as a tool in the fight for gender justice and for eliminating inequalities as well as negative stereotypes. Next, the official recommendations of the largest Lutheran Churches in North America are presented concerning the purification of church language and containing guidelines on its proper, non-discriminatory use. Finally, an attempt is made at presenting the results of Lutheran language policy.