Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (1988 - Present) - Religious Group
Religious Family: LutheranReligious Tradition: Mainline Protestant
Description: The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America continues several varied streams of Lutheran church life introduced to America during the Colonial era. The ELCA was formally constituted in 1988 as a merger of the Lutheran Church in America, the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches, and the American Lutheran Church.
Official Site: https://www.elca.org/
Connections: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
| Group (Active) | Group (Defunct) | Other |
Maps: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America1
Adherence Rate per 1,000 (2020)
Congregations (2020)
Top 5 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America States (2020)1 [View all States]
| Rank | State | Congregations | Adherents | Adherence Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | 367 | 140,764 | 180.68 |
| 2 | South Dakota | 205 | 97,189 | 109.61 |
| 3 | Minnesota | 999 | 607,275 | 106.42 |
| 4 | Iowa | 403 | 185,217 | 58.06 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | 652 | 316,245 | 53.66 |
Top 5 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Counties (2020)1 [View all Counties]
| Rank | County | Congregations | Adherents | Adherence Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nelson County, ND | 12 | 2,034 | 674.63 |
| 2 | Renville County, ND | 6 | 1,403 | 614.81 |
| 3 | Steele County, ND | 7 | 1,071 | 595.66 |
| 4 | Burke County, ND | 5 | 1,269 | 576.56 |
| 5 | Kittson County, MN | 7 | 2,314 | 550.04 |
Top 5 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Metro Areas (2020)1 [View all Metro Areas]
| Rank | Metro | Congregations | Adherents | Adherence Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albert Lea, MN Micro Area | 23 | 10,508 | 340.12 |
| 2 | Red Wing, MN Micro Area | 25 | 14,889 | 312.91 |
| 3 | Willmar, MN Micro Area | 22 | 13,090 | 299.32 |
| 4 | Owatonna, MN Micro Area | 9 | 9,908 | 264.88 |
| 5 | Beatrice, NE Micro Area | 10 | 5,119 | 235.86 |
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Members (1987 - 2010)2
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Ministers & Churches (1987 - 2010)2
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Trends (1987 - 2010)2
| YEAR | MEMBERS | MINISTERS | CHURCHES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 5,288,230 | 17,052 | 11,133 |
| 1988 | 5,251,534 | 16,083 | 11,120 |
| 1989 | 5,238,798 | 17,246 | 11,067 |
| 1990 | 5,240,739 | 17,402 | 11,087 |
| 1991 | 5,245,177 | 17,426 | 11,074 |
| 1992 | 5,234,568 | 17,416 | 11,055 |
| 1993 | 5,212,785 | 17,455 | 11,023 |
| 1994 | 5,199,048 | 17,322 | 10,973 |
| 1995 | 5,190,489 | 17,425 | 10,955 |
| 1996 | 5,180,910 | 17,402 | 10,936 |
| 1997 | 5,185,055 | 17,510 | 10,889 |
| 1998 | 5,178,225 | 17,589 | 10,862 |
| 1999 | 5,149,668 | 17,611 | 10,851 |
| 2000 | 5,125,919 | 17,651 | 10,816 |
| 2001 | 5,099,877 | 17,693 | 10,766 |
| 2002 | 5,038,006 | 17,706 | 10,721 |
| 2003 | 4,984,925 | 17,666 | 10,657 |
| 2004 | 4,930,429 | 17,725 | 10,585 |
| 2005 | 4,850,776 | 17,665 | 10,549 |
| 2006 | 4,774,203 | 17,655 | 10,470 |
| 2007 | 4,709,956 | 17,619 | 10,448 |
| 2008 | 4,633,887 | 17,660 | 10,396 |
| 2009 | 4,542,868 | 17,609 | 10,348 |
| 2010 | 4,274,855 | 17,258 | 9,995 |
Demographic & Public Opinion Data
The following table provides information from Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) respondents on demographic characteristics and a variety of attitudes and experiences using data from the 2014 U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, collected by Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.
Demographics (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)) |
Percent |
|---|---|
| Percent that live in the South. | 15.1 |
| Percent that are currently citizens of the United States | 99.5 |
| Percent that are 60 or older | 53.4 |
| Percent female | 55.4 |
| Percent of Hispanic origin or descent | 0.8 |
| Percent that are white | 95.3 |
| Percent born in the United States | 97.8 |
| Percent that are currently married | 61.3 |
| Percent with a family income of less than $40,000 a year | 24.8 |
| Percent that have a B.A., B.S. or other 4-year college degree | 49 |
Religious Practices (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)) |
Percent |
|---|---|
| Percent that are members of a local house of worship | 78 |
| Percent that pray at least once a day | 59.9 |
| Percent that meditate at least once a week | 37.9 |
| Percent that attend religious services at least once a week | 41.5 |
| Percent that read scripture outside of religious services at least once a week | 29.3 |
| Percent that participate in prayer groups, Scripture study groups or religious education programs at least once a week | 18.6 |
| Percent that share their faith with "non-believers or people from other relgious backgrounds" at least once a week | 13.3 |
| Percent that did volunteer work in the last seven days | 42.6 |
| Percent that speak in tongues at least once a month | 7.3 |
Religious Beliefs (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)) |
Percent |
|---|---|
| Percent that believe in God or a universal spirit | 98.4 |
| Percent that believe in Heaven | 84.1 |
| Percent that believe in Hell | 56.8 |
| Percent that believe in reincarnation | 0 |
| Percent that say religion is a very important part of their life | 63.7 |
| Percent that believe their holy book is the word of God | 64.4 |
| Percent that believe that their church or denomination should preserve its traditional beliefs and practices | 33.9 |
| Percent that look most to "religious teachings and beliefs" when it comes to questions of right and wrong | 33.5 |
| Percent that believe that churches and other religious organizations bring people together and strengthen community bonds | 96.4 |
| Percent that believe that churches and other religious organizations play an important role in helping the poor and needy | 94.1 |
| Percent that believe that churches and other religious organizations protect and strengthen morality in society | 84.1 |
| Percent that believe that churches and other religious organizations are too involved with politics | 39 |
| Percent that believe that churches and other religious organizations are too concerned with money and power | 41.7 |
| Percent that believe that churches and other religious organizations focus too much on rules | 40.4 |
| Percent that think about the meaning and purpose of life at least once a week | 51 |
| Percent that feel a strong sense of gratitude or thankfulness at least once a week | 82.7 |
| Percent that feel a deep sense of wonder about the universe at least once a week | 46.8 |
| Percent that feel a deep sense of spiritual peace and well-being at least once a week | 60.7 |
| Percent that think many religions can lead to eternal life | 87.5 |
Moral Attitudes (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)) |
Percent |
|---|---|
| Percent that believe that there are clear and absolute standards for what is right and wrong | 32.6 |
| Percent that think homosexuality should be accepted by society | 72.9 |
| Percent that "strongly favor" allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally | 28.9 |
| Percent that think more women in the workforce is a change for the worse | 9.7 |
| Percent that think that more people having children without getting married is a change for the worse | 63.2 |
| Percent that believe that abortion should be illegal in all cases | 3.7 |
Political Attitudes (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)) |
Percent |
|---|---|
| Percent Republican | 27 |
| Percent that are conservative or very conservative | 33.4 |
| Percent that are not registered to vote | 8.3 |
| Percent that personally know anyone who is gay or lesbian | 86.9 |
| Percent that believe that government aid to the poor does more harm than good | 45.6 |
| Percent that think that growing immigration is a change for the worse | 41 |
| Percent that believe that stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost. | 60.1 |
| Percent that would prefer a smaller government, with fewer services | 62.9 |
Other Beliefs and Attitudes (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)) |
Percent |
|---|---|
| Percent that are very satisfied with their health | 58 |
| Percent that are "very satisfied" with family life | 72.7 |
| Percent that say they are "very happy" with life these days | 34 |
| Percent that believe that humans and other living beings evolved over time | 67.7 |
Sources
1 The 2020 data were collected by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB) and include data for 372 religious bodies or groups. Of these, the ASARB was able to gather data on congregations and adherents for 217 and on congregations only for 155. [More information on the data sources]
2 All data on clergy, members, and churches are taken from the National Council of Churches’ Historic Archive CD and recent print editions of the Council’s Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches. The CD archives all 68 editions of the Yearbook (formerly called Yearbook of the Churches and Yearbook of American Churches) from 1916 to 2000. Read more information on the Historic Archive CD and the Yearbook.
Membership figures are "inclusive." According to the Yearbook, this includes "those who are full communicant or confirmed members plus other members baptized, non-confirmed or non-communicant." Each denomination has its own criteria for membership.
When a denomination listed on the Historic Archive CD was difficult to identify, particularly in early editions of the Yearbook, the ARDA staff consulted numerous sources, including Melton’s Encyclopedia of American Religions and the Handbook of Denominations in the United States. In some cases, ARDA staff consulted the denomination’s website or contacted its offices by phone. When a denomination could not be positively identified, its data were omitted.
