The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has celebrated a historic moment with the installation of Rev. Yehiel Curry as its first Black presiding bishop. This landmark event took place on Saturday at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. Curry’s six-year term officially began on October 1, following his election on July 30 during the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Phoenix.
Curry’s installation marks a significant shift for a largely white denomination, which has traditionally been associated with its Scandinavian and German roots, primarily located in the upper Midwest. The ELCA is estimated to be over 95% white, but in recent years, the church has been actively investing in multicultural ministries and congregations of color. Curry expressed hope that his leadership would inspire others from diverse backgrounds to consider similar roles within the church. “If presence matters, me being here does something for allowing others to consider, ‘Someone who looks like me… could take on a similar role,'” Curry stated upon his election.
As the first Black presiding bishop in the history of the ELCA, Curry follows the leadership of Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, who served for 12 years as the first woman bishop of the denomination. Curry’s background is particularly poignant—he grew up on the south side of Chicago as the seventh of eleven children in a Catholic family, and his journey to the ministry intersects with his previous experiences as a social worker and public school teacher. His transition from a lay leader at Shekinah Chapel, a congregation that began as an ELCA program, to ordained ministry represents a pathway for new and diverse congregations within traditional church structures.
Curry, 53, is the fifth presiding bishop of the ELCA since its formation through a merger of denominations in 1988. So far, he has served as one of 65 synodal bishops, having led the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, where the church’s headquarters is located. He was ordained within the ELCA in 2009, becoming a part of the Theological Education for Emerging Ministries (TEEM) program, which prepares ministers for ethnic-specific, multicultural, rural, and inner-city environments.
The ELCA faces similar challenges to many other mainline Protestant denominations, including theological disputes regarding LGBTQ+ inclusion and a troubling decline in membership over recent decades. From a peak of 5.3 million members in 1988, membership has dwindled to 2.7 million today. In response to contemporary societal changes, the ELCA has been progressive in welcoming same-sex marriages and LGBTQ+ clergy, highlighting its first openly gay regional bishop in 2013 and its first openly transgender regional bishop in 2021.
The appointment of Curry is viewed by many as both inspiring and daunting, considering he will represent a predominantly white church as a Black leader. Rev. Leila Ortiz, a friend of Curry and a former ELCA bishop, acknowledged the weight of his call while expressing confidence in his leadership. “I trust him, and I trust God and I can’t wait to watch,” she said.
Curry’s leadership also sheds light on the contributions of African Americans to Lutheranism, both historically and in contemporary contexts. Rev. James Thomas, a retired ELCA seminary professor, emphasizes that Black individuals have participated in the Lutheran Church since its inception in the 1600s. Yet the early African American contributions to the church often go overlooked, an issue that Curry aims to address during his tenure.
Curry’s installation has been hailed as a dual call, not just for him but also for the denomination as a whole. Bishop Regina Hassanally of the ELCA Southeastern Minnesota Synod highlights the importance of creating supportive environments that allow leaders of color to fully express their identities and gifts. “There can be a temptation to think that calling a leader of color is enough. But the reality is that it means creating supports and infrastructure and actually allowing that person to lead out of all of their gifts and their full identity,” she stated.
During his term, Curry aims to explore how the ELCA can foster a more connected community, ensuring that local congregations are integrated with the broader structure of the church. He acknowledges the challenges of transition within an organization and hopes to build upon existing affirmations to bring depth and continuity to the church’s mission. “Sometimes you come up with unique statements and strategies, but then we move on as transition happens,” Curry noted. “I want to take something that we’ve affirmed already and maybe dig a little deeper.”
As Curry prepares to lead the ELCA into the future, the importance of representation in faith communities has never been more evident. His leadership could serve as a catalyst for change, challenging the church to embrace its diversity and uplift voices that have historically been marginalized. In a time when many denominations are navigating significant societal shifts, the ELCA’s choice of leadership underscores a commitment to inclusivity and progress.
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