ELCA allows women to be pastors, LCMS and WELS do not. Once upon a time, if I remember right from long-ago confirmation class, before the LCA and ALC merged to become ELCA, I seem to remember that the different synods were formed somewhat from geography.
The biggest difference is the ELCA has more hammers . But really, to find out more about the ELCA, www.elca.org will get you a lot of information. You might ask, what is the benefits of joining the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America? Well lets try this: Rest for your soul An awesome enthusiastic Church focused simultaneously on Vocation and ...
We see different emphases emerge. ELCA likes to reflect on social justice and doing good to all mankind at the expense of dogma. The more conservative synods tend to reflect on dogma at the expense of teaching on practical living. And of course, part of the reason pietism was mostly rejected in certain circles was probably cultural.
I keep trying to find the differences between ELCA and the UMC. I only find one major difference - that the UMC believes in becoming holy on this earth and has more of a focus on earthly works. However, they still believe in God's grace and that Jesus is the one who saves. They believe that...
Perhaps if you had looked on the ELCA website you would have had a better understanding as to how the Lutheran Church the words on the printed page. As clearly stated on the web site of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America under the "Scriptures, Creeds, Confessions" link: Simply stated, the Scriptures tell about Jesus Christ.