ELCA Installs First Black Presiding Bishop
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America installed the Rev. Yehiel Curry as its first Black presiding bishop in a formal ceremony at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis; his six‑year term began Oct. 1, 2025 following his election July 30 at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Phoenix. Curry, 53 and formerly bishop of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, succeeds Elizabeth Eaton and will lead the denomination as it confronts membership declines, debates over LGBTQ+ inclusion, and efforts to strengthen multicultural ministries.
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📌 Key Facts
- Rev. Yehiel Curry was installed Oct. 1, 2025 at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis and begins a six‑year term.
- He was elected July 30, 2025 at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Phoenix; he is the denomination's first Black presiding bishop.
- The ELCA has seen membership fall from about 5.3 million in 1988 to roughly 2.7 million today and since 2009 has blessed same‑sex marriages and welcomed LGBTQ+ clergy (first openly transgender regional bishop in 2021).