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Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Elects First Black Presiding Bishop, a Chicago Native
It’s a new era of leadership in the Lutheran community — and a historic one.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America elected its first Black presiding bishop last week. Bishop Yehiel Curry — who currently leads the Metropolitan Chicago Synod — will start his new role in October.
“In many ways, this is an example of the church saying, ‘We see you,’” Curry said. “I didn’t go into our assembly thinking that I would be elected the presiding bishop. My name was lifted up, and after prayer and conversation with family and friends, I decided to allow my name to stay in.”
Curry will take the top job after two decades of work among various Lutheran congregations — from working as a pastor on Chicago’s South Side to getting elected bishop at Riverdale’s Shekinah Chapel. He has also led a Black Lutheran congregation on Chicago’s Far South Side and created mentorship programs for Black youth.
Despite his deep investment in Chicago’s Lutheran community, Curry took an uncommon path to ordination. After growing up Catholic and attending Catholic schools, he worked as a teacher and social worker before going into Lutheran ministry. He said he initially wasn’t sure if a career in ministry would be right for him.
“When it came to ministry, it took me two years to say yes because you start thinking about your gifts and your skills and do they line up,” said Curry. “I just didn’t know if my gifts aligned well with the office. So it took some encouragement. I always focus on that self-doubt but others were saying, ‘You got this,’ and encouraged me to move forward.”
Curry will be the first Black person to lead a historically White denomination, one that has also been losing membership despite efforts to become more diverse. According to Pew Research’s 2023 to 2024 Religious Landscape Study, 95% of ELCA members are White, just 1% are Black and 1% are Hispanic.
Curry said his vision for the future is helping the church put its values into action, engaging larger groups of people. After a church in Riverdale closed, he led a new ministry — something he said can provide ways for the church to adapt and grow.
“I hope the way I came into ministry is part of the answer,” Curry said. “In that closure, there is an opportunity for some birth; there is opportunity for resurrection. What we found on the South Side of Chicago but also in Riverdale, Illinois, was there was a great opportunity for us to grow a ministry. It might look a little bit different, but it can be successful.”
