Series editor’s note: In 2025, “Deeper understandings” is focusing on the ELCA social statements. Social statements are not responses to current sociological or political trends; instead they describe practical ramifications of the Lutheran faith in one’s daily life. Social statements reflect a reality that stands at the heart of the Lutheran faith. The social statements reflect that work and inform how we engage in it. The church and criminal justiceWith this in mind, let’s turn to a specific social statement: “The Church and Criminal Justice: Hearing the Cries,” which was adopted in 2013.