The basic difference bewteen the LCMS and the ELCA is how Scripture is viewed.
The LCMS holds, teaches, and confesses that the Bible
is the inerrant, inspired Word of God and the source and norm of all teaching and practice in the Church. We also believe that the Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church as found in the Book of Concord of 1580 are the true exposition of the teachings of Scripture. The BoC is thoroughly Scriptural.
The ELCA (while they will say that the "inerrant, inspired Word of God is the source and norm of teaching and practice in the Church) believes that the Bible merely
contains the inerrant, inspired Word of God. This basically means that there are parts of the Bible that are
not the Word of God and therefore are not part of Church teaching. The ELCA believes that those places that teach that God does not Call women to be pastors (1 Corinthians 12, 1 Timothy 2, Titus) is not the Word of God, so they ordain women as pastors. They believe that those parts of Scripture that teach that unworthy reception of the Lord's Supper is sinful (1 Corinthians 11) is not part of the Word of God, so they practice open communion and many people receive the body and blood unworthily.
They also do not believe that the Book of Concord is thorougly Scriptural.
There are other differences that stem from this basic difference concerning the view of Scripture.
Jay
What is the difference between a Lutheran and a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ?
nothing?
anything?
So, was Peter a Missouri Synod Lutheran, so-to-speak?
Or, for instance, as some have said, was Jesus a southern baptist?
Its like.... no, Jesus was, is, and ever shall be the King of the Jews, the Lord of Lords who made everything.
Which people do you think will "get in"? Only Lutherans of the Missouri Synod persuasion? That idea is of course rather narrow-minded.
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Eph 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Eph 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Eph 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Separation and division has invaded the church, its people, and the leaven of hypocrisy spreads daily. Why will people not cast out the evil from amongst them?
1Co 5:9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
1Co 5:10 Yet not altogether the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
1Co 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat.
1Co 5:12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
1Co 5:13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
The church has been so busy trying to fix the world but it hasn't spent an ounce of energy fixing itself. Paul directed us to judge those within the church, inasmuch as he said above. That is, if you're going to be looking for people who have holy behavior, look in the church, because you aren't going to find holiness out in the world. Mercy is essential, but so is repentance and unity in the body of Christ.
Those are essential also, and as Paul said, "Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person." What, do we think ourselves more spiritual than him? who was beaten and stoned so oft? Oh but so many people chalk up his views to nothing more than a product of his culture. How many people disregard his writing here?
1Co 11:10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.
Unbelievers think this is a product of archaic cultural thinking. But this is the Bible, God-breathed. This is the Holy Spirit speaking through Paul who had also done miracles and healed people. Here is what he wrote in context, but who has ears to hear?
1 Corinthians 11:1-19
(1) Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
(2) Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
(3) But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
(4) Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoreth his head.
(5) But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoreth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
(6) For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
(7) For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.
(8) For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.
(9) Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
(10) For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.
(11) Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.
(12) For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
(13) Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
(14) Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
(15) But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
(16) But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.
(17) Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.
(18) For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.
(19) For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
But I bet you that, what, 90% of women will never cover their hair once in a church, forsaking the teaching of the apostles. And why? Do they think they are more advanced because they ignore the writings of the Holy Bible?
Mar 8:38
Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. 
