LINCOLN NATIONAL CORPORATION

   EXHIBIT 23 - CONSENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP, INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

CONSENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP, INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Annual Report (Form
10-K) of Lincoln National Corporation and in the registration statements
on Forms S-3 and S-8 (nos. 33-51415, 33-51721, 33-58113, 33-52667,
33-04711, 33-13445, 33-62315, 333-04113, 333-32667 and 333-49201) of
Lincoln National Corporation and in the related prospectuses of our
report dated February 2, 2001, included in the 2000 annual report to
shareholders of Lincoln National Corporation.

Our audits also included the financial statement schedules of Lincoln
National Corporation listed in Item 14(a). These schedules are the
responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to
express an opinion based on our audits. In our opinion, the financial
statement schedules referred to above, when considered in relation to
the basic financial statements taken as a whole, present fairly in all
material respects the information set forth herein.

/s/ ERNST & YOUNG LLP

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
March 5, 2001