Statement of Belief
Altamont Lutheran Interparish School
August 9, 2021
The Altamont Lutheran Interparish School of Altamont, Illinois (ALIS) is part of The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod (LCMS or Synod) as a Recognized Service Organization (RSO). The LCMS is a mission oriented and Bible-based denomination that confesses the historic, orthodox Christian faith in the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a faith built on “the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone” (Eph. 2:20). With the universal Christian Church, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod teaches and responds to the love of the Triune God, who created all that exists; became man to suffer, die, and rise again for the world’s redemption; and brings people to faith and new life through His Word and Sacraments. The three persons of the Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – are coequal and coeternal, one God.
LCMS churches, schools, and RSOs (LCMS ministries) voluntarily choose to belong to the Synod, and, although diverse in many ways, all hold to a shared confession of Jesus Christ as taught in Holy Scripture. We believe without reservation that the Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament are the written Word of God and the only rule and norm of faith and of practice. In addition, the Synod accepts without reservation the writings contained in the Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Believing in the authority of Holy Scripture and that the Lutheran Confessions are a correct interpretation and presentation of biblical doctrine, our churches, schools, and RSOs agree to conform all their teaching and practice to the Scriptures and the Confessions.
The Synod “is not an ecclesiastical government, exercising legislative or coercive powers” (LCMS Constitution, Article VII) concerning its member ministries and rostered ministers. However, the voluntary association of member ministries and rostered ministers includes their agreement to respect and honor and uphold (Bylaw 1.7.2, 1.8.1) decisions (resolutions) made by the Synod in its national conventions regarding the understanding of the teachings of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions and practices that are consistent with such teaching. The Synod in convention is the “principle legislative assembly” of the LCMS (Bylaw 3.1.1) and its resolutions and statements are the position of the Synod in matters of doctrine and life. The Constitution and Bylaws of the LCMS provide specific guidance for the implementation and supervision of the teaching and practice of its member ministries and rostered ministers.
Churches, schools and RSOs of the LCMS, while upholding teachings and practices that are consistent with Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions and while honoring Synod convention resolutions, are self-governed and establish policies based on local circumstance and expediency. An LCMS RSO operates according to its own constitution and bylaws – which are required by the Synod Bylaws to be reviewed by the Synod through which the RSO holds membership in the Synod – and therein establishes an orderly way of making decisions and determines which individuals or entities in the RSO will have authority to act on behalf of the RSO in specific circumstances.
The Constitution and bylaws of ALIS govern our decision-making and policies. A copy is available upon request. The pastors from the four member congregations (Bethlehem, Immanuel, St. Paul Blue Point, and Zion) of ALIS have the collective authority to interpret matters of scriptural teaching and faith when circumstances are not explicitly covered in the constitution or bylaws of ALIS.
We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God (Gen. 1:26-27). An individual’s sex (male or female) means an individual’s immutable biological sex as objectively determined by anatomy and genetics existing at the time of birth. Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.
We believe that the term marriage has only one meaning: the uniting of one male and one female in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Gen. 2:18-25). We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a male and a female who are married to each other (1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2- 5; Heb. 13:4). We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a male and a female. We believe that any form of sexual immorality is sinful and offensive to God (Matt. 15:18-20; 1 Cor. 6:9-10).
We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life (Ps. 139).
We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 6:9-11). We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31) following the example of Jesus Christ.