Gloria Deo Academy has adopted the following Statement of Faith, which is included in all policy handbooks and on the school website. GDA intends to admit students from families and employ staff that profess the historic Christian faith. The Statement of Faith below describes the Christian beliefs of the Gloria Deo Academy Staff and Board of Directors:

We believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. We affirm His life and works as outlined in the Nicene Creed:

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.

Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

We believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic (universal) and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen

In addition to this, Gloria Deo Academy holds to the following beliefs regarding:

GOD. We believe there is one God, infinitely perfect, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God reveals Himself through the Bible and through His creation.
Genesis 1:1, 26; Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 13:14.

God the Father. We believe in the Father as revealed in Scripture, a person of the triune Godhead. In His wisdom and compassion, He sent His Son for the salvation of the world. His Son Jesus Christ claimed and addressed Him as His Father. He is a Father in a personal relationship to all who confess and follow Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
Genesis 1:1, 26; Psalm 104; 148; Matthew 28:19; Mark 12:29; John 1:1­4-18, 14; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Timothy 2:2­-4.

God the Son, Jesus Christ. We believe that Jesus Christ was God in human flesh, at once fully divine and fully human. We believe in His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His vicarious (substitutionary) and atoning death on the cross, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, His present ministry of intercession and His personal return in power and glory.
Colossians 1:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18­-25; Luke 1:26­-35; John 1:14­-18; 5:16-­29; Philippians 2:6-­11; 1 Peter 2:24-­25; 1 Timothy 2:5­-6; Hebrews 1:1-­14; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-­18.

God the Holy Spirit. We believe the Holy Spirit is God present and active in the world. He convicts of sin and ministers comfort, assurance, guidance and victory. He enables the Christian to pursue a life of faithful discipleship in obedience to Jesus Christ.
Psalm 139:7-­12; John 14:16-­17; 16:7­-8, 13-­14; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:16; Galatians 5:22-­23.

THE BIBLE. We believe the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, to be the Word of the living God, divinely inspired, inerrant and infallible. The Scriptures are the complete revelation of God’s will for the salvation of humanity, and the Divine and final authority for Christian faith and life.
Luke 24:27; John 5:39; Acts 28:23; Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 2:10-­14; 2 Timothy 3:16-­17; 2 Peter 1:19-­21; Hebrews 4:12; Matthew 4:10; 5:17-­18; John 17:17; 10:34-­35.

CREATION. We believe that God created the universe and that He sustains it by His power.
Genesis 1:1­-17; 2:7­-25; 3:1­-24; Hebrews 1:1-­3; Colossians 1:16-­17; Psalm 104:30; Psalm 19:1; 33:5­-6; 104:24; Isaiah 40:26, 28.

HUMANITY. We believe that human beings were created in the image of God but rebelled against God, and are therefore fallen, lost, and estranged from their Creator, under the sentence of death, and in need of salvation. We believe in the resurrection of all people: those who are saved to everlasting blessedness with the Lord, and those who are lost to eternal separation from God.
Genesis 1:26-­27; Romans 3:10, 23; John 3:3; John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Matthew 25:46; 2 Thessalonians 1:7­-10.

SALVATION. We believe that regeneration by the Holy Spirit through the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ is absolutely essential for the salvation of lost and sinful people. Only those who repent and believe in Jesus Christ, are born again of the Holy Spirit, receive the gift of eternal life and become the children of God. This salvation is by God’s grace and not a result of human effort.
John 1:12; 3:16-­18, 36; John 5:24; Acts 13:38­-39, 4:12; 16:31; Romans 3:23; 6:23; 4:1­-5; 10:9­-10; Ephesians 2:8­-9.

THE CHURCH. We believe that the church, the “body of Jesus Christ,” is composed of all those of every nation who through saving faith have entered into a vital relationship with Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. God has committed to the church the task of making Jesus Christ known throughout the world. We believe that local congregations of baptized believers exist to equip the body of Christ by worship, prayer, teaching, fellowship and service.
Matthew 18:15­-17; 28:18­-20; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 12:12-­28; 7:17; Ephesians 1:22­-23; 4:11-­16.

PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS. We believe that every Christian is part of the priesthood of all believers tasked with proclaiming the Gospel message of salvation. Jesus Christ was the final priestly mediator between God and His people, and all Christians share in that role through Him. All who have received salvation have the right to read and apply the teachings of Scripture.
I Peter 2:9; I Peter 2:4-5; Hebrews 4:14; Hebrews 9:11-12.

MARRIAGE. We define marriage as the permanent, exclusive, comprehensive, and conjugal “one flesh” union of one man and one woman, intrinsically ordered to procreation and biological family, and in furtherance of the moral, spiritual, and public good of binding father, mother, and child. We believe that sexual acts outside marriage are prohibited as sinful. Consequently, we must resist and refrain from any and all sexual acts outside this definition of marriage, including but not limited to adultery, fornication, incest, bestiality, pornography, prostitution, voyeurism, pedophilia, exhibitionism, sodomy, polygamy, polyamory, or same-sex sexual acts.
Genesis 1:27-28, Genesis 2:18-24, Matthew 19:4-9, Mark 10:5-9, Ephesians 5:31-33; Exodus 20:14, Leviticus 18:7-23, Leviticus 20:10-21, Deuteronomy 5:18, Matthew 5:27-28, Matthew 15:17-19, Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-13, Galatians 5:19-21, Ephesians 4:17-19, Colossians 3:5, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, Hebrews 13:4.

SEXUAL/GENDER IDENTITY. We believe that God created mankind in His image: male (man) and female (woman), sexually different but with equal personal dignity. Consequently, we affirm their biological sex and refrain from any and all attempts to physically change, alter, or disagree with their predominant biological sex — including but not limited to elective sex-reassignment, transvestite, transgender, or non-binary genderqueer acts or conduct.
Genesis 1:26-28, Romans 1:26-32, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

SEXUAL ORIENTATION. We believe that God created and ordered human sexuality to the permanent, exclusive, comprehensive, and conjugal “one flesh” union of man and woman, intrinsically ordered to procreation and biological family, and in furtherance of the moral, spiritual, and public good of binding father, mother, and child. Consequently, we affirm and require that our members affirm the sexual complementarity of man and woman and resist any and all same-sex sexual attractions and refrain from any and all same-sex sexual acts or conduct, which are intrinsically disordered.
Genesis 1:27, Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6, Mark 10:5-9, Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Ephesians 5:25-33, Revelation 19:7-9, Revelation 21:2.

SANCTITY OF LIFE. The Bible is the foundation for our understanding of the sanctity of human life. God is the creator of human life, and each individual is known by God before the foundation of the World. He wonderfully forms each human life in the womb of the mother. Each human being possesses dignity by virtue of being created in the image of God and deserves to be protected. The circumstances of the conception of a human being do not diminish the dignity or the right to be protected. Since all life exists for God’s purposes and all human lives are sacred, the life of the unborn child must be preserved and nurtured. Additionally, since God is sovereign over all human life, trusting God’s timing for death is accompanied by the hope of eternity in God’s presence. Therefore, we agree that induced abortion, euthanasia, or assisted suicide is biblically prohibited.
Genesis 1:1, Genesis 1:27, Genesis 2, Psalm 139:13-17, Jeremiah 1:4-5, Deuteronomy 32:39, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8.

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE – THE WAY OF LOVE. We believe that the way of love1 and reconciliation2 as fulfilled by Jesus Christ is God’s way for His people. The people of God are called to value all human life as sacred3, alleviate suffering, confront injustice4, work for peace in all relationships5 and live as responsible stewards of the earth’s resources. We believe that parents are responsible to train each child diligently in God’s truth6. We believe in respect of and obedience to the institution of government, as long as its decrees do not violate the Word of God7. We believe that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and should seek redemption through confession, repentance, baptism, and faith in Jesus Christ. Consequently, Christians must welcome and treat with respect, compassion, and sensitivity all who experience same-sex attractions or confess sexually immoral acts but are committed to resisting sexual temptation, refraining from sexual immorality, and conforming their behavior to the Statement of Faith8.
1) John 13:3-4; 1 John 3:16-17; 4:20-21; Amos 5:15; Matthew 22:34-40; Matthew 5:44; 2) 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; 3) Psalm 139:13-16; Exodus 21:22-25; 4) James 2:14-17; Acts 11:29-30; 5) Romans 14:17-19; Psalm 34:14; 2 Corinthians 13:11; 2 Timothy 2:22; 6) Proverbs 3:5-6; 7) Matthew 22:16-21; Romans 13:17; 1 Peter 2:13-17; Titus 3:1; Daniel 3; 6; Acts 5:20; 8) Matthew 11:28-30, Romans 3:23, I Corinthians 10:13, Ephesians 2:1-10, Hebrews 2:17-18, Hebrews 4:14-16.

STATEMENT OF FINAL AUTHORITY FOR MATTERS OF FAITH AND CONDUCT. The Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and inerrant Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of Gloria Deo Academy’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, Gloria Deo Academy’s final human interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application as it relates to our mission and our community shall be the Head of School, with the awareness and support of the Board of Directors. The Head of School shall make a recommendation on such interpretation to the Board of Directors, and the Head of School and Board shall strive to reach a consensus on such matter. If unanimous agreement is not initially obtained, the Board of Directors shall seek the counsel of at least two local pastors with theological training, to be agreed-upon by the Board. If the Board is unable to reach unanimous agreement following such counsel, the decision of a majority of the Board members, with the Head of School voting, shall be the final interpretative authority as it relates to such issue.