Lutheran Mission-Australia (LM-A) has affirmed its commitment to biblical teaching on sexuality after its president, the Rev. Matt Anker, signed The Australian Creed for Sexual Integrity.
In a press release issued in March 2025, LM-A—a movement created to encourage Australian Lutherans to remain faithful to God and his Word—expressed concern over Christians responding unbiblically to societal pressures and temptations surrounding sex and relationships.
“This new creed was developed by people from churches and Christian entities around Australia and beyond,” explained the LM-A press release.
“They were concerned about how many churches, their leaders, institutions and members – in response to increasing pressures from society – have given up on confessing and teaching God’s clear directions on sex, gender and marriage.
“The new creed isn’t so much a creed to be confessed in worship as a statement pledging what the signatories believe and will teach in this regard.”
The Australian Creed for Sexual Integrity affirms belief in the Trinity, who designed sex as “part of His loving plan for humanity and whose will for sexual integrity is clearly revealed in Holy Scripture.”
God created people as either male or female, adds the creed, and sexual intimacy exists solely between a man and woman within marriage, a holy covenant and “a life-giving mystery that reflects Christ’s love for His church.”
“We believe God calls a husband and wife to be fruitful and multiply, that every life is sacred, and that children are precious to God and must be protected from sexualisation,” adds the creed.
“We believe God calls all people to the joy of living a chaste life, by celibacy in singleness and faithfulness in marriage, and that His commands are given for the common good.
“We believe sexual activities outside these bounds are sins which grieve God’s heart, injure others, and enslave people to idolatry.”
Bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, the creed states, and Jesus calls followers to repent from all sin, including sexual sin, that “His mercy abounds to forgive and restore, and that by living with sexual integrity we glorify God and humbly embrace His wise and loving plan for human life.”
The Sexual Integrity Creed echoes, and complements, paragraph 4.f of LM-A’s Confessional Statement, according to the LMA.
The creed was first published on Reformation Day, a Protestant celebration, on Oct. 31, 2024.
“Its development shows that – in addition to LMA – there are many other Christian organisations and individuals who are seeking to be faithful to God’s word in areas vital for churches and society,” the LM-A added.
