Salvation Army
The movement of the Salvation Army was founded in 1865 by William Booth. It spread from London, England. The Salvation Army is part of the mainstream Methodist Christian Church, with distinctive in government and practice. Their doctrine follows the mainstream of Christian belief and its articles of faith emphasizes God’s saving purposes. Its focuses on the advancement of the Christian religion, education, the relief of poverty, and other charitable objects beneficial to society or the community of mankind as a whole.
Its message and the lifestyle it advocates are based on the Bible’s teaching. Its work is to make known the good news about Jesus Christ and to persuade people to become his followers. Everything The Salvation Army does is rooted in the faith of its members.
The Salvation Army is a Christian denomination and international charitable organization organized in a quasi-military structure. The ordination of women is permitted in the Salvation Army. Salvation Army officers were formerly allowed to marry only other officers. This rule has been relaxed in recent years. Husbands and wives usually share the same rank and have the same or similar assignments. The exception to this is the General’s spouse, who is given the rank of Commissioner.
History:
The Salvation Army was founded in 1865 in London by a Methodist minister William Booth wife Catherine. They wanted to bring salvation to the poor, destitute and hungry by meeting both their “physical and spiritual needs”. Originally known as the North London Christian Mission, in 1878 Booth reorganized the mission, becoming its first General and introducing the military structure which has been retained to the present day.
The Salvation Army was modeled after the military, and has its own flag also called their colors. They also have its own hymns, often with words set to popular and folkloric tunes sung in the pubs. The Salvation Army consider themselves to be soldiers in “God’s Army”. They also wear their own Army uniform that are worn for meetings and ministry work. William Booth became the “General” and his other ministers were given different ranks as “officers”. Other members became “soldiers.
Catherine Booth became known as the “Mother of The Salvation Army”. William preached to the poor, and Catherine spoke to the wealthy, gaining financial support for their work. She also acted as a religious minister, which was unusual at the time; the Foundation Deed of the Christian Mission states that women had the same rights to preach as men. William Booth described the organization’s approach: “The three ‘S’s’ best expressed the way in which the Army administered to the ‘down and outs’: first, soup; second, soap; and finally, salvation. The first converts for the Salvation Army were the alcoholics, morphine addicts, prostitutes and other “undesirables” that were not welcome in polite Christian society. The Booths did not include the use of sacraments such as baptism and Holy Communion.
The reputation of the Salvation Army in the United States was successful because of its disaster relief. Events such as the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 and the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The Salvation Army agree to a disciplined and compassionate life of high moral standards which includes abstinence from alcohol and tobacco. Women have equal opportunities, every rank and service being open to them and from childhood the young are encouraged to love and serve God.
Belief:
The Salvation Army believes that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and that only they constitute the Divine rule of Christian faith and practice.
The Salvation Army believes that there are three persons in the Godhead – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, undivided in essence and co-equal in power and glory.
The Salvation Army believes in Jesus Christ as Savior guides their evangelistic message and their wide spectrum of ministries.
The Salvation Army believes do not baptize; however, they do perform baby dedications. They believe one’s life should be lived as a sacrament to God.
The Salvation Army believes the Bible is the inspired Word of God, the only divine rule for Christian faith and practice.
The Salvation Army believes that Communion, or the Lord’s Supper, is not practiced by the Salvation Army church in their meetings. Salvation Army beliefs hold that a saved person’s life should be a sacrament.
The Salvation Army believes in the Wesleyan doctrine of entire sanctification, “that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The Salvation Army believes both women and men are ordained as clergy in the Salvation Army Church. No discrimination is made as to race or national origin. They also serve in many countries where non-Christian religions predominate. They do not criticize other religions or faith groups.
The Salvation Army believes the human soul is immortal. Following death, the righteous enjoy eternal happiness, while the wicked are condemned to eternal punishment.
The Salvation Army believes Jesus Christ is “truly and properly” God and man. He suffered and died to atone for the sins of the world. Whoever believes in him may be saved.
The Salvation Army believes Adam and Eve were created by God in a state of innocence, but disobeyed and lost their purity and happiness. Because of the Fall, all people are sinners, “totally depraved,” and justly deserving of God’s wrath.
The Salvation Army believes there is only one God, infinitely perfect, and the only object worthy of our worship. Within the Godhead are three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, “undivided in essence and co-equal in power and glory.”
The Salvation Army believes that there is only one God, who is infinitely perfect, the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of all things, and who is the only proper object of religious worship.
The Salvation Army believes that our first parents were created in a state of innocence, but by their disobedience they lost their purity and happiness, and that in consequence of their fall all men have become sinners, totally depraved and as such are justly exposed to the wrath of God.
The Salvation Army believes that in the person of Jesus Christ the divine and human natures are united, so that he is truly and properly God and truly and properly man.
The Salvation Army believes that the Lord Jesus Christ has by his suffering and death made an atonement for the whole world so that whosoever will may be saved.
The Salvation Army believes that repentance towards God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit, are necessary to salvation.
The Salvation Army believes that we are justified by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and that he that believeth hath the witness in himself.
The Salvation Army believes that continuance in a state of salvation depends upon continued obedient faith in Christ.
The Salvation Army believes that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Salvation Army believes in the immortality of the soul; in the resurrection of the body; in the general judgment at the end of the world; in the eternal happiness of the righteous; and in the endless punishment of the wicked.
The Salvation Army believes in the immortality of the soul; in the resurrection of the body; in the general judgment at the end of the world; in the eternal happiness of the righteous; and in the endless punishment of the wicked.
The Salvation Army does not celebrate the Christian sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion; although its officers conduct marriages, it holds a traditional Protestant belief that marriage was not instituted by Christ and therefore is not a sacrament.
The Salvation Army teaches that humans are justified by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Requirements for salvation are repentance toward God, faith in Jesus Christ, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Continuance in a state of salvation “depends upon continued obedient faith.”
Reference:
Official website for the The Salvation Army:
http://www.salvationarmy.org/
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Salvation Army:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Oct 2013.< https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2470,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2013, October) “Salvation Army:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2470,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2013) “Salvation Army:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (October), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2470, (accessed).
