Salvation Army

Description

The Salvation Army is an international evangelical religious movement. It arrived in Canada in 1882. Before that, it had a history in London, starting out in 1865 as the Christian Mission. A dissident Methodist minister, William Booth, developed the concept of “soup and salvation,” as he believed that salvation could not be preached to the hungry. In 1878, the Christian Mission was renamed the Salvation Army, as its structure could be compared to that of a military force. It is both a Church and a social service agency.

During the early days of the Salvation Army’s presence in Canada, civic politicians and other citizens did not easily accept the Church’s methods, and members were often beaten and jailed for their activities. Once the social benefits of the organization became apparent, however, the Army gained greater acceptance. In 1909, Parliament passed an Act that gave the Salvation Army legal standing as an organization.

Some social programs started by the Salvation Army in Canada include the Thrift Shops; the concept of recycling, in Toronto in 1908; seniors’ residences; and the Grace maternity hospitals. The mission of the Salvation Army is to preach the Gospel and spread Christianity, provide for basic human needs, and help to spiritually and morally regenerate anyone who needs assistance, regardless of race, colour, creed, sex or age.

Like the creeds of some other Protestant Churches, the Salvation Army doctrine states that there is only one God, the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Ghost, three Persons who are equal and undivided in power and glory.

Religious Elements

Scriptural and Doctrinal Sources

• Old and New Testaments.

• Deed of Constitution of 1878.

• Salvation Army Act 1980.

• Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds.

Sacraments

• The Salvation Army does not observe specific sacraments as prescribed rituals.

• Christian sacraments may be acknowledged and observed by individuals, but not through rituals at predetermined times. For example, the Lord’s Supper might be recognized at any dinner table where Jesus has been welcomed.

Moral Code

• The Ten Commandments and the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Houses of Worship

• Referred to as corps, but also known as citadels, temples and community churches.

Devotional Practices and Services

• Sunday services.

Clergy, Organization and Government

• The organization and government of the Salvation Army are similar to those of an army. Management is “top-down.”

• At the head of the Church is the High Council, comprising all territorial commanders and active commissioners. It meets to elect the general of the Salvation Army, or international leader, and to determine policies of the Church.

• A congregation is called a corps. It is led by a corps officer, who is an ordained minister. Members of congregations who are not ordained are called adherents. Lay leaders of the corps meet as the Census Board and Corps Council to manage the affairs of the congregation. The senior lay leader of the corps is called the corps sergeant major.

• Corps are grouped into regional Divisions, headed by division commanders. Divisions are grouped into Territories.

Propagation of the Faith

• The central mission of the Salvation Army is evangelism. The Army exists to spread the Word of God through its distinctive methods of outreach to the world. The Church and its members do not hesitate to reach out to the poor and the abandoned, to help all toward salvation.

Major Celebrations and Observances

Days of Regular Observance

• Every Sunday.

• Advent (preparation for Christmas): begins four Sundays before Christmas Day.

• Christmas Eve and Christmas Day: 24 and 25 December.

• Epiphany (manifestation of Jesus; visit by the Magi): 6 January.

• Ash Wednesday (beginning of Lent).

• Lent (period of fasting): 40 weekdays.

• Palm Sunday (Jesus enters Jerusalem).

• Maundy Thursday (the Last Supper).

• Good Friday (Jesus’ crucifixion).

• Easter Vigil (first service of Easter).

• Easter Sunday (Jesus’ resurrection): first Sunday of the first full moon after the vernal equinox.

• Ascension (Jesus’ ascension).

Dress Requirements

• Members must wear the Salvation Army uniform on Sundays when worshipping and also while on duty.

Dietary Requirements

• Members must abstain completely from alcohol, as it is considered spiritually and socially detrimental.

Medical and Health Requirements

The Salvation Army (Canada) has published positional statements on a number of health and sexual issues of concern to modern society (http://www.salvationarmy.ca).

• The Church does not object to the use of pharmaceutical drugs, if prescribed by a physician, but it does condemn on moral grounds any nonmedicinal use of drugs and narcotics intended to induce hallucinatory states or oblivion. It opposes use of alcohol for the same reason and requires total abstinence of its members.

• Members must abstain from smoking.

• The Church is opposed to abortion on demand or as a means of birth control. The Church does not object to abortion “in those rare instances where, in the judgement of competent medical and allied staff, the pregnancy poses a serious threat to the life of the mother or could result in serious physical injury to the mother and in those instances of proven rape or legally defined incest or where reliable diagnostic procedures determine that a fetal anomaly is present which is incompatible with post natal survival or where there is total or virtual absence of cognitive function.” (Source: http://www.salvationarmybermuda.bm/home/sub_index_home.htms — positional statements of the Salvation Army, Canada and Bermuda Territory.)

• Euthanasia and assisted suicide are considered morally wrong.

• Artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization between husband and wife to aid conception are supported, but the Church opposes use of third-party donors on moral grounds.

• The Church opposes surrogate motherhood.

• The state of homosexuality is considered a mystery beyond alteration by the individual, but the Church believes the practice of homosexual acts to be immoral and avoidable. Practising homosexuals are not admitted to membership.

Death and Burial

• Salvationists believe in the immortality of the soul and the resurrection of the body. Funeral services and burials of deceased members are conducted by ministers (officers). Practices are in conformity with common Christian custom.

Other

• The Salvation Army has a long tradition of providing missions in service to members of the Armed Forces. It has made a point of accompanying the Canadian Forces to Europe in war and peace and is honoured by Canadian veterans for its dedication to their welfare while in military service.

• The Church considers Sunday to be the Lord’s day and a day of rest and worship. It opposes commercial sport and political activity on Sundays or any activity that tends to secularize the day.

• Women and men have equal status in all capacities within the Salvation Army.

• The Army operates alcohol and drug rehabilitation centres around the world.

Sources of Additional Information

http://www.salvationarmy.ca — official website for information on the Canada and Bermuda Territory of the Salvation Army.

The Salvation Army
2 Overlea Boulevard
Toronto, ON M4H 1P4
Phone: (416) 425-2111