The Salvation Army, an international movement,
describes itself as an
evangelical
movement and part of the "universal"
Christian Church.
It has a
quasi-military structure and was founded in
1865 in the United Kingdom
as the East London Christian Mission by William and Catherine Booth. It is well known for
its evangelical,
social and
charitable work. The Salvation Army
seeks to bring Christian
salvation to the
poor, destitute and hungry by meeting both
their physical and spiritual needs, but its ministry extends to
all, regardless of ages, gender, color or creed.
The Salvation Army's stated objectives are:
The
International Headquarters (IHQ) of The Salvation Army is at 101
Queen Victoria Street, London
, England
. The
Salvation Army works in 118 countries.
It is sometimes
colloquially referred to as the "Sally Anne" in Canada
and the
"Sally Army" in the United Kingdom
and New
Zealand
. In
Australia, the
full name is rarely used, with the slang abbreviation "The Salvos"
displayed even on shop fronts.
History
The
Salvation Army was founded in London's East
End
in 1865 by one-time Methodist minister William Booth and his wife Catherine. Originally, Booth named
the organization the East London Christian Mission, but in
1878 Booth reorganized it along military lines when his
son Bramwell objected to being called a "volunteer" and stated that
he was a "
regular" or nothing. The name
then became The Salvation Army.
When William Booth became known as the General, Catherine was 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
stated 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."
In 1880, the Salvation Army started its work in three other
countries: Australia, Ireland, and the United States. It was not
always an official officer of the Salvation Army who started the
Salvation Army in a new country; sometimes Salvationists emigrated
to countries and started operating as "the Salvation Army" on their
own authority. When the first official officers arrived in
Australia and the United States, they found groups of Salvationists
already waiting for them.
The Salvation Army's main
converts were at
first
alcoholics,
drug addicts,
prostitutes and other "undesirables" unwelcomed
into polite Christian society, which helped prompt the Booths to
start their own church. The Booths did not include the use of
sacraments (mainly
baptism and
Holy Communion)
in the Army's form of worship, believing that many Christians had
come to rely on the outward signs of spiritual grace rather than on
grace itself. Other beliefs are that its members should completely
refrain from drinking
alcohol
(
Holy Communion is not practiced),
smoking, taking
illegal drugs, and
gambling. Its soldiers wear a uniform tailored to
the country they work in; the uniform can be white, grey, navy,
fawn and are even styled like a
sari in some
areas. Any member of the public is welcome to attend their
meetings.
As the Salvation Army grew rapidly in the late 1800s, it generated
opposition in England. Opponents, grouped under the name of the
Skeleton Army, disrupted Salvation
Army meetings and gatherings, the usual tactics being the throwing
of rocks, bones, rats, and tar, and physical assaults on members of
The Salvation Army. Much of this was led by publicans who were
losing business due to the Army's opposition to alcohol and
targeting of the frequenters of saloons and public houses.
The
Salvation Army's reputation in the United States improved after it
began disaster relief efforts after
the Galveston
Hurricane
of 1900 and the San Francisco earthquake of
1906. The establishment of Victorian bell-ringers
raising charity today "helps complete the American portrait of
Christmas", with over 25,000 volunteers taking up kettles over the
holiday period in the U.S. alone. The church remains a highly
visible and sometimes controversial presence in many parts of the
world.
In 1994, the
Chronicle of
Philanthropy, an industry publication, released the results of
the largest study of charitable and non-profit organization
popularity and credibility conducted by
Nye
Lavalle & Associates. The study showed that the Salvation
Army was ranked as the 4th "most popular charity/non-profit in
America" of over 100 charities researched with 47% of Americans
over the age of 12 choosing Love and Like A lot for the Salvation
Army.
Worldwide expansion of the Salvation Army

The worldwide expansion of Salvation
army
- 1865 -
England

- 1874 -
Wales

- 1879 -
Jersey
, Scotland
- 1880 -
Australia, Ulster,
United States
of America

- 1881
- France

- 1882
- Alderney
, Canada
, Guernsey
, India
, Sweden
, Switzerland
- 1883
- Isle of
Man
, New
Zealand
, Pakistan
, South Africa (see
Die heilsleer), U.K.
- 1884
- Ireland
, St Helena
- 1886
- Germany
, Colony of
Newfoundland
- 1887
- Denmark
, Italy
, Jamaica
, Netherlands
- 1888
- Norway

- 1889
- Belgium
, Finland
- 1890
- Argentina
, Uruguay
- 1891
- Zimbabwe
, Zululand
- 1894
- Åland
(until
1950), Hawaii
, Indonesia
- 1895
- Gibraltar
(until 1968), Guyana
, Iceland
, Japan
- 1896
- Bermuda
, Malta
(until
1972)
- 1898
- Alaska
, Barbados
- 1901
- Trinidad
& Tobago

- 1902
- Grenada
, Saint
Lucia
- 1903
- Antigua and
Barbuda
, St Vincent & the
Grenadines
- 1904
- Panamá

- 1907
- Costa
Rica

- 1908
- Korea

- 1909
- Chile

- 1910
- Paraguay
, Perú
- 1913
- Russia
(until
1923)
- 1915
- Belize
, Myanmar
- 1916
- China
(until
1951), Mozambique
, St Kitts
- 1917
- U.S.
Virgin Islands
- 1918
- Cuba

- 1919
- Czechoslovakia
(until 1950)
- 1920
- Bolivia
, Nigeria
- 1921
- Kenya

- 1922
- Brazil
, Ghana
, Zambia
- 1923
- Latvia
(until
1939)
- 1924
- Faroe
Islands
, Hungary
(until 1949)
- 1926
- Suriname

- 1927
- Austria
, Estonia
(until 1940), Curaçao
(until 1980)
- 1930
- Hong
Kong

- 1931
- Bahamas
, Uganda
- 1933
- French
Guiana
(until 1952), Tanzania, Yugoslavia
(until 1948)
- 1934
- Algeria
(until 1970), Congo
, Manchukuo (until
1945)
- 1935
- Singapore

- 1936
- Egypt
(until
1949)
- 1937
- Congo
, México
, Philippines
- 1938
- Malaysia

- 1950
- Haïti

- 1956
- Papua New
Guinea

- 1960
- Swaziland

- 1962 - Puerto Rico
- 1965
- Taiwan

- 1967
- Malaŵi

- 1969
- Lesotho

- 1970
- Bangladesh

- 1971
- Portugal
, Spain
- 1972
- Venezuela

- 1973
- Fiji

- 1976
- Guatemala

- 1978
- Canary
Islands

- 1980
- French
Guiana
(recommenced)
- 1985
- Angola
, Colombia
, Ecuador
, Marshall Islands
- 1986
- Tonga

- 1988
- Liberia

- 1989
- El
Salvador
, Thailand
(until 1993)
- 1990
- Czech
Republic
(recommenced), Hungary
(recommenced), Latvia
(recommenced)
- 1991
- Russia
(recommenced)
- 1992
- Belarus
(until 1996), Somalia
(until 1995)
- 1993
- Georgia
, Ukraine
- 1994
- Guam
, Federated
States of Micronesia
, Moldova
- 1995
- Dominican
Republic
, Estonia
(recommenced)
- 1996
- Rwanda

- 1997
- Botswana

- 1999
- St
Maarten

- 2000
- Macau

- 2004
- Lithuania
, Romania
- 2005
- Falkland
Islands
, Poland
- 2007
- Greece
, Burundi
, Commonwealth Of
The Northern Marianas Islands
- 2008
- Namibia
, Mali
, Kuwait
, Mongolia
- 2009
- Nepal

The Salvation Army currently works in 118 different countries and
has its main headquarters in London, England.
Current organization and expenditures

The Salvation Army International
Headquarters, London
The Salvation Army operates in 118 countries and provides services
in 175 different languages. For administrative purposes, the
organization divides itself geographically into Territories, which
are then sub-divided into Divisions. In larger areas, Regional and
Area Commands are also introduced as sub-divisions of Divisions.
Each Territory has an administrative hub known as Territorial
Headquarters (THQ). Likewise, each Division has a Divisional
Headquarters (DHQ). For example, Japan is one territory, the United
States is divided into four Territories: Eastern, Southern,
Central,
and
Western while
Germany & Lithuania together are one territory. Each of these
Territories is led by a Territorial Commander who receives orders
from the Salvation Army's International Headquarters in London. A
Territory is normally led by an officer holding the rank of Colonel
(for small Territories)or Commissioner.
In some countries, the work of The Salvation Army may be called a
Command, led by a Command Commander. In the Germany, Poland and
Lithuania Territory, for example, when the work of The Salvation
Army becomes stronger in either Poland or Lithuania, may be granted
the status of 'Command' as a step to becoming a Territories in
their own right. A larger Command is typically led by an officer
holding the rank of Colonel, however, the Italy Command is
currently led by an officer with the rank of Major.
The Salvation Army is one of the world's largest providers of
social aid, with expenditures including operating costs of $2.6
billion in 2004, helping more than 32 million people in the US
alone. In addition to community centres and disaster relief, the
organization does work in
refugee camps,
especially among displaced people in
Africa.
The Salvation Army has received an A- rating from the
American Institute of
Philanthropy. In the United Kingdom, The Salvation Army is the
largest non-governmental provider of social services.

claimed membership includes more than
17,000 active and more than 8,700 retired officers, 1,041,461
soldiers, around 100,000 other employees and more than 4.5 million
volunteers. Members of The Salvation Army also include "adherents",
these are people who do not make the commitment to be a soldier but
who formally recognise The Salvation Army as their church. It is
led by
General
Shaw Clifton, who has held this
position since April 2, 2006 after the 2006
High Council elected him
as the next General January 28, 2006. According to the 2006
Salvation Army Year Book, in the United States there are 85,148
Senior Soldiers and 28,377 Junior Soldiers, 17,396 Adherents and
around 60,000 employees.
In 2004, the Army in the United States received a $1.6 billion
donation in the will of
Joan B.
Kroc, third wife of former
McDonald's CEO
Ray Kroc.
This donation was among the largest individual philanthropic gifts
ever given to a single organization. The donation came with certain
restrictions that were met with some controversy.
[13421]
The Salvation Army is the second largest charity in the United
States, with private donations of almost $2 billion for the fiscal
year ending September 30, 2007.
Beliefs
The beliefs of the Salvation Army rest upon these eleven
doctrines:
- "1. We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New
Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and that they only
constitute the Divine rule of Christian faith and practice.
- 2. We believe 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.
- 3. We believe that there are three persons in the Godhead - the
Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, undivided in essence and
co-equal in power and glory.
- 4. We believe 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.
- 5. We believe that our first parents were created in a state of
innocency, 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.
- 6. We believe 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.
- 7. We believe that repentance towards God, faith in our Lord
Jesus Christ, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit, are necessary to
salvation.
- 8. We believe that we are justified by grace through faith in
our Lord Jesus Christ and that he that believeth hath the witness
in himself.
- 9. We believe that continuance in a state of salvation depends
upon continued obedient faith in Christ.
- 10. We believe 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.
- 11. We believe 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 Booths believed that many Christians had come to seek salvation
through ritual rather than reliance on God. Accordingly they
decided not to include the use of
sacraments, (mainly
baptism
and
Holy Communion) in the Army's form of
worship. Other beliefs of The Salvation Army are that its members
should completely refrain from drinking
alcohol,
smoking, taking
recreational drugs,
pornography, the
occult,
and
gambling. Soldiers affirm that they
will give "as large a proportion of my income as possible" to the
Salvation Army.
The
ordination of women is
permitted in the Salvation Army. Salvation Army officers were
previously only allowed to marry other officers (this rule varies
in different countries); but this rule has been relaxed in recent
years. Husbands and wives usually share the same rank and have the
same or similar assignments — the major exception to this is the
General's spouse, who is given the rank of Commissioner.
Officers are given 'Marching Orders' to change ministries within
The Salvation Army. Usually, officers are given new Marching Orders
every two to five years and reassigned to different posts,
sometimes moving great distances.
Salvation Army Symbols
The Flag

Standard of The Salvation Army
Around the world, The Salvation Army flag is a symbol of the Army's
war against sin and social evils.The red on the flag symbolizes the
blood shed by Jesus Christ, the yellow for the fire of the Holy
Spirit and the blue for the purity of God the Father.
The star contains the Salvation Army's
war
cry, 'Blood and Fire'. This describes the blood of Jesus shed
on the cross to save all people, and the fire of the Holy Spirit
which purifies believers.
The flag precedes outdoor activities such as a march of witness. It
is used in ceremonies such as the dedication of children and the
swearing-in of soldiers. It is sometimes placed on the coffin at
the funeral of a Salvationist. The Salvation Army term used to
describe the death of a Salvationist is that of the deceased being
"promoted to glory". This is a term that is still used and upheld
by Salvationists today.
The Crest
The oldest official emblem of The Salvation Army is the
crest.
In 1878 the rename of the Christian Mission into the name The
Salvation Army happened. Soon afterwards, Captain W.H. Ebdon
suggested a crest and in 1879 it was to be found on the letterhead
of the Salvation Army Headquarters. The captain's suggested design
was changed only slightly and a crown was added.
The meaning of the crest:
The cross: The cross of the Lord Jesus Christ
The "S": Salvation from sin through Jesus
The ray on the outside of the circle: The Fire of the Holy
Spirit
The dots: The Truth of the Gospel
The swords: The Salvation War*
"Blood and Fire": The Blood which was shed by Jesus for our sins
and the Fire of the Holy Spirit
The Red Shield
The Red Shield has its origins in Salvation Army work during
wartimes. At the end of the 19th Century, Staff-Captain Mary Murray
was sent by
William Booth to support
British troops serving in the
Boer War in
South Africa. Then, in 1901, this same
officer was given the task of establishing the Naval and Military
League, the forerunner of the Red Shield Services.
Salvation Army officers serving in the Red Shield Services in
wartime performed many functions. The Doughnut Girls of World War I
are an early example, serving refreshments to troops in the
trenches. They also provided first aid stations, ambulances,
chaplaincy, social clubs, Christian worship and other frontline
services.
This symbol is still used in Blue Shield Services that serve the
British Armed Forces, but is
widely used as a simple, more readily identifiable, symbol in many
Salvation Army settings. It is common to see the Red Shield used on
casual Salvation Army uniform.
The Uniform
Salvation Army officers and soldiers often wear uniform. The
uniform identifies the wearer as a salvationist and a Christian. It
also symbolises availability to those in need. The uniform takes
many forms internationally, but is characterised by the 'S'
insignia for 'Salvation', and carries the meaning 'Saved to Serve'
or 'Saved to Save'. Other letters are substituted to conform with
local language ('H' in Germany, 'C' in Russia, 'F' in Norway, for
example).
Tartan

The Salvation Army Dress Tartan
Since 1983 there has been an official Salvation Army
Tartan.
It was designed by Jack Dalgety, for the
Perth
Citadel Corps Centenary commemoration. It is
based upon the colours of the Salvation Army Flag, with which it
shares the same symbolism.
However, it is rarely seen outside Scotland
.
The Salute
The Salvation Army has a unique form of salute which involves
raising the right hand above shoulder-length with the index finger
pointing upwards. It signifies recognition of a fellow-citizen of
heaven, and a pledge to do everything possible to get others to
heaven also. In the case of saluting in response to applause, in
circumstances such as a musical festival or being applauded for a
speech, it also signifies that the Salvationist wishes to give
Glory to God and not themselves.
In some instances, the salute is accompanied with a shout of
'hallelujah!'
Music
As the popularity of the organization grew and Salvationists worked
their way through the streets of London attempting to convert
individuals, they were sometimes confronted with unruly crowds.
A family
of musicians (the Frys, from Alderbury
, Wiltshire
) began working with the Army as their
"bodyguards" and played music to distract the crowds. They
were also involved in union-busting actions: Salvation Army bands
would show up at union actions and attempt to bring down the union
activities with hymns and music.This in turn led the
Industrial Workers of the World to create their own
lyrics set to popular Salvation Army Band tunes, many of which
remain in that union's "Little Red Songbook."
The tradition of having musicians available continued, and
eventually grew into standard brass bands. These are still seen in
public at Army campaigns, as well as at other festivals, parades
and at Christmas. Across the world the
brass
band has been an integral part of the Army’s ministry and an
immediately recognizable symbol to Salvationists and
non-Salvationists alike. The Salvation Army also has choirs; these
are known as
Songster Brigades, normally
comprising the traditional soprano, alto, tenor and bass singers.
The premier Songster Brigade in the Salvation Army is the
International Staff Songsters (ISS).

A Salvation Army Band playing at Saint
Giles Fair, Oxford.
The standard of playing is high and the Army operates bands at the
international level, such as the
International Staff Band (a brass
band) which is the equal of professional ensembles although it does
not participate in the brass band contest (see
music competition) scene, and territorial
levels such as the New York Staff Band. Some professional brass
players and contesting brass band personnel have Salvation Army
backgrounds. Many Salvation Army corps have brass bands that play
at Salvation Army meetings, although not all.
The Army tradition in music is to use the popular idiom of the day
to reach people for Jesus. The Army's
Joy
Strings were a hit pop group in the 1960s and early 1970s in
the UK and beyond, reaching the charts and being featured on
national television. Another popular band is
The Insyderz, an American ska-core group in the
1990s and early 2000s. Current bands like New Zealand's
Vatic,
Chamberlin,
Hypemusic and
The Lads, England's
Electralyte, Australia's
Soteria Music
Ministries and
Escape and America's
transMission,
The Singing
Company,
HAB, and
BurN,
and 'CJD - Cookies, Juice, & Donuts' carry on this Salvation
Army tradition.
Another significant musical feature of the Salvation Army is its
use of timbrels, otherwise, commonly known as tambourines. With
coloured ribbons representing the colours of the Salvation Army
flag, timbrels play an integral facet of music in the Salvation
army. They are mainly played by women. However, recently, the male
section of the congregation is slowly becoming interested in
playing timbrels.
Saytunes is a
popular website designed to encourage and promote these
contemporary Salvation Army bands and artists.
Disaster relief
The
Salvation Army's first major forays into Disaster Relief resulted
from the tragedies of the Galveston Hurricane
of 1900 and the San Francisco earthquake of
1906. The Salvationists' nationwide appeals for
financial and material donations yielded tremendous support,
enabling the Army to provide assistance to thousands. General
Evangeline Booth, when she offered
the services of Salvationists to President Wilson during the First
World War thrust Salvation Army social and relief work to newer
heights. Today the Salvation Army is best known for its charitable
efforts.
The Salvation Army is a prominent
non-governmental relief agency
and is usually among the first to arrive with help after natural or
man-made disasters. They have worked to alleviate suffering and
help people rebuild their lives.
After the Indian
Ocean tsunami
in 2004, they arrived immediately at some of
the worst disaster sites to help retrieve and bury the dead.
Since then they have helped rebuild homes and construct new boats
for people to recover their livelihood.
Members were
prominent among relief organizations after Hurricane Hugo and Hurricane Andrew and other such natural
disasters in the United
States
. In August 2005 they supplied
drinking water to poor people affected by the
heat wave in the United States. Later in
2005 they responded to hurricanes
Katrina and
Rita. Most recently they have helped the
victims of the May 2006 Indonesian Earthquake.

The William Booth Memorial Training
College, Denmark Hill, London: The College for Officer Training of
The Salvation Army in the UK
In the year since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, The
Salvation Army has allocated donations of more than $365 million to
serve more than 1.7 million people in nearly every state. The
Army’s immediate response to Hurricane Katrina included the
mobilization of more than 178 canteen feeding units and 11 field
kitchens which together have served more than 5.7 million hot
meals, 8.3 million sandwiches, snacks & drinks. Its SATERN
network of amateur ham-radio operators picked up where modern
communications left off to help locate more than 25,000 survivors.
And, Salvation Army pastoral care counselors were on hand to
comfort the emotional and spiritual needs of 277,000 individuals.
As part of the overall effort, Salvation Army officers, employees
and volunteers have contributed more than 900,000 hours of
service.
The Salvation Army was one of the first relief agencies on the
scene of the
9/11 attacks in New York.
They also provided prayer support for families of missing
people.
The Salvation Army, along with the
American National Red Cross,
Southern Baptist
Convention, and other disaster relief organizations, are
national members of the
National
Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD).
[13422]
Also among the disaster relief capabilities is the Red Shield
Defence Services, often called the SallyMan for short. The effort
that they put in is similar to that of a
chaplain, and reaches many more, offering cold
drinks, hot drinks, and some biscuits and lollies for the soldiers
of the military to have, though, if a SallyMan is on deployment,
the locals are offered a share in the produce. Despite this
generosity, the RSDS is generally unnoticed because it only works
in disaster relief and military actions, not general welfare
opportunities.
Thrift shops and charity
The Salvation Army is well-known for its network of
thrift stores or Charity Shops, which raise
money for its charitable and religious activities by selling
donated used items such as clothing, housewares and toys. The
Salvation Army has a history of free rehabilitation from alcohol
and drug abuse. Thrift stores provide the revenue to run the Adult
Rehabilitation Centres known as ARCs. The ARCs, found in many
global locations, are work and Bible-based and are usually
long-term residential facilities. Clothing collected by Salvation
Army stores that are not sold on location are often sold whole-sale
on the global second hand clothing market.
In many countries, The Salvation Army is most recognized during the
Christmas season with its volunteers who stand outside of
businesses and play/sing Christmas carols, or ring bells to inspire
passersby to place donations of cash and checks inside
red kettles. A tradition has developed in
the United States in which, in some places, gold coins are
anonymously inserted into the kettles that the bell ringers collect
donations in.
This was first recorded in 1982, in Crystal
Lake
, Illinois
, a suburb of Chicago
.
Red Shield Appeal
The Red Shield Appeal is an annual fundraising campaign in some
territories, such as the UK and Australia. Each year, officers,
soldiers, employees and volunteers take to the streets worldwide to
participate in door to door or street collections. The money raised
is specifically channelled towards The Salvation Army's social work
in each respective territory.
Family Tracing Service
One programme for which The Salvation Army is internationally
renowned is its Family Tracing Service (sometimes known as the
Missing Persons Service). Established in 1885, the service is now
available in most of the countries where The Salvation Army
operates. The Tracing Service's objective is to restore (or to
sustain) family relationships where contact has been lost, whether
recently or in the distant past. Thousands of people are traced
every year on behalf of their relatives. A world record was
attained in 1988 when a brother and sister were reunited after a
separation of 81 years .
Youth groups
The Salvation Army includes multiple youth groups, which primarily
consist of its
Sunday schools and the
Scout and Guide packs that are sometimes
set up. The Scout and Guide packs are not Salvation Army but are
sometimes set up by members of the Salvation Army and are open to
anyone. Also some schools volunteer to get a group of kids to help.
Some territories have Salvation Army Guards and Legions Association
(SAGALA). In the United States these internal youth groups that are
specifically for females are known as Girl Guards (older females)
and Sunbeams (younger females).
Adventure Corps serves boys who are enrolled
in school for first through eighth grade.
The Refuge
Another youth group that has emerged in The Salvation Army is The
Refuge, meaning REviving FUture GEnerations. The Refuge was
established in The Salvation Army division of Pendel which is in
the Eastern Territory of The United States. The Refuge was created
and founded by a group of friends and salvationists. It began when
this group recognized the need for this type of ministry in their
area. The Refuge began in the Spring of 2005. With the aid of
dedicated musicians and administrative staff, the Refuge has been a
success and continues to be a safe place for worship, fellowship,
food, and fun.
GodRock (GeneratioNext)
Based at
the Pioneer Corps in the Kensington district of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, which is the longest surviving corps in the
United States. GodRock began in the late 90s with a group of
teens from greater Philadelphia. GodRock now meets every Sunday
evening, providing an opportunity for contemporary worship,
testimonies, and food. GodRock has expanded from what was once
primarily Salvation Army teens to a group of teens (and young
adults), not only from the Salvation Army, but from area churches
as well.
Alove UK
In the new millennium, The Salvation Army in the United Kingdom
created a sub-brand of itself for the youth, called
Alove,
the Salvation Army for a new generation. Its purpose is to free the
youth of the church and their communities to express themselves and
their faith in their own ways. Its mission statement is
"
Calling a generation to dynamic faith, radical lifestyle,
adventurous mission and a fight for justice.", and it
emphasizes worship, discipleship, missions, and social action.
Alove is a member of
The National Council for
Voluntary Youth Services .
Controversy
United States
Opposition to hiring homosexuals
The Salvation Army in the U.S. has been the topic of some
controversial discussions about
discrimination against
homosexuals in their hiring practices. According
to lesbian/gay
newsmagazine
The Advocate, in 2001, the
Bush administration was
"willing to do whatever it takes to perpetuate, support, and defend
discrimination against
gay,
lesbian,
bisexual, and
transgender individuals" in exchange for
The Salvation Army's lobby support for
Faith-Based
Initiatives, in what the publication described as a "secret
arrangement."
The New York
Times reported that the Salvation Army believed it had a
firm commitment from the White House to issue a regulation that
would override local antidiscrimination laws. A disclosure of The
Salvation Army's request "outraged some civil rights groups and
lawmakers," and resulted in an immediate reversal of a previous
promise to honor the request. The Salvation Army maintains that
they were "not trying to get permission to discriminate against
hiring gays and lesbians for the majority of its roughly 55,000
jobs and merely wanted a federal regulation that made clear that
the charity did not have to ordain sexually active gay ministers
and did not have to provide medical benefits to the same-sex
partners of employees.
The Salvation Army's position is that because it is a church,
Section VII of the U.S.
Civil
Rights Act of 1964 explicitly guarantees its right to
discriminate on the basis of its religious beliefs in its hiring.
To reinforce its position, it threatened to close all soup kitchens
in New York City when the city government proposed legislation that
would require all organizations doing business with it to provide
equal benefits to unmarried
domestic
partners.
Financial accountability
Although the Salvation Army is undoubtedly an international charity
organization, with funds comparable to a billion-dollar
organization,
Trent Stamp of
Charity Navigator has questioned the
Salvation Army's religious exemption from
Form
990 (a financial accountability report filed by most relief
organisations).
Australia
From 1940 through the 1970s the Salvation Army in Australia
sheltered approximately 30,000 children. In 2006 the Australian
Salvation Army acknowledged that sexual abuse may have occurred
during this time, and issued an apology. In it, the Army explicitly
rejected a claim, made by a party unnamed in the apology, that
there were as many as 500 potential claimants.
Russia
In
December 2001, a Moscow
court ruled that the Salvation Army was a
"paramilitary" organization subject to expulsion. This
ruling was later changed when clarification was accepted by the
Russian government.
In October 2006, the European
Court of Human Rights
ruled the original decision
illegal.
Cultural references
Film
- The Limelight Department of
the Salvation Army was the first film studio in Australia (from
1898).
- In the 1993 dark comedy Bad Boy
Bubby, Bubby interacts with two members of the Salvation
Army.
- In the popular comedy film franchise Austin Powers, Dr.
Evil states that Frau Farbinissa (the embittered Germanic
associate of the franchise's antagonist) founded "the militant wing
of the Salvation Army".
- In the play and film adaptations of Guys and Dolls, an organization similar to
the Salvation Army attempts to lure city dwellers to services and
away from their sinful ways.
Music
- American composer Charles Ives
wrote a piece for vocalist and piano entitled "General William
Booth Enters Into Heaven". William Booth was the founder of the
Salvation Army and Ives grew up in Connecticut, a neighbour of
Booth's granddaughter.
- America composer and Salvationist William Himes composed a new work for brass
band and chorus based on the poem by Vachel Lindsy "General William
Booth Enters Into Heaven."
- Joe Hill's song "The Preacher and the Slave"
includes a reference to a group called the "Starvation Army", who
perform music and solicit donations but offer the poor only promises of "pie
in the sky when you die."
- The punk rock band Rancid has a
song entitled "Salvation". The song shares the experience of
Tim Armstrong's employment with the
Salvation Army.
- The White Stripes song
"Seven Nation Army" is named after
Jack White's belief as a child that the
Salvation Army was actually called "the Seven Nation Army."
- The Christmas song "Silver Bells", first sung by Bob Hope and Marilyn
Maxwell in the movie The
Lemon Drop Kid, was inspired by the imagery of Salvation
Army bellringers standing outside department stores every Christmas
season.
- The Beatles song "Strawberry Fields Forever" was
inspired from the Salvation Army's Strawberry Field Children's home in
Liverpool, England. Strawberry Field closed in 2005 as a social
centre and is now a new prayer and mission centre.
- The 1980s band The Dream
Academy references the Salvation
Army band in the lyrics to their hit song "Life in a Northern Town".
- Simon & Garfunkel's
song "A Hazy Shade of Winter"
also references the Salvation Army Band. This song was covered by
The Bangles.
- Bill Cosby
Sings Hooray for the Salvation Army Band! (1968) is the
ninth album by Bill Cosby. This was his
second studio album which featured his singing.
- The March King, John Philip
Sousa, wrote The Salvation Army march for the 50th
anniversary of The Salvation Army's work beginning in the United
States.
- Rich Mullins referenced the
Salvation Army Band in his 1993 song "Hold Me Jesus".
- Leonard Cohen references the
Salvation Army in his song "Suzanne", describing her as
"wearing rags and feathers from Salvation Army counters."
- Phil Keaggy wrote a song titled
"Salvation Army Band," included in his 1995 album True Believer, which
contains the lyrics "Heart to God, Hand to Man" - a motto of The
Salvation Army.
- Geoff Moore and the
Distance wrote and recorded "Heart to God, Hand to Man"
dedicated to The Salvation Army's services to the needy and
downtrodden people, while serving God in the process.
- Bob Rivers, a well known American
rock and roll on air personality, mentions The Salvation Army in
his parody "Twelve Pains of
Christmas" from his album "Twisted
Christmas."
- Jethro Tull's song "Aqualung" refers to the Army in its
description of a homeless man
- Olivia Newton-John's Eurovision Song Contest entry
"Long Live Love" is about the
Army
- Green Day's song Viva La Gloria Little Girl refers
to the army in the repeated chorus the lyrics are "You're a stray
from the Salvation Army"
Plays
- In Bertolt Brecht's play
Saint Joan of the
Stockyards, Joan, the protagonist, is a Lieutenant of the
Salvation Army. The Brecht/Weill musical
Happy End also
prominently features characters belonging to the Salvation
Army.
- George Bernard Shaw's play
Major Barbara centres
around the Salvation Army.
- The musical Guys and Dolls
features the Save-a-Soul Mission, a Salvation Army-like
organization. The female lead Sarah Brown is a sergeant in
Save-a-Soul.
- In Denman Thompson's 19th
century play, "The Old Homestead," the protagonist, Josh Whitcomb,
encounters the Salvation Army on the streets of New York City.
Having spent his entire life in a rural area, he has no idea what
to make of them.
Television
- Hallelujah! was
a British TV sitcom from 1981 set in a
Salvation Army citadel
starring Thora Hird and Patsy Rowlands
- The character Harold Bishop in the
long-running Australian soap series Neighbours is a member of the Salvation
Army.
- An episode of The Goodies featured a
spoof of the Salvation Army, which included recruitment films for
it and the "Salvation Navy" and the "Salvation Airforce"
- The Organisation is spoofed as the Salvation Marines in several
episodes CW Sitcom Everybody
Hates Chris
- In an episode of My Wife and
Kids, Tony Jeffers joins the Salutation Army, a religious
organisation.
- In an episode of Basil Brush, Basil
hires the Salvation Army Brass Band to play some dramatic music but
doesn't have enough money to pay for them. In the end, Basil is
shown being threatened by a band member to take up the trombone'literally'.
See also
Other miscellaneous articles
Footnotes
References
- Eason, Andrew Mark. Women in God's Army: Gender and
Equality in the Early Salvation Army. Waterloo, Ontario,
Canada: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2003. ISBN
0-88920-418-7
- A Hundred Years’ War:The Salvation Army 1865 – 1965 (Watson
Bernard)
- The History of the Salvation Army Vol. I (Sandall Robert)
- The General next to God (Collier Richard)
- God's Army: The Story of the Salvation Army (Brook
Stephen)
External links