Our beliefs
The Salvation Army is part of the Wesleyan tradition and some of our beliefs and practices align with other mainstream denominations of Protestant Christianity. These beliefs are written as 11 faith-based statements called ‘Doctrines’ or ‘Articles of Faith’ (see below under ‘The Doctrines of the Salvation Army’). These have been the basis of The Salvation Army’s expression of Christianity since 1878.
You can read more about our Wesleyan theology on our Eva Burrows College website.
What we believe about...
The Bible
The Bible is inspired by God. It is the foundation of and the authority on our faith and life.
God
There is only one God who created everything, and who continues to creatively sustain and guide creation toward its ultimate purpose. God is a Trinity of three persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — who are undivided in essential nature but remain three distinct persons.
What it means to be human
When human beings were created in the image of God they were in a perfect relationship with him, but they turned their backs on him. As a result, this relationship was spoiled for every generation.
Sin
Humans – God's children – chose pride, power and selfish desire over God, their loving and holy Heavenly Father. This sin separated us from him and destined us to an eternity without him in a fallen world. Sin is the mortal wound that broke the relationship between God and people.
Jesus
Jesus is fully divine and fully human. He came to earth to restore the relationship between God and humanity. Jesus was obedient to what the Father asked him to do. He suffered, died and was brought back to life. In doing this, he stepped into the gap between us and God, to bring us back to him. His obedience has made the way for us to be restored and walk in right relationship with him.
Restoring our relationship with God
When we turn back to God and believe in the saving power of Jesus, we can enjoy a restored relationship with him. We experience God’s love and new life in our hearts through the Holy Spirit of God.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is God, just as the Father and Jesus are God – they are three in one. The Holy Spirit was sent to us after Jesus finished his work on earth. The Holy Spirit lives inside the hearts of all who believe. We cannot see him, but we can know him, experience him, and we can see the positive change he brings to our lives.
The Holy Spirit gives us guidance about how to live life God’s way. He helps build our character, to become more like Jesus – bringing love, hope and good news to those around us. He gifts us with faith, wisdom and strength to live in our God-given purpose.
“But the Holy Spirit will come and help you, because the Father will send the Spirit to take my place. The Spirit will teach you everything and will remind you of what I said while I was with you” (John Chapter 14, Verse 26, CEV).
How being a Christian changes our life
Because of God's grace toward us our relationship with him has been restored. God’s love is at work in us – changing, healing and restoring us. We are changed for the better on the inside – in our spirits. This helps us in every part of our lives.
Growing and developing as Christians
In order for this new life to be maintained, in obedience to God we need to make continual conscious choices to live in the way God intends. We demonstrate this in the way we love and serve others. All Christians, through their cooperation with God’s grace, can become and be kept holy (Christ-like) until Jesus comes again.
What happens when we die
The choices we make in this life will have eternal consequences. If we choose our own way and turn our backs on God, we will face the pain of having separated ourselves from him. However, choosing God’s way leads to the joy of an eternal relationship with God in Heaven.
The Doctrines of The Salvation Army
When someone becomes a member in The Salvation Army, they sign a covenant agreeing to these 11 Doctrines.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- We believe 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.
- We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has, by His suffering and death, made an atonement for the whole world so that whosoever will be saved.
- We believe that repentance toward God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and regeneration by the Holy Spirit are necessary for salvation.
- 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.
- We believe that continuance in a state of salvation depends upon continued obedient faith in Christ.
- 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.
- We believe in the immortality of the soul, the resurrection of the body, the general judgment at the end of the world, the eternal happiness of the righteous, and the endless punishment of the wicked.
Is The Salvation Army a religion or a mix of denominations?
They preached that there is a God who transforms lives and shows people a new way. They fed the poor and needy, prayed with them, and thousands of people's lives were changed.
Booth tried to introduce his converts to local Methodist churches, but the wider church at the time had lost much of its vision for what was then considered the "underclasses" and would not accept them.
In less than 20 years, while it had not been his initial goal, William Booth established a new denomination of the Christian Church — The Salvation Army. Today, The Salvation Army upholds the cross of Christ and serves communities worldwide.
A good word to describe a denomination of the church is 'community'. The ‘Salvos’, like other churches, is a community of people that meet together in local neighbourhoods, regions or centres.
The Salvation Army is dedicated to sharing the love of God by caring for people, creating faith pathways, building healthy communities and working for justice.
Unlike most other Christian denominations, The Salvation Army does not observe the sacraments of baptism and Holy Communion/the Lord’s Supper.
Many Christians engage with these sacraments (also called practices or rituals) as a symbolic, outward expression of their faith. The Salvation Army respects fellow believers who cherish these ceremonies, however, does not believe sacraments are essential for salvation.
The Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine explains, “We do identify with the historic Church through its confession of one faith, one Lord, one baptism of the Holy Spirit, one salvation and one Church universal. We confess one sacramental meal, not administered ritually, but presided over by Christ himself at any table where he is received and honoured.”
We believe the Bible says the life we live as a reflection of our belief in Jesus is more important than the rituals we observe. That is, “all of life is sacramental” (The Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine). “The ceremony itself is not the encounter [with Christ] and should not be confused with the act of becoming a Christian.”