East London Christian Mission
| The Salvation Army | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Holiness movement |
| Theology | Wesleyan |
| Structure | Quasi-military |
| Leader | General André Cox |
| Region | Worldwide |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Founder | General William Booth |
| Origin | 2 July 1865 London, England, UK |
| Separated from | Methodism |
| Congregations | 15,409 |
| Members | 1,150,666 |
| Ministers | 26,359 |
| Official website | www |
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian denomination and an international charitable organisation structured in a quasi-military fashion. The organisation reports a worldwide membership of over 1.5 million, consisting of soldiers, officers and adherents known as Salvationists. Its founders Catherine and William Booth sought to bring salvation to the poor, destitute and hungry by meeting both their "physical and spiritual needs". It is present in 128 countries, running charity shops, operating shelters for the homeless and disaster relief and humanitarian aid to developing countries.
The theology of the Salvation Army is derived from that of Methodism, although it is distinctive in institution and practice. It does not celebrate the rites of Baptism and Holy Communion. The Army's doctrine is typical of evangelical Protestant churches. The Army's purposes are "the advancement of the Christian religion ... of education, the relief of poverty, and other charitable objects beneficial to society or the community of mankind as a whole".
The Army was founded in 1865 in London by one-time Methodist circuit-preacher William Booth and his wife Catherine as the East London Christian Mission. In 1878 Booth reorganised the mission, becoming its first General and introducing the military structure which has been retained to the present day. The current international leader of The Salvation Army and chief executive officer (CEO) is General André Cox, who was elected by the High Council of The Salvation Army on 3 August 2013.
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Wikipedia