Emergent Salvationism?

by Cory Harrison

When the term Christian is used, it conjures up different images ranging from the shoeless, homeless man on the street holding a hand-made cardboard sign, to the mega-church preacher in his $3,000 suit driving around town in a Cadillac, to Mother Theresa quietly serving in the streets of Calcutta, to the loud and often obnoxious guy with the bullhorn loudly condemning everyone to hell on the streets of downtown on a Friday night.

As the word ‘Christian’ brings many different images to mind, so does the term Salvationist.

Some think of the good old days, replete with brass bands, flags and open air meetings  Then there are the Primitive Salvationists, the Neo-Salvationists, the Liberal Salvationists, the Conservative Salvationists and the images of establishment and abundance at various Temples and Citadels and Tabernacles even, juxtaposed with the contextual poverty of the 614’s and NEO’s.

Are such labels a bad thing? “Why can’t we just remove the adjective and call ourselves simply Salvationists?” some say.  But I’m not so sure we can.  In a Movement (another label) as large as ours, in as many different countries and cultures, led by a new and different personality every three years or so, the word we place before the term ‘Salvationist’ often helps more than it harms.  In this case, the adjective is a good thing.

The adjective prefacing ‘Salvationist’ that I have been thinking about lately is ‘Emergent’. Much is being said of late around the idea of the Emergent Church and Emergent Christians. Standard bearers such as Brian Mclaren and Shane Claiborne and others seem to have started that conversation and many of the people in my life are involved in it.

What can be said of an Emerging Salvationism?  Or of an Emergent Salvationist?

Do Primitive- or Neo- Salvationists get the last, or for that matter the next word, as it relates to the future of The Salvation Army?

Can a new movement of Salvationists rise up, take the wheel of the ship, and say, “We are not letting you steer us toward the iceberg any longer!”

But is there an iceberg? Is anybody even driving the ship?

It seems to me there are a lot of people jumping off into life rafts, and it is the thought of friends of mine jumping off that is keeping me awake at night.  You know people like them - attracted to Jesus and to the Mission of the Army, but feel there is no room for them in what is commonly called ‘The Salvation Army’ unless they also swallow a lot of additional stuff they have no interest in or connection with.  And I’m not even talking essential stuff here, but rather doctrinal and traditional distinctive, fine print added to the bottom of the contract of serving God through our mission.

Perhaps they simply need someone to say to them, “Don’t leave!  Don’t give up!  Don’t head to the nearest non-denominational church!  There’s room for you at the Army!”  But maybe I am wrong. Maybe I’m too idealistic. Maybe I am simply naïve.  Maybe it is simply not true to tell my friends who are considering leaving the Army that there is room for them. The reality is that far too often, there is not.

The Salvation Army in my neck of the woods is often coolly unconcerned about people who are about to leave or about newcomers and outsiders who feel unwelcome.  Personally I have no desire to disturb that part of the Army in any way.  But as someone once wrote, “One doesn’t want to disturb a hornet’s nest unless, say, it’s hanging right in front of your front door and the hornets keep stinging your kids and scaring away your guests.”

What would be said of an Emergent Salvationist who picks up a broom and knocks the nest down?

Writer: Sergeant Cory Harrison is a life long Salvationist stirred by the mission of The Salvation Army. Cory spends his days enjoying coffee and community with the poor, oppressed and addicted as the administrator of the downtown St. Petersburg, FL, USA Corps and Café 614.

4 Comments to Emergent Salvationism?

1. Really interesting thoughts, Cory.

   The Army is now probably as diverse and fuzzy round the edges as it has ever been. For me, that’s healthy.

   If it was ever homogenous, it’s certainly not any more, and probably could never be again.

   Whether that’s a bad or a good thing, I think it’s a reality.

   We are also much more likely than we were in, say, the 20th Century, to partner and engage with other denominations and other Jesus followers. Again, I think this is healthy as so often in the past we seemed to expend a lot of focus and energy on maintaining our denominational distinctives.

   Thankfully, at least in my experience, we’re much less insular than we once were.

   On the ground, communities as diverse as Hamilton Ontario’s The Freeway, Raynes Park Community Church in London (referenced in Tom Sine’s recent “New Conspirators book), England, Sutton Salvation Army Church, Hope:asha in Stepney East London, England can all comfortably sit under The Salvation Army umbrella….or should that be flag? 

   Also, even those so-called “traditional” Corps in the West are often less traditional that is sometimes surmised from a distance.

   Re the Emerging/Emergent label: It’s probably too late too get too hung up on that particular terminology, as some the original protagonists are stepping away from it themselves, with the notion of Missional being in ascendance.

   Then – and perhaps most importantly – we must always bear in mind that we are a global movement which to a greater or lesser degree have experience in contextualizing what we do for the local setting we find ourselves.

   Anyway, enough of my rambling

   Walk the Way of Jesus…..
Johnny Laird on January 9th, 2009

2. Cory,

   Great thoughts.

   It’s true that The Army has hit the top of the organizational hill, and is at the point of going down or starting a new hill.

   New hills require fresh blood, and fresh blood is not always welcome in aging organizations, movements, churches, or whatever we want to call them.

   It’s too easy to get comfortable these days, trusting in our name and history to carry us into the future. And maybe it will. But it sure would be exciting to make a few changes and inspire a new generation who desperately needs an opportunity to express their form of Salvation Army ministry with passion and enthusiasm.

   “The old swords are no longer suitable to fight in these new battles.” I’m sure someone has already said something like that, hence the parentheses.

   Thanks, Cory.
John Gainey on January 9th, 2009

3. the salvation
   what salvation?

   the salvation of the indivual,her/his very soul. to try to help lead it to an intimate and personal relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.
   as a result the person will find the way also to his/her true self.
   by lifting off some of the suffering such as shelter and starvation; by including one and inviting to a forgiving and happy fellowship, one can then concentrate upon spiritual matters.
   but the goal is this “salvation”
   it is Jesus that does this in his loving call.

   but one cannot be weak to do this,
   humble yes, but not weak.

   The salvtion army,

   we are in a spiritual war.
   it is not a war of guns and takeover and killing.
   it is a war to relieve oppression of the poor ;the injustice and outright abuse of the “lesser” man/woman
   the ray of hope that makes he who is on his last legs say
   “i can go on” “i will get through this.”

   our sword is love,compassion and faith in the wisdom of God through Jesus Christ.

   our armor is non other than the blood of Jesus.

   our reputation with symbol and thought is an organization of God that truly able to help and concentrates its procured millions to that cause.

   it has POWER by way even of logevity and when people donate they are now sure that that money will not be stolen for private purpose.

   why fix a thing if it is not broken?

   let me tell you of one influence.
   i was constantly being assaulted on parliament street
   to steal my bike; to take my carry bag; it appeared just for the heck of it.it was a bad time of year for this.
   i was getting injured and the police, try as they might, ended up empty handed.
   my jaw has still not healed properly.
   Being an adherent to church 61/4 salvation army asked sandra ryan to GIVE me a salvation army jacket.
   she said “you know the responsibilty that goes with this”
   i said “with pleasure”

   i wore that jacket every time i went out.
   not one person laid hands on me. nor since

   now you tell me what the public impression of the salvation army is.

   i pray that we become even more fervant and capable to do Gods work and that we stay evermore, even more sincere (if possible) to the calling.

   sincerely bernard
bernard matheson on February 6th, 2009

4. Agreed Cory: I might have been off the ship were it not for the emergent 614 expression and some people who could look past my adolescent pride and naivety to give me a place to serve and worship. Love conquers all and I know this is a simple solution but in every expression of salvationism, I have stuck it out because someone showed me that they loved me. However, I’m the only guy left in the Army from my corps cadet classes so something is amiss.
Jonathan Evans on February 6th, 2009

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