March 9th, 2006 - Many Voices, One Salvation Army
In an attempt to clarify some of the current debate in the Army, Lieut-Colonel Graham Durston shares personal insights* about the ‘voices’ seeking to shape The Salvation Army. He lists five distinct groups that he has encountered in his ministry:
- The traditionalists
- The pentecostals
- The ‘seeker-sensitive’ or ‘contemporary corporate’
- The radicals
- The neo-Salvationists (aka primitive or radical Salvationism)
He feels that there can be unity in diversity, but points out the types of statements that can create or heighten tensions between these groups. In part two of the article (still to come) he will pointed out what he considers the implications of following these voices to their logical conclusions.
*”This analysis is based purely on what Lieut-Colonel Durston has seen and heard. He has not conducted any surveys, or utilised any task forces or focus groups. While an attempt has been made to distinguish the voices by bringing a cluster of generalisations together, there is undoubtedly merging and overlapping.”
OnFire: Many Voices, One Salvation Army
