The Salvation Army's view and teachings on Creation/Evolution

JoshuaCh1v9 · Dec 12, 2006

This is a spin off from a thread started in STR, which got me thinking about the Army's stance on this

What does the Army teach about Creation/Evolution?

I had a look in the resourses section and couldn't come up with an actual positional statement on the subject (cue ITF stage right).

However, I was able to pull a couple of things from Doctrine and a section on the Army's beliefs.

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.

We believe that Gods creation of the universe was perfect but when man first deliberately disobeyed God, sin and suffering entered the world. As a result, mans relationship with God has been spoiled.

The first one, Doctrine number 5, would appear to suuport, or could at least be interpreted to support, the Adam/Eve account as laid out in Genesis.

The second statement appears to be slightly more vague on the subject.

So, as a church, where do we stand on this? As far as I am aware we do not teach Creation 'Genesis style'.

Given that we state that we are in line with mainstream Christian teaching, it will be interesting to compare the results of this thread with the results generated by our Anglican brothers and sisters.

Please, can we not let this degenerate into yet another Creation V Evolution scrap. There are dozens of those out there on CF if you want them.

This is about what we DO teach, not about what we believe the Army SHOULD teach.

mac8 · Dec 12, 2006

I've always understood TSA to tolerate a diversity of views on the subject so long as the basic message of Genesis was understood.

Of course that means we have to tolerate a diversity of views in each other, which is always more complicated! :0)
Blessings

Evangelina · Dec 12, 2006

mac8 said:
I've always understood TSA to tolerate a diversity of views on the subject so long as the basic message of Genesis was understood.

Of course that means we have to tolerate a diversity of views in each other, which is always more complicated! :0)
Blessings

This is about as close as I can answer, too.

I know that attending the Salvation Army bible college (same place as officer training school, but for non-officer-candidates) gave me quite a theological jolt - one of my first 2 subjects was 'Intro to OT' ... and the teacher started by questioning all the typical Sunday School beliefs about Creation, Eden etc. The idea of taking the Genesis account completely literally was NOT ridiculed, the teacher just made it clear that there were a lot more views out there, and that whatever we decided to believe, we needed to be able to back up logically and theologically. It was a good subject!

Sascha Fitzpatrick · Dec 13, 2006

I was going to say what the above posts all ready did so eloquently.

Our corps does have Answers in Genesis 'tracts' on their notice board (probably THE most fundamentalist group out there, with a solid base in Young Earth Creation, literal 7 days, can't-believe-Jesus-died-on-cross-if don't-believe-literal-creation-story, etc etc), however I've NEVER been made to feel that I have to believe the same way (I don't).

The main thing I gather that as long as you acknowledge that God created all of it, and continues to hold it all in His hands - then that's pretty much the complete 'article' on the idea. I know some of our leaders don't see a problem with Theistic Evolution as an option, and others do have issues with it - yet neither idea has been declared as 'ultimate truth' whilst in a service...

Sasch

Amisk · Dec 18, 2006

One thing that we need to remember is that, what we believe about creation will in the end colour everything that we believe about God and everything else the Bible teaches.

May I also add a couple more quotations along this line.

"One false doctrine in our theology will likely reveal others if one digs deep enough."
Author: Len Colp

"Believers don't have the luxury to pick and choose; Truth is non-discriminatory." lawrenceb

Evangelina · Dec 20, 2006

JoshuaCh1v9 said:
Given that we state that we are in line with mainstream Christian teaching

What - all over the place?

I'm not sure that there's much of a 'mainstream Christian teaching' when it comes to Creation... there are so many different versions around, and not many mainstream churches seem to teach strict, literal Genesis creationism.

Abiel · Jan 11, 2007

I think we teach 'God created people. Therefore we care for people'. All the rest is up for grabs.

Rolande · Jan 13, 2007

Well if they don't treat the bible literally, what makes them different from liberal christians?

Athanasian Creed · Jan 17, 2007

Amisk said:
One thing that we need to remember is that, what we believe about creation will in the end colour everything that we believe about God and everything else the Bible teaches.

May I also add a couple more quotations along this line.

"One false doctrine in our theology will likely reveal others if one digs deep enough."
Author: Len Colp

"Believers don't have the luxury to pick and choose; Truth is non-discriminatory." lawrenceb

This bears repeating!!! Excellent post Amisk!

Ray

Abiel · Jan 17, 2007

'They' are allowed to read the BIble and study it for themselves and come to their own conclusions. 'They' are not going to fall out about it anytime soon.

TheOOppenerOOfTTheWWay · Jun 3, 2007

Heyloo

We support you in every way . . .

We wish we could have an on -line CONCODANE fom which
we could downLoad direct QUOTES.

However: The Mighty Powerful andMost Holy Father God did
say something to the effect that:

VENGANCE IS MINE I WILL REPAY

Sooo as some one said: I'm just helping GOD . . .

and another thing

The Degenerate I will
take on; because I KNOW the P word People
and their unbeliable HELLish Ways . . .

If you explain to the unforgiven the
High Tech Teminology of their actions
they will see their sin and repent . . .

We explained this to the fore and
we can happily report, she is doing much better

Who amonr you will at Gun Ponit do the N word peoples
private parts as in the Cu word or Fa word . . .

Just put it in to Truthful Tech . . .

[BIBLE]1 Corinthians 6:6-8[/BIBLE] :groupray:

Timyone · Jun 3, 2007

Evangelina said:
This is about as close as I can answer, too.

I know that attending the Salvation Army bible college (same place as officer training school, but for non-officer-candidates) gave me quite a theological jolt - one of my first 2 subjects was 'Intro to OT' ... and the teacher started by questioning all the typical Sunday School beliefs about Creation, Eden etc. The idea of taking the Genesis account completely literally was NOT ridiculed, the teacher just made it clear that there were a lot more views out there, and that whatever we decided to believe, we needed to be able to back up logically and theologically. It was a good subject!

The teachers at the training college in sydney are alot more open to things than the salvos as a whole id say.

Timyone · Jun 3, 2007

Yes we agree with the Genesis creation.

(but theres alot of points of view within the salvos, including probably some difference between the counrties)

From talking to one lad that is part of the salvos, the toppic that comes up is when was it written down?
if it was written down close to the exile, and was in fact in competition with the babylonian stories which it is so similar to,

next question is which one of the two creation stories are we talking about in Genesis, as it seems alot of salvo officors ive met agree with the 4 different sources of the old testament, but i guess this doesnt have to go against the 7 day thing, but it puts more perspective on what alot of them think.

But yeah, im sorta just trying to mention things that are talked about about it all, not really trying to say any thing more than all that.

GodsoldierClintus · Jun 3, 2007

IMO don't we sort of agree that God created the world and the belief after that is up to the individual? Is there even a recognised doctorine on this issue within the Salvos?

craig_on_fire · Jun 26, 2007

JoshuaCh1v9 said:
This is a spin off from a thread started in STR, which got me thinking about the Army's stance on this

What does the Army teach about Creation/Evolution?

I had a look in the resourses section and couldn't come up with an actual positional statement on the subject (cue ITF stage right).

However, I was able to pull a couple of things from Doctrine and a section on the Army's beliefs.

The first one, Doctrine number 5, would appear to suuport, or could at least be interpreted to support, the Adam/Eve account as laid out in Genesis.

The second statement appears to be slightly more vague on the subject.

So, as a church, where do we stand on this? As far as I am aware we do not teach Creation 'Genesis style'.

Given that we state that we are in line with mainstream Christian teaching, it will be interesting to compare the results of this thread with the results generated by our Anglican brothers and sisters.

Please, can we not let this degenerate into yet another Creation V Evolution scrap. There are dozens of those out there on CF if you want them.

This is about what we DO teach, not about what we believe the Army SHOULD teach.

I would hope that the sally army's theology is mature enough to realise that Genesis was not set out to produce scientific blueprints of how the earth was created whether 7 days or 7 billion days, so evolution vs. 'creationism' completely misses the point for starters.

It was written in the time of the babylon exile where Jews were still practically rubbing their eyes in disbelieve that God had let them go through this. Their neighbours had all sorts of wacky creation stories such as gods fighting each other, one dying and the other creating the world from the dead god's carcass.

The creation accounts were written to confirm that 'Yes there is a God, the Creator and Sustainer of everything and he created the universe.' and 'There is ONE God and he ALONE is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe'

1) God created the world and continues to sustain and redeem it
2) Monotheism

The Salvation Army's view and teachings on Creation/Evolution

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