The Encyclopedia of World Religions

Salvation Army S 405

cued. C HRISTIANITY calls this situation SIN . The myth of the F ALL tells how sin began. In dualistic religions, such as Z OROASTRIANISM , G NOSTICISM , and M ANICHAEISM , the problem is that good and EVIL , light and darkness have been mixed together. In H INDUISM , B UDDHISM , and J AINISM , the problem is that people are bound in SAMSARA , that is, they are continually reborn. This bondage is often traced to a more basic problem: ignorance. Some religions save individual human beings. Christianity often saves individual sinners. Other religions save communities. Perhaps the best example of salvation in J UDAISM is the E XODUS , in which the whole people was saved. Some reli gions, such as Zoroastrianism, teach that an ele ment of the cosmos, such as light or goodness, will be saved. Some Christians expect the salvation of the entire universe. Many religions teach their followers how to help bring about salvation. But many religions also emphasize that people need help from the outside. They teach about saviors, such as J ESUS or perhaps the Buddha A MIDA and the bodhisattva A VALOKITESVARA . Salvation Army An organization to spread C HRIS TIANITY . Its structure imitates that of an army. William Booth (1829–1912) was a Methodist minister ( see M ETHODISM ). He and his wife worked among the poor in London. In 1878 he hit upon the idea of organizing his mission as an army for G OD . Booth became general for life. Ministers became officers of various rank. Converts signed Articles of War and became soldiers. They were organized into groups called corps. A group of corps makes a division; a group of divisions makes a territory. These military images appealed to the milita ristic and nationalistic spirit of the late 19th cen tury, and Booth’s idea of a Salvation Army proved very successful. It quickly spread overseas. It now has centers throughout the globe. It has had its greatest success in the United States. The teachings of the Salvation Army are fun damentalist ( see E VANGELICAL C HRISTIANITY and FUNDAMENTALISM , C HRISTIAN ), but the group refuses

in an impure state. In most cases cleaning involves washing one’s hands and forearms, face, and feet, rinsing the mouth and nose, and wiping one’s head, neck, and ears. Because of this requirement one generally finds pools of water in mosques. At the same time, Islam arose in a desert climate, and it makes a special provision for that climate. If no water is available, going through the motions of washing will satisfy the requirement. Muslims recite the actual prayers themselves facing the direction of the K AABA in M ECCA . In a mosque this direction is noted by a niche on the wall. Some Muslims carry specially adapted com passes to allow them to find the qiblah, as the direction of Mecca is called. The prayers are recited in Arabic, and they must be recited from memory. When prayers are done in a group, a respected and capable member of the group stands in the front as imam. A man must lead groups of men or mixed groups. A woman may lead groups of women in prayer. Muslims pray two or more sets of prayers at a time. Each set consists of prescribed prayers accompanied by prescribed postures and gestures. It begins by reciting the first surah or section of the Q UR ’ AN while standing, for most Sunnis with hands crossed, for Shi’ites with hands at one’s sides ( see S HI ’ ITE I SLAM and S UNNI I SLAM ). Other postures include leaning forward in a bow, prostrating by placing one’s forehead and hands on the ground, and sitting. With each change of posture, the per son recites “God is most great.” When prayer is ended, the person praying recites a greeting to the right and to the left: “Peace be upon all of you and the mercy and blessings of God.” Children may begin to observe this duty at age seven. They should do so by age 10. But they are not absolutely required to do so until they reach puberty. Children may join the adults in the Fri day prayer service. When they do, the boys stand behind the men. Girls pray with the women.

salvation Rescue in a religious context. Salva tion presupposes that there is a situation from which persons or things need to be saved or res