In 2015 the Salvation Army celebrated the 150th anniversary of its birth in the poverty and squalor of London’s East End. Today the Army is to be found in towns and cities throughout Britain, its members readily recognized through their military uniform and their reputation for good works widely acknowledged. Many people, however, are unaware of the origins and subsequent development of the organisation. At times Salvationists were imprisoned, beaten up in street riots and ridiculed in the press for their religious beliefs. Despite this persecution the Army put in place a program of help for the poor and marginalised of such ambition that it radically altered social thinking about poverty. There have been very few attempts at writing a wider and accessible account which locates the Army in its historical context. This is something of an omission given that it has made a unique contribution to the changing social, cultural and religious landscape of Britain. The Salvation Army: 150 years of Blood and Fire aims to provide a history of the organisation for the general reader and is for anyone who is interested in the interplay of people, ideas and events. The book reveals how the story of the Salvation Army raises fundamental questions about issues of power, class, gender and race in modern society; all as pertinent today as they were in Victorian Britain. The Salvation Army: 150 years of Blood and Fire also makes an extensive use of pictures illustrative of the Army’s history gathered from around the world, most of which have never previously been published.

With more than 1,500,000 members and adherents in 109 countries, there is hardly anyone nowadays who is not familiar with the Salvation Army. And while many have been directly affected by its activities in health, relief, and community service, it is rare that one knows much about this unique Christian movement, which was founded in London in 1865 by William Booth_its first 'General'_and has continued growing ever since. Whether merely curious, impressed by its work, or among its members, the Historical Dictionary of the Salvation Army provides a wealth of information for those who want to know more. This excellent source on all varieties of aspects related to the Salvation Army_its history, organization, structure, beliefs, and activities around the world_sums them all up in a broad introduction. It then presents the information in greater detail in hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries, while nearly a century-and-a-half of history is traced in the chronology, and further reading is indicated by two extensive bibliographies. This volume, written by more than 150 contributors_all specialists on different aspects and countries_under the direction of Major John G. Merritt, concludes with nine appendixes, including the first-ever published list of the more than 425 men and women who have attained the rank of Commissioner.

Many Pentecostal groups have forgotten their legacy of war resistance and doctrinal history opposing killing. To rectify this loss, we have catalogued Holiness and Pentecostal denominational statements on war and peace. Numerous Holiness groups and virtually all early Pentecostal groups had some form of pacifist statement against war. This antiwar collection gives us an almost uniform picture of the early Pentecostal movement as largely pacifist in orientation. The commonality of these statements across both Holiness and Pentecostal movements is evidence they are a continuous group and not two separate movements. While their early doctrines opposed killing, many named in this book are now widely considered to be stalwarts of the Religious Right, or at least staunch supporters of Christian participation in war. Our hope is that this book will frame the official position of early Pentecostals on war and peace, and encourage Pentecostals today to reflect on their antiwar heritage.

Religion did much to shape contemporary British opinion and behaviour during the First and Second World Wars, but it featured rather less in the initial historiography of either conflict. The situation has changed considerably in the past half-century, with a steadily increasing number of academic and popular outputs on the religious aspects of the wars. As key milestones, in connection with the centenary of the First World War and the eightieth anniversary of the Second World War, have occurred or approach, it seems an appropriate time to take bibliographical stock. This volume is the first to offer an in-depth listing of modern literature, in English and other European languages, on British religion and the First and Second World Wars, both on the home front and in combat zones. Coverage extends to Judaism and alternative religion, as well as Christianity. More than 1,200 items are included, comprising monographs, book chapters, journal articles, and postgraduate theses. They are arranged by subjects, in separate sections on each war, with cross-references and a cumulative index of personal names. Carefully compiled over several years by an accomplished religious historian and bibliographer, the work will be an indispensable reference tool to those embarking on investigations into the religious landscape of Britain during the World Wars, and those who wish to discover what has been written about their chosen field to date. It will also help identify gaps in scholarship and encourage researchers to try and fill them.

Includes scholarly articles and book reviews on topics in military history.