What is The Salvation Army?
The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity seeking to share the good news of Jesus and nurture committed followers of him. We also serve people without discrimination, care for creation and seek justice and reconciliation. We offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK. Go to salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church to find your nearest centre.
What is the War Cry?
The Salvation Army first published a newspaper called the War Cry in London in December 1879, and we have continued to appear every week since then. Our name refers to our battle for people’s hearts and souls as we promote the positive impact of the Christian faith and The Salvation Army’s fight for greater social justice.
WAR CRY
Issue No 7638
Editor: Andrew Stone, Major
Deputy Editor: Philip Halcrow
Production Editor: Ivan Radford
Assistant Editor: Sarah Olowofoyeku
Staff Writer: Emily Bright
Staff Writer: Claire Brine
Editorial Assistant: Linda McTurk
Graphic Designer: Rodney Kingston
Graphic Designer: Mark Knight
Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk
The Salvation Army
United Kingdom and Ireland Territory
101 Newington Causeway London
SE1 6BN
Tel: 0845 634 0101
Subscriptions: 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email: subscriptions@satcol.org
Founder: William Booth
General: Brian Peddle
Territorial Commander:
Commissioner Anthony Cotterill
Editor-in-Chief: Major Julian Watchorn
A PERSON can be as miserable as it – or as guilty. It can be deadly, cardinal or mortal and, not so long ago, some people were said to be living in it.
Sin. A three letter word that carries a weight of condemnation for those attributed with it. The truth is, though, that it also carries a degree of fascination for others when someone’s sins have found them out – as evidenced by the coverage given when a celebrity is discovered to have behaved in a way judged to be wrong.
Sin has fascinated people through the centuries, as a current art exhibition bears witness. In this week’s War Cry we report on Sin: The Art of Transgression, which has been touring the country and is currently on display at the Auckland Project in Co Durham.
‘Although we might think of sin in different terms from in the past, there’s still such a strong understanding of sin,’ Joost Joustra, curator of the initial exhibition at the National Gallery in London tells us. ‘It’s so ingrained in our understanding and our acting that it has never really gone away.’ Joost also highlights a work that illustrates the solution for the problem that sin in our world brings.
The Mass of Saint Giles, he says, shows the Emperor Charlemagne ‘who is kneeling next to Saint Giles in front of an altar and is confessing his sins. At the same time, an angel is coming down and holding a note which says that his sins are forgiven.’
Christians believe that there is no sin that God cannot forgive, if we’ll confess it to him and ask for his forgiveness. Not only does God forgive us, but he offers us a chance to start again and begin a new life with him.
Whatever we have done wrong, our sins do not have to define us. It is possible to picture a new life with God.