General Booth - I Salute You!

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Come with me on a journey. A journey outside the box.

This year is a year of significant anniversaries. For The Salvation Army the most significant was celebrated last month in London at the Boundless Congress; our 150th anniversary. There is another one coming, though, that I think is worthy of note. October 4 this year will be 125 years since the death of Catherine Booth.
When choosing your career: think outside the box
As I think about the impact of this remarkable woman there are so many possible characteristics, stories and achievements to tell. Rather than recounting them I would like to make a suggestion. For those interested in reading more about her I can highly recommend John Read’s recent publication entitled Catherine Booth: Laying the Theological Foundations of a Radical Movement

My suggestion requires some major rewriting of history, and some may be uncomfortable with that, but bear with me because I think this idea has some merit. Here it is…
Make Catherine Booth General.
Seriously. Call a High Council, ask the members to vote and elect her the co-equal first General of The Salvation Army alongside her husband, William.

Don’t look now because I’m about to light that box we left behind on fire.

Image result for commissioner sylvia coxWhilst that High Council is convened let’s add one more item to the agenda. Having made Catherine a General now lets make Commissioner Sylvia Cox a General too, concurrently alongside her husband.

Co-equal in every respect.

This suggestion comes from a deep theological conviction. One that is both ecclesiological and Christological. Ecclesiological in that it is an outworking of our understanding of the ministry of all believers under the High Priesthood of Christ (my understanding of the Priesthood of all Believers). Christological in that it takes seriously the belief that “in Christ there is neither male nor female” (Gal 3:28).

This goes further. Having started with the very top initiate the same change at every level. So, rather than a Territorial Commander and a Territorial President of Women’s Ministries in the case of married couples just have Territorial Leaders – co-equal in every respect. Then, continue this all the way through the structure at every level of leadership.

I’m certain that there are administrative and legal issues that prevent this being implemented at this moment in time. Well I think that our theology should drive our practice, so whilst those issues may be significant they’re not insurmountable. So, I leave it to those with appropriate expertise to solve those issues, but I won’t be convinced that it cannot be done. Nor should the difficulties involved cause us to stop trying either.

I’ve been asked many times “who will be the first married woman General?” Well, after 150 years I can think of no one better in answer to that question than Catherine Booth herself.

A better question, and one that reflects our theology, is “who will be the first married couple Generals?” That would be something to look forward to.

As we approach the 125th anniversary of the death of Catherine Booth I want to honour a radical, innovative and inspiring leader of our movement. I cannot think of a suggestion that is more radical, innovative and inspiring than this and so I make it in honour of this great woman.

General Catherine Booth, I salute you. 

Comments

  1. UnknownAugust 22, 2015 at 2:34 AM

    Totally agree!

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownAugust 22, 2015 at 2:35 AM

    Totally agree!

    ReplyDelete
  3. DjittydjittyAugust 22, 2015 at 2:21 PM

    Adam, your thoughts here are wonderful. I feel saddened by the way that the very early egalitarianism towards men and women in the Salvation Army gave way to more traditional patriarchal patterns that consigned women to lesser roles. This has happened in most of the revivalist waves in the Church. The Spirit of God makes it clear that women are equally empowered to serve but after a little while the man take over. There is equality in the lower ranks of TSA but as people take on higher duties they seem to have their duties segregated in the way of the world rather than the way of the Kingdom. I wish the High Council had appointed Sylvia a General alongside her husband, too.

    ReplyDelete

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