What is The Salvation Army?
2 COMMENT AND CONTENTS • WAR CRY • 3 August 2019
The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity providing services in the community, particularly to those who are vulnerable and marginalised. Motivated by our Christian faith, we offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK to all who need them, regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation. To find your nearest centre visit salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church
From the editor’s desk RILEY, a four-day-old baby from Thornton Heath, south London, was described in the press last month as ‘knife crime’s tiniest victim’ when he died after being delivered at the scene of his mother’s murder. Paramedics had delivered him by caesarean section after his mum had been repeatedly stabbed while 33 weeks pregnant. Sadly the deaths of Riley and his mother are not isolated incidents. Already this year more than 100 people have died as a result of being stabbed and in the past year to March, there were 47,136 knife-related offences in England and Wales alone – the highest number since records began. Without doubt, action needs to be taken to change these statistics. In this week’s War Cry, we speak to Shane Claiborne. He tells us how he has set up an initiative where weapons that are used for violence, murder and destruction are being taken and transformed into garden tools or pieces of art that encourage life. Shane’s Beating Knives tour is being supported by Red Letter Christians UK. The organisation aims to help create healthy communities that are founded on respect. ‘When we create communities that respect people, we’re countering violence,’ says spokesperson Sally Mann, who adds: ‘You can’t hate and feel respect at the same time.’ Red Letter Christians are inspired in their work by the words and example of Jesus. Shane explains: ‘The words of Jesus show us a way to resist evil.’ Efforts to combat knife crime by turning weapons into something positive and affirming are to be applauded and encouraged, as are plans to build good and strong communities. It is easy to be discouraged in the face of growing numbers of murders. But Shane, Sally and all who work with them offer us inspiration and hope that knife-related crime does not have to increase and that peace on our streets is not out of reach.
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.
SINCE 1879
140 YEARS
OF THE WAR CRY Issue No 7434
Editor: Andrew Stone, Major Deputy Editor: Philip Halcrow Production Editor: Ivan Radford Assistant Editor: Claire Brine Assistant Editor: Sarah Olowofoyeku Staff Writer: Emily Bright Editorial Assistant: Linda McTurk Graphic Designer: Rodney Kingston Graphic Designer: Mark Knight War Cry office: 020 7367 4900 Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk The Salvation Army UK Territory with the Republic of Ireland 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN
Contents
Tel: 0845 634 0101 Helpline: 020 7367 4888 Subscriptions: 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email: subscriptions@satcol.org
FEATURES
Founder: William Booth General: Brian Peddle Territorial Commander: Commissioner Anthony Cotterill Secretary for Communications: Lieut-Colonel Dean Pallant
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It takes two Dance partners need each other in new TV miniseries
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Good reading Why Book Lovers Day matters
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A new life kicked off How faith tackled the problems of a former rugby player
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‘Death can be turned into life’ New initiative to counter the violence of knife crime
Published weekly by The Salvation Army ©The Salvation Army United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland ISSN 0043-0226 The Salvation Army Trust is a registered charity. The charity number in England and Wales is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399. Printed by Walstead Roche Ltd, St Austell, on sustainably sourced paper
Your local Salvation Army centre
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REGULARS 4
News and media
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Browsing the Bible
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Faces of Faith and Quick Quiz
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What’s cooking? Front-page picture: Red Letter Christians UK
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