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Welcome to the Ethics Centre website of The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda.

Position Statement on the Sabbath

Salvationists desire to worship God at all times and in all we say and do. By gathering regularly for public worship each week they bear witness, in a world rich with many cultures, that God ordained a weekly holy day for rest and worship.

The Salvation Army affirms:

  • The observance of a Sabbath day, as established in the Old Testament - keeping one day a week holy, by laying aside the normal activities of daily life, in order to discover the presence of God and corporately participate in the creation's worship of the Lord;
  • That entering into God's rest involves loving humanity, as demonstrated by the works Jesus performed on the Sabbath;
  • The celebration of Christ’s resurrection on the first day of the week, following the practice of the Christian church since its early times;
  • The blessing of God on those who rest in Him.

The practical need of humankind is to rest from regular work and study for physical, social, and emotional well-being. The Sabbath principle also embraces the land and all working animals.

The Salvation Army encourages those who work on Sundays to find another day each week for rest, worship and family time, and urges all to consider how through their own actions, they can promote a day of rest and renewal for others in society. In this way, the divinely instituted weekly cycle of work and rest may be lived and proclaimed.

The Salvation Army, Canada and Bermuda, 2005

Click here to download a PDF file of this position statement.
Click here to download a PDF file of all the position statements.