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Former world leaders release books for Boundless

16 June 2015
Former world leaders release books for Boundless

Three former international leaders of The Salvation Army will each release a book at the upcoming 150th international congress, Boundless – The Whole World Redeeming, in London.

Salvation Books, the publishing imprint of International Headquarters (IHQ), have announced the release of the three books, which will be published in partnership with Frontier Press (USA Western Territory). 

The first release is To Seize This Day of Salvation, by General Paul A. Rader (Ret.) and Commissioner Kay F. Rader (edited by Major Stephen Court). General Paul Rader was elected as international leader of The Salvation Army on 23 July 1994. The Raders retired in 1999 and now live in Lexington, Kentucky, USA.

As The Salvation Army's international leaders, the Raders travelled widely, inspiring Salvationists and others to preach the gospel of Jesus and meet human needs in His name. Their book contains presentations which will inform and inspire action, exploring vital themes that lie at the heart of The Salvation Army's vision and mission.

The second release is a book by General John Larsson (Ret.), titled Those Incredible Booths. This book explores William and Catherine Booth’s approach to parenting and follows their children – through eight biographies woven together to form one fascinating narrative – as The Salvation Army's influence spreads around the world.

“The Booths astounded the world,” writes General Larsson. “William and Catherine not only created a new dynamic force called The Salvation Army, but as parents brought into the world a boisterous crew of eight individuals – as gifted and headstrong as their parents.”

Good times and bad are treated with the same light, but authoritative, touch – including when three of the children rebelled against their father and left the Army, sending, in the words of General Larsson, “a shudder through its ranks”.

General John Larsson took office as international leader of The Salvation Army on 13 November 2002, retiring in 2006. He is the author of a number of books, a widely published composer of music and the co-writer – with John Gowans – of 10 musicals.

The final book to be released is Crown of Glory, Crown of Thorns – The Salvation Army in Wartime by General Shaw Clifton (Ret.). You can read a review of the book here.

Based on General Clifton's 1988 doctoral thesis, Crown of Glory, Crown of Thorns is the most comprehensive analysis of The Salvation Army in wartime ever compiled. It provides a detailed account of Salvation Army work and attitudes in wartime – with a particular focus on the Boer War and the two World Wars.

Meticulous research revealed three main principles which governed Salvationist war reactions between 1899 and 1945: the spiritual priority of Christian evangelism and soul-saving, the practical priority of compassionate good work, and the upholding of Christian internationalism.

The book considers at length the difficulty of maintaining the third principle at times of particularly strong patriotism, “placing the movement”, writes General Clifton, “and its leaders under perpetual strain”.

General Clifton became international leader of The Salvation Army on 2 April 2006, entering retirement in 2011. Crown of Glory, Crown of Thorns is his 10th published book.

After the congress, copies will be available to order from International Headquarters, territorial trade and supplies departments and from amazon.co.uk. In the USA, the book is being published by the USA Western Territory imprint, Frontier Press. Ebook versions will be available for Kindle from amazon websites and for other e-readers through www.kobobooks.com.

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