THE first meeting of the enlarged International Doctrine Council has taken place in London. General Shaw Clifton was invited to address the Council and welcomed the new Chairperson, Commissioner William Francis. The General indicated that the enlarged Council now included not only those with formal, academic, theological qualifications, but also others without such a background but who had demonstrated a capacity for theological thought. The General emphasised the need for the Doctrine Council to take a practical approach to its many tasks, keeping in mind that not all Salvationists are highly educated.

Among those tasks is recommending ways in which Army beliefs and doctrine may be taught and understood across the Army world. The Council, in addition to advising the General on doctrinal, theological and ecclesiological issues, will also affirm, promote and safeguard the Army’s identity and role in the 21st century. Also welcomed were the Vice-Chairperson, Commissioner Robert Street, and the Secretary/Member, Colonel Brian Tuck.

The much valued work of the previous Chairperson, Colonel Earl Robinson, and Secretary, Colonel Benita Robinson, was acknowledged.

The membership is as follows:

Commissioner William Francis (Chairperson) - IHQ
Commissioner Robert Street (Vice-chairperson) - IHQ
Colonel Brian Tuck (Secretary) - Southern Africa Territory
Commissioner Linda Bond - IHQ (residing in Canada)
Colonel Vibeke Krommenhoek - IHQ (residing in The Netherlands)
Colonel Oscar Sanchez - Latin America North Territory
Major Rosemarie Brown - Caribbean Territory
Major Lester Ferguson - Caribbean Territory
Major Kapela Ntoya - Congo (Kinshasa) & Angola Territory
Major Edwin Okorougo - Nigeria Territory
Major Karen Shakespeare - UK Territory
Captain Gordon Sparks - USA Eastern Territory
Major P. John William - India Central Territory
Captain Juliana Musilia - Kenya Territory
Mr Lars Lydholm - Denmark Territory
Mrs Irma Made Patera - Indonesia Territory
Dr Jonathan Raymond - Canada & Bermuda Territory

The General has also introduced for the first time a new category of corresponding member and a telephone link-up was made with some of these during the Council’s meeting. The corresponding members are:

Major Florante Parayno - The Philippines Territory
Major Philip Cairns - Australia Eastern Territory
Major JoAnn Shade - USA Eastern Territory
Captain Philip Layton - UK Territory
Captain Masataka Tateishi - Japan Territory

The next meeting of the Council will take place in London from 6 October 2007.