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The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over 120 countries.^[2]

It was founded in 1865 in the United Kingdom by William Booth and his wife Catherine as the north London Christian Mission and with a quasi-military structure.^[3] The theology of the Salvation Army is "mainstream Protestant".^[4]

History[link]

The Salvation Army founder, William Booth

Women's dormitories operated by The Salvation Army, Washington, D.C. c. 1920

The Salvation Army was founded in London's East End in 1865 by one-time Methodist minister William Booth and his wife Catherine. Originally, Booth named the organization the East London Christian Mission. The name The Salvation Army developed from an incident in 20–19 May. William Booth was dictating a letter to his secretary George Scott Railton and said, "We are a volunteer army." Bramwell Booth heard his father and said, "Volunteer! I'm no volunteer, I'm a regular!" Railton was instructed to cross out the word "volunteer" and substitute the word "salvation".^[5] The Salvation Army was modeled after the military, with its own flag (or colours) and its own hymns, often with words set to popular and folkloric tunes sung in the pubs. Booth and the other soldiers in "God's Army" would wear the Army's own Uniform of The Salvation Army|uniform, for meetings and ministry work. He became the "General" and his other ministers were given appropriate ranks as "officers". Other members became "soldiers".^[6]

When William Booth became known as the General, Katherine was known as the "Mother of The Salvation Army". William preached to the poor, and Catherine spoke to the wealthy, gaining financial support for their work. She also acted as a religious minister, which was unusual at the time; the Foundation Deed of the Christian Mission states that women had the same rights to preach as men. William Booth described the organization's approach: "The three ‘S's’ best expressed the way in which the Army administered to the 'down and outs': first, soup; second, soap; and finally, salvation."^[7]

In 1880, the Salvation Army started its work in three other countries: Australia, Ireland, and the United States. It was not always an official officer of the Salvation Army who started the Salvation Army in a new country; sometimes Salvationists emigrated to countries and started operating as "the Salvation Army" on their own authority. When the first official officers arrived in Australia and the United States, they found groups of Salvationists already waiting for them.

The Salvation Army's main converts were at first alcoholics, morphine addicts, prostitutes and other "undesirables" unwelcome in polite Christian society, which helped prompt the Booths to start their own church.^[8] The Booths did not include the use of sacraments (mainly baptism and Holy Communion) in the Army's form of worship, believing that many Christians had come to rely on the outward signs of spiritual grace rather than on grace itself.^[9] Other beliefs are that its members should completely refrain from drinking alcohol (Holy Communion is not practised), smoking, taking illegal drugs and gambling.^[10] Its soldiers wear a uniform tailored to the country in which they work; the uniform can be white, grey, navy, fawn and are even styled like a sari in some areas. Any member of the public is welcome to attend their meetings.

As the Salvation Army grew rapidly in the late 19th century, it generated opposition in England. Opponents, grouped under the name of the Skeleton Army, disrupted Salvation Army meetings and gatherings, with tactics such as throwing rocks, bones, rats, and tar as well as physical assaults on members of The Salvation Army. Much of this was led by pub owners who were losing business because of the Army's opposition to alcohol and targeting of the frequenters of saloons and public houses.^[11]

The Salvation Army's reputation in the United States improved as a result of its disaster relief efforts following the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 and the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The establishment of Victorian bell-ringers raising charity today "helps complete the American portrait of Christmas", with over 25,000 volunteers taking up kettles over the holiday period in the U.S. alone.^[8] The church remains a highly visible and sometimes controversial presence in many parts of the world.

In 1994, the Chronicle of Philanthropy, an industry publication, released the results of the largest study of charitable and non-profit organization popularity and credibility. The study showed that The Salvation Army was ranked as the 4th "most popular charity/non-profit in America" of over 100 charities researched with 47% of Americans over the age of 12 choosing Love and Like A Lot for The Salvation Army.^[12]

Charity Watch rates the Salvation Army an "A-" to an "A".^[13]

Worldwide expansion[link]

The worldwide expansion of Salvation army

• 1865 – England
• 1874 – Wales
• 1879 – Jersey, Scotland
• 1880 – Australia, Ulster, United States
• 1881 – Alderney, France
• 1882 – Canada, Guernsey, India, Sweden, Switzerland
• 1883 – Isle of Man, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa (see Die heilsleer), United Kingdom
• 1884 – Ireland, St Helena
• 1886 – Germany, Colony of Newfoundland
• 1887 – Denmark, Italy, Jamaica, Netherlands
• 1888 – Norway
• 1889 – Belgium, Finland

Stamp USA 1965 commemorating 100 years Salvation Army

• 1890 – Argentina, Uruguay
• 1891 – Zimbabwe, Zululand
• 1894 – Åland (until 1950), Hawaii, Indonesia
• 1895 – Gibraltar (until 1968), Guyana, Iceland, Japan
• 1896 – Bermuda, Malta (until 1972)
• 1898 – Alaska, Barbados
• 1901 – Trinidad & Tobago
• 1902 – Grenada, Saint Lucia
• 1903 – Antigua and Barbuda, St Vincent & the Grenadines
• 1904 – Panamá
• 1907 – Costa Rica
• 1908 – Korea
• 1909 – Chile
• 1910 – Paraguay, Perú
• 1913 – Russia (until 1923), Namibia (until 1914)
• 1915 – Belize, Myanmar
• 1916 – Republic of China (until 1951), Mozambique, St Kitts
• 1917 – U.S. Virgin Islands
• 1918 – Cuba
• 1919 – Czechoslovakia (until 1950)
• 1920 – Bolivia, Nigeria
• 1921 – Kenya
• 1922 – Brazil, Ghana, Zambia
• 1923 – Latvia (until 1939)
• 1924 – Faroe Islands, Hungary (until 1949)
• 1926 – Suriname
• 1927 – Austria, Estonia (until 1940), Curaçao (until 1980)
• 1930 – Hong Kong
• 1931 – Bahamas, Uganda, Namibia (recommenced) (until 1939)
• 1933 – French Guiana (until 1952), Tanzania, Yugoslavia (until 1948)
• 1934 – Algeria (until 1970), Congo (Kinshasa), Manchukuo (until 1945)
• 1935 – Singapore
• 1936 – Egypt (until 1949)
• 1937 – Congo (Brazzaville), French Indo-China (until 1942), México, Philippines
• 1938 – Malaysia
• 1950 – Haïti
• 1956 – Papua New Guinea
• 1960 – Swaziland
• 1962 – Puerto Rico
• 1965 – Taiwan
• 1967 – Malaŵi
• 1969 – Lesotho
• 1970 – Bangladesh
• 1971 – Portugal, Spain
• 1972 – Venezuela
• 1973 – Fiji
• 1976 – Guatemala
• 1978 – Canary Islands
• 1980 – French Guiana (recommenced)
• 1985 – Angola, Colombia, Ecuador, Marshall Islands
• 1986 – Tonga
• 1988 – Liberia
• 1989 – El Salvador, Thailand (until 1993)
• 1990 – Czech Republic (recommenced), Hungary (recommenced), Latvia (recommenced)
• 1991 – Russia (recommenced)
• 1992 – Belarus (until 1996), Somalia (until 1995)
• 1993 – Georgia, Ukraine
• 1994 – Guam, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova
• 1995 – Dominican Republic, Estonia (recommenced)
• 1996 – Rwanda
• 1997 – Botswana
• 1999 – St Maarten
• 2000 – Macau
• 2004 – Lithuania, Romania
• 2005 – Falkland Islands, Poland
• 2007 – Greece,^[14] Burundi, Northern Mariana Islands
• 2008 – Namibia (recommenced), Mali, Kuwait, Mongolia^[15][16]
• 2009 – Nepal^[17]
• 2010 – Sierra Leone, Nicaragua, United Arab Emirates
• 2011 – Solomon Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Togo
• 2012 - Greenland

The Salvation Army currently works in 125 different countries and has its main headquarters in London, England.

Current organization and expenditures[link]

The Salvation Army International Headquarters in London

As of 22 May 2012 the Salvation Army operates in 125 countries and provides services in 175 different languages. For administrative purposes, the organization divides itself geographically into territories, which are then sub-divided into divisions. In larger areas, regional and area commands are also introduced as sub-divisions of divisions. Each territory has an administrative hub known as territorial headquarters (THQ). Likewise, each division has a divisional headquarters (DHQ). Each of these territories is led by a territorial commander who receives orders from the Salvation Army's International Headquarters in London. A territory is normally led by an officer holding the rank of colonel (for small territories)or commissioner for larger territories. In some countries, the work of The Salvation Army may be called a command, led by a command commander. A larger command is typically led by an officer holding the rank of colonel.

Its claimed membership (as quoted from 2010 Year Book) includes 16,938 active and 9,190 retired officers, 1,122,326 soldiers, 189,176 Adherents, 39,071 Corps Cadets, 378,009 Junior Soldiers, around 104,977 other employees and more than 4.5 million volunteers. Members of The Salvation Army also include "adherents", these are people who do not make the commitment to be a soldier but who formally recognize The Salvation Army as their church. (According to the 2006 Salvation Army Year Book, in the United States there are 85,148 Senior Soldiers and 28,377 Junior Soldiers, 17,396 Adherents and around 60,000 employees.)

The Army's leader, General Linda Bond, was elected to this position on 31 January 2011, by The High Council of The Salvation Army. She assumed the rank of General and the mantle of International Leadership at 00:01hrs on 2 April 2011.

The monument to the Salvation Army in Kensico Cemetery

The Salvation Army is one of the world's largest providers of social aid^{[citation needed]}, with expenditures including operating costs of $2.6 billion in 2004, helping more than 32 million people in the U.S. alone. In addition to community centers and disaster relief, the organization does work in refugee camps, especially among displaced people in Africa. The Salvation Army has received an A- rating from the American Institute of Philanthropy. In the United Kingdom, The Salvation Army is no longer the largest non-governmental provider of social services; however provides a significant service to people in need. The Salvation Army is the second largest charity in the United States, with private donations of almost $2 billion for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007.^[18]

In 2004, the Army in the United States received a $1.6 billion donation in the will of Joan B. Kroc, third wife of former McDonald's CEO Ray Kroc. This donation was among the largest individual philanthropic gifts ever given to a single organization. The donation came with certain restrictions that caused some controversy.^[19]

The International Congress of The Salvation Army is normally held every 10 years^[20] as a conference for all Salvationists from around the world to meet. The first such conference took place in London, UK, from 28 May to 4 June 1886, and subsequent Congressional meetings were held sporadically until 1904 and then 1990.^[21] The seventh International Congress in Atlanta, GA, USA, from 28 Jun to 2 Jul 2000, was the first held outside of the UK.^[22]

Beliefs[link]

The beliefs of the Salvation Army rest upon these eleven doctrines:^[23]

1. We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and that only they constitute the Divine rule of Christian faith and practice.

2. We believe that there is only one God, who is infinitely perfect, the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of all things, and who is the only proper object of religious worship.

3. We believe that there are three persons in the Godhead – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, undivided in essence and co-equal in power and glory.

4. We believe that in the person of Jesus Christ the divine and human natures are united, so that he is truly and properly God and truly and properly man.

5. We believe that our first parents were created in a state of innocence, but by their disobedience they lost their purity and happiness, and that in consequence of their fall all men have become sinners, totally depraved and as such are justly exposed to the wrath of God.

6. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has by his suffering and death made an atonement for the whole world so that whosoever will may be saved.

7. We believe that repentance towards God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit, are necessary to salvation.

8. We believe that we are justified by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and that he that believeth hath the witness in himself.

9. We believe that continuance in a state of salvation depends upon continued obedient faith in Christ.

10. We believe that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

11. We believe in the immortality of the soul; in the resurrection of the body; in the general judgment at the end of the world; in the eternal happiness of the righteous; and in the endless punishment of the wicked.

Soldiers affirm that they will give "as large a proportion of my income as possible" to the Salvation Army.^[23]

The ordination of women is permitted in the Salvation Army. Salvation Army officers were previously allowed to marry only other officers (this rule varies in different countries); but this rule has been relaxed in recent years. Husbands and wives usually share the same rank and have the same or similar assignments—the major exception to this is the General's spouse, who is given the rank of Commissioner.

The organization will not appoint 'practising' homosexuals to posts as ministers, preferring the heterosexuals "whose values are consistent with the church's philosophy...."^[24]

Officers are given 'Marching Orders' to change ministries within The Salvation Army. Usually, officers are given new Marching Orders every two to five years and reassigned to different posts, sometimes moving great distances.

Life issues[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

The Salvation Army is pro-life, only accepting abortion in extreme cases, and also opposes euthanasia and assisted suicide. Their official statement says: "The Salvation Army believes in the sanctity of all human life and considers each person to be of infinite value and each life a gift from God to be cherished, nurtured and redeemed. Human life is sacred because it is made in the image of God and has an eternal destiny. (Genesis 1:27) Sacredness is not conferred, nor can it be taken away by human agreement."

They are also against the death penalty: "The Salvation Army recognises that the opinions of Salvationists are divided on the moral acceptability of capital punishment and its effectiveness as a deterrent. However, to advocate in any way the continuance or restoration of capital punishment in any part of the world would be inconsistent with the Army’s purposes and contrary to the Army’s belief that all human life is sacred and that each human being, however wretched, can become a new person in Christ."

Homosexuality[link]

The Salvation Army offers its services to all who are in need, regardless of sexual orientation, and opposes the abuse of people based on sexual orientation.^[25] However, as documented below in the "Controversy" section, in some countries the organization has campaigned against laws that ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. It also disapproves same-sex relationships among its Salvationists and Officers: "Christians whose sexual orientation is primarily or exclusively same-sex are called upon to embrace celibacy as a way of life."^[26]

Symbols[link]

Flag[link]

Standard of The Salvation Army (Anglophone Version)

The Salvation Army flag is a symbol of the Army's war against sin and social evils. The red on the flag symbolizes the blood shed by Jesus Christ, the yellow for the fire of the Holy Spirit and the blue for the purity of God the Father.

The star contains the Salvation Army's war cry, 'Blood and Fire'. This describes the blood of Jesus shed on the cross to save all people and the fire of the Holy Spirit which purifies believers.

The flag precedes outdoor activities such as a march of witness. It is used in ceremonies such as the dedication of children and the swearing-in of soldiers. It is sometimes placed on the coffin at the funeral of a Salvationist. The Salvation Army term used to describe the death of a Salvationist is that of the deceased being "promoted to glory".

Crest[link]

The oldest official emblem of The Salvation Army is the crest.

In 1878 Captain W.H. Ebdon suggested a crest, and in 1879 it was to be found on the letterhead of the Salvation Army Headquarters. The captain's suggested design was changed only slightly and a crown was added.

The meaning of the crest:

The cross: The cross of the Lord Jesus Christ
The "S": Salvation from sin through Jesus
The ray on the outside of the circle: The Fire of the Holy Spirit
The dots: The Truth of the Gospel
The swords: Spiritual Warfare
"Blood and Fire": The Blood which was shed by Jesus for our sins and the Fire of the Holy Spirit

Red Shield[link]

The Red Shield has its origins in Salvation Army work during wartimes. At the end of the 19th century, Staff-Captain Mary Murray was sent by William Booth to support British troops serving in the Boer War in South Africa. Then, in 1901, this same officer was given the task of establishing the Naval and Military League, the forerunner of the Red Shield Services.

Salvation Army officers serving in the Red Shield Services in wartime performed many functions. The Doughnut Girls of World War I are an early example, serving refreshments to troops in the trenches. They also provided first aid stations, ambulances, chaplaincy, social clubs, Christian worship and other frontline services.^[27]

This symbol is still used in Blue Shield Services that serve the British Armed Forces but it is widely used as a simple, more readily identifiable symbol in many Salvation Army settings. It is common to see the Red Shield used on casual Salvation Army uniform.^[28]

In Australia, the Red Shield has become one of the country's most identified and trusted brands, leading the Australian Salvation Army to prefer to use this symbol over the crest on its uniform, corps buildings and advertising materials. In the 5th Volume of Australian Superbrands it was recorded that "Research reveals that the popular Salvation Army slogan ‘Thank God for the Salvos’ has almost total recognition amongst the Australian public, achieving 93 per cent aided awareness".^[29]

The Salvation Army consistently comes out in research as the charity to which people would most like to donate (named spontaneously).

Similarly the Red Shield logo is highly desired by companies wishing to link their brand with a solid emblem of care and compassion.

The uniform also gives the Salvos a very visible presence, often creating a sense that they are ‘everywhere’, although uniformed Salvationists are actually a very small percentage of the Australian population.^[30]

Uniform[link]

Salvation Army officers and soldiers often wear uniforms. The idea that they should do so originated with Elijah Cadman who, at The Salvation Army's 'War Congress' in August 1878 said "I would like to wear a suit of clothes that would let everyone know I meant war to the teeth and salvation for the world". The uniform identifies the wearer as a Salvationist and a Christian. It also symbolises availability to those in need. The uniform takes many forms internationally but is characterized by the 'S' insignia for 'Salvation' and carries the meaning 'Saved to Serve', or 'Saved to Save'.^{[citation needed]} Other letters are substituted to conform with local language.

Tartan[link]

The Salvation Army Dress Tartan

Since 1983 there has been an official Salvation Army tartan. It was designed by Captain Harry Cooper, for the Perth Citadel Corps Centenary commemoration. It is based upon the colours of the Salvation Army Flag, with which it shares the same symbolism. However, it is rarely seen outside Scotland.^[31]

Salute[link]

The Salvation Army has a unique form of salute which involves raising the right hand above shoulder-height with the index finger pointing upwards. It signifies recognition of a fellow citizen of heaven, and a pledge to do everything possible to get others to heaven also.^[32] In the case of saluting in response to applause, in circumstances such as a musical festival or being applauded for a speech, it also signifies that the Salvationist wishes to give Glory to God and not themselves.

In some instances, the salute is accompanied with a shout of 'hallelujah!'

Services[link]

Music playing[link]

As the popularity of the organization grew and Salvationists worked their way through the streets of London attempting to convert individuals, they were sometimes confronted with unruly crowds. A family of musicians (the Frys, from Alderbury, Wiltshire) began working with the Army as their "bodyguards" and played music to distract the crowds.^[33]

The tradition of having musicians available continued and eventually grew into standard brass bands. These are still seen in public at Army campaigns, as well as at other festivals, parades and at Christmas. Across the world the brass band has been an integral part of the Army’s ministry and an immediately recognizable symbol to Salvationists and non-Salvationists alike. The Salvation Army also has choirs; these are known as Songster Brigades, normally comprising the traditional soprano, alto, tenor and bass singers. The premier Songster Brigade in the Salvation Army is the International Staff Songsters (ISS).

The standard of playing is high and the Army operates bands at the international level, such as the International Staff Band (a brass band) which is the equal of professional ensembles although it does not participate in the brass band contest scene, and territorial levels such as the New York Staff Band. Some professional brass players and contesting brass band personnel have Salvation Army backgrounds. Many Salvation Army corps have brass bands that play at Salvation Army meetings, although not all.

The Army tradition in music is to use the popular idiom of the day to reach people for Jesus. The Army's Joy Strings were a hit pop group in the 1960s and early 1970s in the UK and beyond, reaching the charts and being featured on national television. Another popular band is The Insyderz, an American ska-core group popular in the 1990s and early 2000s. Hundreds of current bands carry on this Salvation Army tradition, such as New Zealand's Moped, Chamberlain, Vatic, Agent C, and The Lads; England's Electralyte; Australia's Soteria Music Ministries and Escape; and America's transMission, The Singing Company, HAB, BurN, and CJD – Cookies, Juice, & Donuts. Saytunes is a website designed to encourage and promote these contemporary Salvation Army bands and artists.

Another significant musical feature of the Salvation Army is its use of tambourines. With coloured ribbons representing the colours of the Salvation Army flag, timbrels play an integral facet of music in the Salvation army. They are mainly played by women.

Local corps usually sing contemporary worship music songs in Sunday worship services, as well as traditional hymns and music accompanied by the brass band.

Ensembles[link]

Today it is becoming common in Salvation Army corps not to have a full brass band. This is reflective for many social and cultural reasons.^{[citation needed]} Some Salvation Army corps make use of smaller ensembles of musicians. Often this ensemble consists simply of a guitar, piano or a keyboard, drums and sometimes a bass guitar and other instruments, especially during "Youth Fellowships".^{[citation needed]}

The music played does tend to also take on a more contemporary style as is reflected in modern music today. The early Salvation Army bands were known for their excitement and public appeal, and the modern ensemble keeps to this ideology. Traditional hymns are still used in worship services and these are blended with other musical pieces from Christian Music Publishers such as Vineyard Music, Hillsong, and Planet Shakers to name but a few.

Disaster relief[link]

In the USA The Salvation Army's first major forays into disaster relief resulted from the tragedies of the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 and the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The Salvationists' nationwide appeals for financial and material donations yielded tremendous support, enabling the Army to provide assistance to thousands. General Evangeline Booth, when she offered the services of Salvationists to President Woodrow Wilson during the First World War, thrust Salvation Army social and relief work to newer heights. Today the Salvation Army is best known for its charitable efforts.

The Salvation Army is a non-governmental relief agency and is usually among the first to arrive with help after natural or man-made disasters. They have worked to alleviate suffering and help people rebuild their lives. After the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, they arrived immediately at some of the worst disaster sites to help retrieve and bury the dead. Since then they have helped rebuild homes and construct new boats for people to recover their livelihood. Members were prominent among relief organizations after Hurricane Hugo and Hurricane Andrew and other such natural disasters in the United States. In August 2005, they supplied drinking water to poor people affected by the heat wave in the United States. Later in 2005 they responded to hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Most recently they have helped the victims of the May 2006 Indonesian Earthquake.

The William Booth Memorial Training College, Denmark Hill, London: The College for Officer Training of The Salvation Army in the UK

Since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, The Salvation Army has allocated donations of more than $365 million to serve more than 1.7 million people in nearly every state. The Army’s immediate response to Hurricane Katrina included the mobilization of more than 178 canteen feeding units and 11 field kitchens which together have served more than 5.7 million hot meals, 8.3 million sandwiches, snacks and drinks. Its SATERN (Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network)^[34] network of amateur ham-radio operators picked up where modern communications left off to help locate more than 25,000 survivors. And, Salvation Army pastoral care counselors were on hand to comfort the emotional and spiritual needs of 277,000 individuals. As part of the overall effort, Salvation Army officers, employees and volunteers have contributed more than 900,000 hours of service.

The Salvation Army was one of the first relief agencies on the scene of the 9/11 attacks in New York. They also provided prayer support for families of missing people.

The Salvation Army, along with the American National Red Cross, Southern Baptist Convention, and other disaster relief organizations, are national members of the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD).^[35]

Also among the disaster relief capabilities is the Red Shield Defence Services, often called the SallyMan for short. The effort that they put in is similar to that of a chaplain, and reaches many more, offering cold drinks, hot drinks, and some biscuits for the soldiers of the military to have, though, if a SallyMan is on deployment, the locals are offered a share in the produce.

In Australia the Salvation Army have Emergency Services Support Units throughout the country, providing food and other welfare to members of the Emergency Services such as bushfires, floods, land search, and other both large and small scale emergency operations undertaken by Police, Fire, Ambulance and State Emergency Service members, and the general public affected by these events.

Thrift Stores and charity[link]

Salvation Army Thrift Store, Santa Monica, CA

The Salvation Army is well known for its network of thrift stores or Charity Shops, colloquially referred to as "the Sally Ann" in Canada, "Sally's"^[36] or "Salvo" in the US and "op shops" in Australia, which raise money for its charitable and religious activities by selling donated used items such as clothing, housewares and toys. The Salvation Army has a history of free rehabilitation from alcohol and drug abuse. Thrift stores provide the revenue to run the Adult Rehabilitation Centres known as ARCs. The ARCs, found in many global locations, are work and Bible-based and are usually long-term residential facilities. Clothing collected by Salvation Army stores that are not sold on location are often sold wholesale on the global second hand clothing market.

The Salvation Army operates a fleet of trucks that will pick up donations in kind from people's homes to benefit the Thrift Stores. Donations of clothing, furniture and other household items can be scheduled by visiting SATruck.org. For example, in October 2011, the Salvation Army and their fleet truck operation in the Chicagoland area partnered with local Christmas tree company Treetime Christmas Creations to donate gently used artificial Christmas trees to families in need all throughout the state. See: Chicago Christmas Tree Donation Program. These large scale charity events fuel the network of "Sally's" and are common throughout the year but are most prevalent during the Christmas season.

Red Kettles[link]

Red kettle at supermarket entrance, Ypsilanti, Michigan

In many countries, The Salvation Army is most recognized during the Christmas season with its volunteers and employees who stand outside of businesses and play/sing Christmas carols, or ring bells to inspire passersby to place donations of cash and cheques inside red kettles. A tradition has developed in the United States in which, in some places, gold coins or rings are anonymously inserted into the kettles. This was first recorded in 1982, in Crystal Lake, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.^{[citation needed]}

Red Shield Appeal[link]

The Red Shield Appeal is an annual fundraising campaign in some territories, such as the UK and Australia. Each year, officers, soldiers, employees and volunteers take to the streets worldwide to participate in door to door or street collections. The money raised is specifically channelled towards The Salvation Army's social work in each respective territory.

Family Tracing Service[link]

The Family Tracing Service (sometimes known as the Missing Persons Service) was established in 1885, and the service is now available in most of the countries where The Salvation Army operates. The Tracing Service's objective is to restore (or to sustain) family relationships where contact has been lost, whether recently or in the distant past. Thousands of people are traced every year on behalf of their relatives.

Youth groups[link]

Salvation Army in Lausanne

The Salvation Army includes multiple youth groups, which primarily consist of its Sunday schools and the Scout and Guide packs that are sometimes set up. The Scout and Guide packs are not Salvation Army but are sometimes set up by members of the Salvation Army and are open to anyone. Also some schools volunteer to get a group of kids to help. Some territories have Salvation Army Guards and Legions Association (SAGALA). In the United States these internal youth groups that are specifically for females are known as Girl Guards (older females) and Sunbeams (younger females). Adventure Corps serves boys who are enrolled in school for first through eighth grade.

Alove UK[link]

In the new millennium, The Salvation Army in the United Kingdom created a sub-brand of itself for the youth, called Alove, the Salvation Army for a new generation. Its purpose is to free the youth of the church and their communities to express themselves and their faith in their own ways. Its mission statement is "Calling a generation to dynamic faith, radical lifestyle, adventurous mission and a fight for justice.", and it emphasizes worship, discipleship, missions, and social action. Alove is a member of The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services (NCVYS).^[37]

Controversy[link]

United States[link]

Homosexuality[link]

A fake $3 bill distributed by LGBT activists as a "Queer Dollar" for use in protesting policies of the Salvation Army

The Salvation Army in the U.S. has been the topic of some controversy about alleged discrimination against homosexuals in their hiring practices.^[38][39] The New York Times reported that the Salvation Army believed it had a firm commitment from the White House to issue a regulation that would override local antidiscrimination laws. A disclosure of The Salvation Army's request "outraged some civil rights groups and lawmakers," and resulted in an immediate reversal of a previous promise to honor the request.

The Salvation Army maintains that they were "not trying to get permission to discriminate against hiring gays and lesbians for the majority of its roughly 55,000 jobs and merely wanted a federal regulation that made clear that the charity did not have to ordain sexually active gay ministers and did not have to provide medical benefits to the same-sex partners of employees."^[40]

The Salvation Army's position is that because it is a church, Title VII of the U.S. Civil Rights Act of 1964 explicitly guarantees its right to discriminate on the basis of its religious beliefs in its hiring. To reinforce its position, it threatened to close all soup kitchens in New York City when the city government proposed legislation that would require all organizations doing business with it to provide equal benefits to unmarried domestic partners.^[41]

In 2001 the Salvation Army sought a change in distribution regulations for the $24 billion in new federal grants and tax deductions for charitable institutions requested by President George W. Bush.^[42] The alteration would have denied funds to state and municipal governments if they imposed restrictions on anti-gay hiring practices such as are practiced within the Salvation Army. Controversy arose after the publication of an internal Salvation Army memorandum suggesting that the discrimination provision would be allowed in exchange for the organization's support of the Bush faith-based public works program.^[42] Matt Coles, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Lesbian and Gay Rights Task Force, said the implied deal was "really about... the Salvation Army trying to get a license to discriminate using public money."^[42] Ultimately, Ari Fleischer, White House press secretary, who denied the existence of a back-room deal, released a statement saying the administration would not, in the words of ABC News, issue the "regulation sought by the church to protect the right of taxpayer-funded religious organizations to discriminate against homosexuals."^[42]

Following the firestorm in the summer of 2001, the Salvation Army approved a plan in October 2001 to start offering domestic-partnership benefits to gay employees.^[43] The organization, acknowledging "a clear difference in how we deal with homosexuality as an employer and as a church in ministering to our followers," affirmed its historical objection to gay marriage while a spokesperson nonetheless observed that shifts outside the church had created "a new awareness of our world."^[43] Members of various evangelical Christian interest groups were quick to protest the decision. Focus on the Family founder James Dobson excoriated the Salvation Army for abandoning its "moral integrity" and urged his radio listeners to bombard the organization's offices with phone calls and letters.^[43] The American Family Association also accused the Salvation Army of a "monstrous ... appeasement of sin" that resulted in a "betrayal of the church."^[43] By November 2001 the Salvation Army rescinded its decision from the month before with an announcement that it would only provide benefits coverage for different-sex spouses and dependent children of its employees.^[43]

In 2004, the Salvation Army threatened to stop all work and close all its offices and stores in New York City unless it was exempted from a municipal ordinance requiring that groups contracting with the city government offer benefits to gay employees’ partners. The City Council refused to make the exemption, however, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's administration chose not to enforce the ordinance. The administration right to decline to enforce was upheld by the New York State Court of Appeals in 2006, but it remains for each future Mayor to decide whether to enforce the ordinance.^[44]

The organization's views and practices on homosexuality have triggered an ongoing boycott effort in the U.S. since 2001.^[44]

Canada[link]

During the 2010 Christmas season, The Salvation Army in Calgary, Alberta, refused to accept toys based on the Harry Potter and Twilight franchises because of a perceived conflict with the organization's religious principles. One volunteer claimed that the toys were destroyed instead of being given to other agencies. The volunteer also criticized The Salvation Army for accepting violence-themed toys such as plastic rifles while not accepting Harry Potter or Twilight toys. A Salvation Army captain said that the toys were given to other organizations, not disposed of.^[45] This policy is not universal. The Wetaskiwin chapter of The Salvation Army has accepted Harry Potter toys. One captain called the series "a classic story of good winning over evil".^[46]

Also during the 2010 Christmas season, The Salvation Army in Vancouver, BC, came under fire for a program that provides goodie bags to federal inmates for Christmas by playing Santa to incarcerated criminals.^[47] This was however simply an extended outreach as part of The Salvation Army's prisoner visitation program established over a century ago.

United Kingdom[link]

In February 2000, the Salvation Army publicly (in their publication known as "War Cry" and in a letter to a Scottish Parliament committee) opposed the repeal of Section 28 of the Local Government Act (1988)^[48] However, The Salvation Army in the UK and Ireland website refers to the organisation offering 'unconditional assistance and support regardless of race, religion, gender or sexual choices, respecting the identity and choices of all those referred to them....As well as having a right to be dealt with professionally, people can expect from us encouragement and a respect for their individual beliefs, ambitions and preferences.'^[49]

Australia[link]

From the 1940 to the 1970s the Salvation Army in Australia sheltered approximately 30,000 children. In 2006 the Australian Salvation Army acknowledged that sexual abuse may have occurred during this time and issued an apology. In it, the Army explicitly rejected a claim, made by a party unnamed in the apology, that there were as many as 500 potential claimants.^[50] The Salvation army's attitude towards homosexuals has recently been widely discussed in the media.^{[citation needed]}

New Zealand[link]

Before the passing of the Homosexual Law Reform Act in 1986, the Salvation Army was active throughout the country gathering signatures for a petition seeking to prevent the bill's passing. In 2006 the Army released a statement regretting the ill feelings that persisted following this activity. It stated in part "We do understand though that The Salvation Army’s official opposition to the Reform Bill was deeply hurtful to many, and are distressed that ill-feeling still troubles our relationship with segments of the gay community. We regret any hurt that may remain from that turbulent time and our present hope is to rebuild bridges of understanding and dialogue between our movement and the gay community."^[51]

Russia[link]

A Moscow court ruled that the Salvation Army was a paramilitary organization subject to expulsion. This ruling was later changed when clarification was accepted by the Russian government.^{[citation needed]} In October 2006, the European Court of Human Rights ruled the original decision illegal.^[52]

See also[link]

	London portal
	Christianity portal

• World Vision
• Booth College
• Chalk Farm Salvation Army Band
• Chief of the Staff of The Salvation Army
• Generals of The Salvation Army
• High Council of The Salvation Army
• International Staff Band
• Kroc Center
• Officer of The Salvation Army
• Maidenhead Citadel Band
• Melbourne Staff Band
• The Salvation Army in Manchester
• Salvation Army Namibia
• The Salvation Army in Parramatta
• Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network
• Salvation Army U.S.A Central Territory
• The Salvation Army U.S.A. Western Territory
• Soldier of The Salvation Army
• Follow On (hymn)

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Eason, Andrew Mark. Women in God's Army: Gender and Equality in the Early Salvation Army. Waterloo, Ontario, Canada: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2003. ISBN 0-88920-418-7
• A Hundred Years’ War:The Salvation Army 1865–1965 (Watson Bernard)
• The History of the Salvation Army Vol. I (Sandall Robert)
• The General next to God (Collier Richard)
• God's Army: The Story of the Salvation Army (Brook Stephen)
• McKinley, E.H. (1995). Marching to Glory: The History of the Salvation Army in the United States, 1880–1992. Eerdmans Pub Co. ISBN 0-8028-3761-1. 
• Taiz, Lillian (2001). Hallelujah Lads and Lasses: Remaking the Salvation Army in America, 1880–1930. University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0-8078-2621-9. 
• Walker, Pamela J. (2001). Pulling the Devil's Kingdom Down: The Salvation Army in Victorian Britain. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-22591-0. 
• Winston, Diane (2000). Red-Hot and Righteous: The Urban Religion of the Salvation Army. Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-00396-9. 
• Ostling, Richard N. (15 December 2005). "The Salvation Army: A distinctive corps simultaneously expands and shrinks". Associated Press. http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/12/16/special_reports/religion/19_11_1312_15_05.txt. 
• Washington Post article regarding the deal between Salvation Army and the Bush administration

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Salvation Army

Wikisource has original text related to this article: Portal:Salvation Army

• Official website of the Salvation Army
• The Salvation Army Wiki
• Private Museum about the Salvation Army
• The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services (NCVYS)
• The Salvation Army – Wonderful Words of Life program
• The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network
• Statistical Profile of Salvation Army in the USA and Canada at the Association of Religion Data Archives
• The Salvation Army: A Presentation by the Canadian War Museum
• The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center – ARC Home Page

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General Linda Bond
Born	(1946-06-22) 22 June 1946 (age 66) Glace Bay, Nova Scotia [1]
Occupation	General of The Salvation Army

Linda Bond (22 June 1946) is a Canadian national born in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, and the current General of the Salvation Army. Since being commissioned as a Salvation Army officer on 21 June 1969 in Canada,^[2] she has served throughout the world, and since 2008 held the post of Territorial Commander of the Australian Eastern Territory. On 31 January 2011 Bond was elected by the High Council to be the next General of the Salvation Army and assumed office on 2 April 2011. Linda Bond is the third woman and third Canadian to be elected General of the Salvation Army. Her predecessors were General Evangeline Booth (1934–1939) and General Eva Burrows (1986–1993).

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Life[link]

General Bond's early experience in Salvation Army corps life and activities in Canada shaped her thinking and approach to ministry and prepared her for the time when she felt that God was calling her to make a lifetime commitment to him for service as an officer in The Salvation Army. General Bond says: ‘The call to officership came as a gentle whisper from the Lord and there has never been a day, not even a second, when I doubted this call.'

Linda Bond attended the college for officer training for two years and was commissioned with the rank of lieutenant in 1969. Nine years were spent in corps appointments, then Captain Bond was appointed as a member of the training staff at the college for officer training in Toronto and later was appointed candidates secretary.

Following these important developmental leadership experiences, Captain Bond was appointed once again to corps ministry, with an appointment as the commanding officer of the Kitchener Corps, during which time she was promoted to the rank of major. After that, she served at the college for officer training in St. John's, Newfoundland as assistant training principal.

Divisional leadership came in 1991 - first with an appointment as divisional secretary of the Maritime Division and, two years later, as divisional commander of the same division.

In the summer of 1995, with promotion in rank, Lieut-Colonel Linda Bond embarked upon her first ministry experience outside of her homeland, being appointed to International Headquarters of the Salvation Army (IHQ) in London, as under secretary for personnel.

On completion of her IHQ appointment during 1998, Lieut-Colonel Bond was transferred to the UK Territory as Divisional Commander Central North Division. She returned to Canada a little more than a year later when, on 1 November 1999 with promotion to the rank of colonel, she was appointed as Chief Secretary Canada and Bermuda Territory.

In July 2002, promoted in rank once again, Commissioner Linda Bond was appointed to the USA Western Territory where she served as territorial commander and territorial president of women's ministries.

Commissioner Bond was subsequently appointed to International Headquarters in 2005, when General John Larsson appointed her Secretary for Spiritual Life Development and International External Relations. These appointment responsibilities involved considerable international travel throughout the Salvation Army world, enabling her to fulfill a ministry of teaching and preaching to the enrichment of officers and soldiers alike.

In May 2008 Commissioner Bond was appointed territorial commander of the Australia Eastern Territory, from which appointment she traveled to London to participate in the High Council of the Salvation Army that elected her to the Army's most senior office - General.

General Bond holds a Bachelor's degree in Religious Education and a Master's degree in Theological Studies. Through a period of many years she lectured regularly at The Salvation Army's International College for Officers, in South-East London, and also effectively engaged her intellect and spiritual passion as a member of the Spiritual Life Commission.

The General's ministry is now broadened to encompass the global mission objectives of The Salvation Army. General Bond is committed to seek the guidance of God in her leadership and to follow his direction. ^[3]

Appointments:[link]

• Canada and Bermuda Territory

Corps (June 1969),

Training (June 1978),

THQ (Aug 1982),

Corps (Feb 1987),

Training (Oct 1989),

DHQ (July 1991)

Divisional Commander (July 1993)

• International Headquarters

Under Secretary for Personnel (July 1995)

• United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland

Divisional Commander (August 1998)

• Canada and Bermuda Territory

Chief Secretary (November 1999)

• USA Western Territory

Territorial Commander and Territorial President of Women’s Ministries (July 2002)

• International Headquarters

Secretary for Spiritual Life Development and International External Relations (July 2005)

• Australia Eastern Territory

Territorial Commander and Territorial President of Women’s Ministries (May 2008)

• International Headquarters

General of the Salvation Army (April 2011)^[4]

References[link]

1. ^ http://www.sawiki.net/index.php/Linda_Bond
2. ^ http://www.salvationarmy.org/highcouncil
3. ^ http://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq%5Cwww_sa.nsf/vw-sublinks/BAC4DC12CC4CB94180256D4F004ABAEF?openDocument
4. ^ http://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/www_sa.nsf/vw-search/0613A346BDCFB902802578260039EE0E?opendocument

This article about a member of the Christian clergy is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Mr. Bean is a British comedy television programme series of 14 half-hour episodes written by and starring Rowan Atkinson as the title character. Different episodes were also written by Robin Driscoll, Richard Curtis and one by Ben Elton. The pilot episode was broadcast on ITV on 1 January 1990, with the last television episode, "Goodnight Mr. Bean" broadcast on 31 October 1995.^[2] The final episode, "Hair by Mr. Bean of London", was a video exclusive released on 15 November 1995, but not broadcast in the UK until 2006.

Based on a character originally developed by Atkinson while he was studying for his master's degree at Oxford University, the series follows the exploits of Mr. Bean, described by Atkinson as "a child in a grown man's body", in solving various problems presented by everyday tasks and often causing disruption in the process.^[3] Bean rarely speaks, and the largely physical humour of the series is derived from his interactions with other people and his unusual solutions to situations. The series was influenced by physical performers such as Jacques Tati and comic actors from silent films.^[3]

During its five-year run, the series gained large UK audience figures, including 18.74 million for the 1991 episode "The Trouble With Mr. Bean".^[4] The series has been the recipient of a number of international awards, including the Rose d'Or. The show has been sold in 245 territories worldwide, and has inspired an animated cartoon spin-off and two feature films.^[5]

Origins and influences[link]

The character of Mr. Bean was developed while Atkinson was studying for his master's degree at Oxford University. A sketch featuring the character was performed at the Edinburgh Fringe in the early 1980s.^[6] A similar character called Robert Box, played by Atkinson, appeared in the one-off 1979 ITV sitcom Canned Laughter, which also featured routines used in the 1997 film Bean.^[7] In 1987, one of Mr. Bean's earliest appearances occurred at the "Just For Laughs" comedy festival in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. When programme co-ordinators were scheduling Atkinson into the festival program, Atkinson insisted that he perform on the French-speaking bill rather than the English-speaking program. Having no French dialogue in his act at all, program co-ordinators could not understand why Atkinson wanted to perform on the French bill. As it turned out, Atkinson's act at the festival was a test platform for the Mr. Bean character and Atkinson wanted to see how the silent character's physical comedy would fare on an international stage with a non-English speaking audience.^[8]

The name of the character was not decided until after the first programme had been produced, with a number of other vegetable-influenced names, such as "Mr. Cauliflower", being explored.^[9] Atkinson cited the earlier comedy character Monsieur Hulot, created by French comedian and director Jacques Tati, as an influence on the character.^[10] Stylistically, Mr. Bean is also very similar to early silent films, relying purely upon physical comedy, with Mr. Bean speaking very little dialogue (although like other live-action TV series of the time, it features a laugh track). This has allowed the series to be sold worldwide without any significant changes to dialogue.^[8][11]

Characters and recurring props[link]

Mr. Bean[link]

The title character, played by Rowan Atkinson, is a childish and selfish buffoon who brings various unusual schemes and contrivances to everyday tasks. He lives alone in his small flat in Highbury, and is almost always seen in his trademark tweed jacket and a skinny red tie. He also usually wears a digital calculator watch. Mr. Bean rarely speaks, and when he does, it is generally only a few mumbled words which are in a comically low-pitched voice. His first name (he names himself "Bean" to others) and profession, if any, are never mentioned. In the first film adaptation, "Mr." appears on his passport in the "first name" field, and he is shown employed as a guard at London's National Gallery.^[12] In Mr. Bean's Holiday, however, his name is listed on his passport as "Rowan", the actor's first name.^[13]

Mr. Bean often seems unaware of basic aspects of the way the world works, and the programme usually features his attempts at what would normally be considered simple tasks, such as going swimming, using a television set, redecorating or going to church. The humour largely comes from his original (and often absurd) solutions to problems and his total disregard for others when solving them, his pettiness, and occasional malevolence.

At the beginning of episode two onwards, Mr. Bean falls from the sky in a beam of light, accompanied by a choir singing Ecce homo qui est faba ("Behold the man who is a bean"). These opening sequences were initially in black and white in episodes 2 and 3, and were intended by the producers to show his status as an "ordinary man cast into the spotlight". However, later episodes showed Mr. Bean dropping from the night sky in a deserted London street, against the backdrop of St. Paul's Cathedral, perhaps suggesting Bean is an alien. At the end of episodes 3 and 6 he is also shown being sucked right back up into the sky in the respective background scenes (black scene in episode 3 and street scene in episode 6). Atkinson himself has acknowledged that Bean "has a slightly alien aspect to him".^[14] In the animated series (episode 38, "Double Trouble") he is taken inside a spacecraft with "aliens" who look exactly like him and even have their own plushy toys. In an obvious homage, the aliens send him back home in a beam of light similar to the opening of the original Mr. Bean series. Whether Mr. Bean himself is an extraterrestrial is not clear. Mr. Bean lives in Flat 2, 12 Arbour Road, London, England.^[15]

Teddy[link]

Teddy is Mr. Bean's teddy bear and perhaps Mr. Bean's best friend. The bear is a dark brown, knitted oddity with button eyes and sausage-shaped limbs, invariably ending up broken in half or in various other states of destruction and disfiguration. Although Teddy is inanimate, Mr. Bean often pretends it is alive. For example, when Mr. Bean hypnotises Teddy, he snaps his fingers and the bear's head falls backwards as if it has fallen asleep instantly (Bean used his finger to prop Teddy's head up). Mr. Bean behaves as if the bear is real, buying it a Christmas present or trying not to wake it in the mornings. The bear is often privy to Mr. Bean's various schemes and doubles as a dish cloth or paint brush in an emergency; it has been decapitated ("Mr. Bean in Room 426"), used Teddy as his paint brush ("Do-It-Yourself Mr. Bean") and shrunk in the wash ("Tee Off, Mr. Bean"). Teddy is also Mr. Bean's "pet" in "Hair by Mr. Bean of London" and is used to win a pet show. The Teddy that was used in filming sits in the windshield of the replica of Mr. Bean's mini that is on display at the National Motor Museum. Over the years, Teddy has undergone several changes. When it debuted on "The Trouble with Mr. Bean", it had a smaller head. Two episodes later, its head reached its current size, but its "eye" wasn't present until Bean placed gold thumb tacks on its face. The "eyes" have since been replaced with two small white buttons sewn over Teddy's face, giving it a distinct image.

Mr. Bean's car[link]

Rowan Atkinson demonstrating a famous scene from the Mr. Bean episode "Do-It-Yourself Mr. Bean" on a Mini at Goodwood Circuit in 2009

Mr. Bean's car, a British Leyland Mini 1000, developed a character of sorts over the series and was central to several antics, such as Mr. Bean getting dressed in it, driving while sitting in an armchair strapped to the roof or attempting to avoid a parking garage toll by driving out through the entrance.

At first, an orange 1969 BMC Mini MK II (registration RNT 996H) was Mr. Bean's vehicle, but this was destroyed in an off-screen crash at the end of the first episode. From then on, the car was a 1976 model (registration SLW 287R), applejack green in colour^[16] with a matte black bonnet. It made its first appearance in "The Curse of Mr. Bean".

The Mini also had a number of innovative security measures, for example Bean uses a bolt-latch and padlock, rather than the lock fitted to the car, and removes the steering wheel instead of the key. These formed a running joke in several episodes, at one point deterring a car thief. The car, confused with another demonstration car of exactly the same model and colours (but no padlock) (registration ACW 497V), was crushed by a tank in "Back to School, Mr. Bean", but returned in later episodes, perhaps having actually been the identical demonstration car from that point on.

Mr. Bean has a long-running feud with the unseen driver of a light blue Reliant Regal Supervan III (registration GRA 26K), which will usually get turned over, crashed out of its parking space and so forth. This conflict originated in the first episode, when the Reliant's driver held the Mini up on the way to a mathematics exam, and subsequently became a running joke throughout the series.

Both the Mini and the Reliant re-appeared as characters in the animated Mr. Bean cartoons, and in the film Mr. Bean's Holiday, yet another Mini, registration YGL 572T, appears. Also seen is a left hand drive version of his Mini, owned by the character Sabine which has a French registration.(registration 207 UHO 75). For the 1997 feature film a sequence involving the Mini driving through Harrod's Department Store was shot, but this was not included in the final cut.^[17][18] In the animated series, his Mini's registration plate number is STE 952R.

After filming ended, the original Mini used in filming was sold to Kariker Kars to be hired for various events. It was then temporarily displayed as a major attraction at the Rover Group's museum. In 1997, it was purchased by the Cars of the Stars Motor Museum and is now on display at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu.^[19]

Irma Gobb[link]

Mr. Bean's "girlfriend", Irma Gobb, played by Matilda Ziegler, appeared in a number of episodes. She is treated relatively inconsiderately by Bean, who appears to regard her more as a friend and companion than a love interest. However, he does become jealous when she dances with another man at a disco in "Mr. Bean Goes to Town", and she certainly expects him to propose to her on Christmas Day in "Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean", with his failure to do so resulting in her leaving him for good (she does not appear in any subsequent episodes). The character later appeared in the animated series. The spin-off book Mr. Bean's Diary (1993) states that Mr. Bean met Irma Gobb at a local library.^[20]

Prior to the episode Merry Christmas Mr. Bean, Irma's name is not revealed. In "The Curse of Mr. Bean" and "Mr. Bean Goes to Town," the character is credited as "the girlfriend."

Other characters[link]

Although Mr. Bean is the only significant human character in the programme, others appear, usually as foils for his various antics. Other than his girlfriend, Mr. Bean's only friends appear to be Hubert and Rupert, who appear as Bean's New Year's party guests in the episode "Do-It-Yourself, Mr. Bean" (although they altered his living room clock and fled to the party in the flat opposite, gaining real friends in the process) and Robin Driscoll appears in many episodes as various characters. However, several notable British actors and comedians appear alongside Atkinson in sketches as various one-off supporting characters, including Richard Briers, Angus Deayton, Nick Hancock, Paul Bown, Caroline Quentin, Danny La Rue, Roger Lloyd Pack, David Schneider and Richard Wilson.^[21]

Production and broadcast[link]

The programme was produced by Tiger Television (later Tiger Aspect Productions) for Thames Television from 1990 to 1992 and for Central Independent Television from 1993 to 1995. Rather than being shown as a series, each episode of Mr. Bean was produced individually, and broadcast at intermittent intervals on the ITV network in the United Kingdom across six years, often around New Year. The episode "Hair by Mr. Bean of London" has not been broadcast on ITV, but was instead reserved for video release. After its original run it has been shown repeatedly on PBS and satellite channels such as Telemundo in the United States, CBC in Canada, TV1 in Australia, TVB in Hong Kong, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and ITV3 in the UK, Disney Channel Asia in Southeast Asia, TV3 in Malaysia, MediaCorp TV Channel 5 in Singapore and RCTI in Indonesia.^[22] Digital channel ITV3 began rebroadcasting the series on 5 January 2010, and again on 24 May 2010. In Pakistan it has been aired on a number of channels such as Cartoon Network, Starlite TV, Raavi and on Syndicated Networks as well.

The record-selling UK videos were withdrawn shortly before the release of Bean, and DVDs were released on an annual basis as of 2004.

Episode guide[link]

Music[link]

Mr. Bean features a choral theme tune written by Howard Goodall and performed by the Choir of Southwark Cathedral (later Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford). The words sung during the title sequences are in Latin:

• Ecce homo qui est faba – "Behold the man who is a bean" (sung at beginning)
• Finis partis primae – "End of part one" (sung before the advertisement break)
• Pars secunda – "Part two" (sung after the advertisement break)
• Vale homo qui est faba – "Farewell, man who is a bean" (sung at end)

The theme was later released on Goodall's album Choral Works. Goodall also wrote an accompanying music track for many episodes. The first episode of Mr. Bean did not feature the choral theme tune, but instead an up-beat instrumental piece, also composed by Howard Goodall, which was more an incidental tune than a theme. It was used while Bean drove between locations intimidating the blue Reliant, and as such, was sometimes heard in later episodes whenever Bean's nemesis is seen.

In the episode "Tee Off, Mr. Bean" Howard Goodall's choral theme tune for another Richard Curtis comedy, The Vicar of Dibley, is heard playing on a car stereo. In Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean., while playing with Queen's Royal Guards figurines and the nativity set, he hums "The British Grenadiers", which was quoted in the theme to Blackadder Goes Forth.^[23]

Mr. Bean appears in a music video made for the 1991 Comic Relief fund raising single by Hale and Pace called The Stonk.^[24] Mr. Bean also appeared in the music video for Boyzone's single Picture Of You in 1997.^[25] The song featured on the soundtrack to the first Bean movie.

Mr Bean also made a Comic Relief record in 1992. This was (I Want To Be) Elected and was credited to "Mr Bean and Smear Campaign featuring Bruce Dickinson". This was a cover of an Alice Cooper song and reached number 9 in the UK singles chart.^[26]

Awards[link]

The first episode won the Golden Rose, as well as two other major prizes at the 1991 Rose d'Or Light Entertainment Festival in Montreux.^[27] In the UK, the episode "The Curse of Mr. Bean" was nominated for a number of BAFTA awards; "Best Light Entertainment Programme" in 1991, "Best Comedy" (Programme or Series) in 1991, and Atkinson was nominated three times for "Best Light Entertainment Performance" in 1991 and 1994.^[28]

Spin-offs[link]

The animated series[link]

Bean was revived in a 2002–2004 animated cartoon series, again featuring little dialogue, with most being either little soundbites or mumbling. The series, which consist of 26 episodes (with 2 segments each), expanded the number of additional characters, featuring Bean's unpleasant landlady, Mrs. Wicket, and her evil one-eyed cat, Scrapper. Atkinson provided the voice for Bean, and all of the animated Bean actions are taken from Atkinson himself. Other characters' voices are provided by Jon Glover, Rupert Degas, Gary Martin and Lorelei King.^[29] A video game based on the Animated series was released on 14 December 2007 and was a third person platformer. The games were released on PAL only for PS2, Nintendo DS, and Wii (called Mr. Bean's Wacky World).

Film adaptations[link]

Two films featuring Bean have been released. The first, Bean: The Ultimate Disaster Movie was directed by Mel Smith and released in 1997. This broke from the programme's tradition by using a subplot with more developed characters – instead of being the sole centre of attention, Bean here interacted with a suburban Californian family he stayed with while overseeing the transfer of Whistler's Mother to a Los Angeles art gallery. The film grossed over US$250 million globally ($45 million in the USA)^[30] on a budget estimated at $22 million.^[31]

News broke out in March 2005 that a second Bean film, Mr. Bean's Holiday was in development, with Atkinson returning in the title role. The film had been through several changes of name during its development, including Bean 2 and French Bean.^[32] Filming began on 15 May 2006 and began post-production in October 2006. It was released in the UK on 30 March 2007. On 17 July 2007, the North American premiere was held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, at the Just For Laughs festival; the launching pad for the Mr. Bean character 20 years earlier.^[8] The film was then released nationwide in North America on 24 August 2007. The film follows Bean on an eventful journey across France for a holiday in the French Riviera, which after a number of misfortunes culminates in an unscheduled screening of his video diary at the Cannes Film Festival. It was directed by Steve Bendelack and, according to Atkinson, is the last appearance of Bean.^[33] It grossed nearly US$230 million globally ($33 million in the USA).^[34]

Books[link]

Two books were released related to the original series: Mr. Bean's Diary in 1991 and Mr. Bean's Pocket Diary in 1994. The two books have identical content and differ only in the format in which they are printed. The content of both is a template diary with handwritten content scrawled in by Mr. Bean. They provide some additional information on the setting: for example, they establish that Mr. Bean lives in Highbury and rents his flat from a landlady named Mrs. Wicket. They confirm the name of Mr. Bean's girlfriend as "Irma Gobb", and also give the name of the other man she actually dances with in Mr. Bean Goes to Town (Giles Gummer). An additional book called Mr. Bean's Diary was released in 2002 to accompany the animated series; this book was also graded as a children's reader.

Video and DVD releases[link]

The series was available on a number of Thames Television VHS compilations. In the United Kingdom (Region 2), episodes of Mr. Bean were released on a yearly basis by Universal Pictures UK from 2004. The complete collection is now available, including the two feature films and other extras. In the United States (Region 1), the complete series has been available since 2003 on A&E Home Video as "The Whole Bean".

In August 2009 an official YouTube channel was launched featuring content from the live action and animated series.^[35]

DVD format[link]

Volumes