Salvation Army

 Religious Groups > Holiness >
Search Religious Groups:


Denominational Profile

Notes

The Salvation Army was founded in 1865 (as the Christian Mission) in England by William Booth. Though best known for its social work and its military organization, it is also a Holiness denomination.

Membership Data

Year Clergy Churches Members
1925 4,465 1,519 74,416
1929 5,432 1,769 87,992
1933 - 1,706 104,336
1935 4,267 1,633 259,101
1937 - 1,646 240,258
1940 - 1,647 238,357
1942 - 1,515 220,367
1944 - 1,474 208,329
1946 - - 205,881
1947 - 1,380 209,341
1951 5,041 1,382 227,821
1952 5,056 1,350 232,631
1953 5,108 1,342 235,559
1954 5,111 1,327 240,130
1955 5,159 1,323 249,641
1956 3,862 1,282 247,964
1957 3,851 1,279 250,156
1958 3,777 1,273 250,583
1959 3,784 1,259 253,061
1960 3,854 1,255 254,141
1961 3,702 1,243 257,832
1962 3,727 1,241 259,955
1963 4,523 1,234 261,014
1964 5,161 1,234 264,910
1965 5,133 1,219 287,991
1966 3,889 1,219 294,201
1967 5,207 1,121 324,911
1968 5,249 1,230 329,515
1969 5,443 1,116 331,711
1970 5,190 1,105 326,934
1971 5,180 1,104 335,684
1972 5,181 1,101 358,626
1973 5,191 1,104 361,571
1974 5,178 1,184 366,471
1975 5,180 1,169 384,817
1976 5,095 1,178 380,618
1977 5,025 1,126 396,238
1978 5,104 1,117 414,035
1979 5,165 1,067 414,659
1980 5,167 1,056 417,359
1981 5,153 1,062 414,999
1982 5,119 1,060 419,475
1983 5,159 1,061 428,046
1984 5,194 1,073 420,971
1985 5,161 1,088 427,825
1986 5,195 1,092 432,893
1987 5,174 1,097 434,002
1988 5,198 1,097 433,448
1989 5,184 1,122 445,566
1990 5,120 1,133 445,991
1991 5,241 1,151 446,403
1994 5,238 1,222 443,246
1995 5,242 1,264 453,150
1998 5,248 1,388 471,416
1999 5,415 1,410 472,871
2001 5,481 1,369 454,982
2003 5,443 1,329 564,885
2004 5,526 1,316 427,027
2005 5,526 1,316 422,543
2006 5,486 1,275 524,185
2007 5,462 1,438 413,028
2008 5,474 1,252 512,881
2009 5,470 1,241 400,055

Data were taken from the National Council of Churches' Historic Archive CD and recent editions of the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches. Denomination descriptions provided by Dr. J. Gordon Melton, Director, Institute for the Study of American Religion (ISAR). [More information on data sources]