High Council of The Salvation Army

The High Council of The Salvation Army elects a new general in the event of a vacancy or prior to the retirement of the existing office holder.

[2] The Chief of the Staff could summon the Commissioners to vote on the issue, and if they found that the General was not capable of performing the role they would choose a successor.

On 8 January 1929, the High Council met for the first time and voted 55 to 8 to remove the 73-year-old ill General.

After reviewing the document and making any amendments it feels necessary, the High Council will formally adopt the revised version as its own Orders of Procedure.

A High Council is an exercise of spiritual discernment, and time is therefore set aside for worship, reflection and prayer.

The collective prayer of the members will be that at the end of the process they might be able to echo the words of the Council of Jerusalem: ‘It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us…’ (Acts 15:28).

Through the process of questions and answers, the High Council seeks to get to know the candidates at greater depth and to learn more about their leadership style, their personalities and their views on subjects related to the Army and its ministry.

No parameters regarding subject matter or length are laid down but speeches usually deal with the candidate’s vision for the Salvation Army if elected General.

The Salvation Army Act 1980 – by which the High Council is governed – stipulates General John Larsson was due to retire at midnight on 1 April 2006.

The Public Welcome to the High Council took place on Friday 20 January at the Methodist Central Hall in London.

[6] Monday, 31 January, it was announced Commissioner Linda Bond would be the next General of the Salvation Army.

[7] The 2013 High Council was held at the gathering's third host venue – the Renaissance Hotel, Heathrow, to the west of London.

The 1934 and 1939 High Councils were held at Clapton Congress Hall in east London, with all other High Councils since the first in 1929 taking place at Sunbury Court in west London, which was undergoing a major refurbishment at the time.

[9] On 3 August 2013 the High Council elected Commissioner Andre Cox as the 20th General of The Salvation Army, who took office with immediate effect.

[10] The 2023 High Council commenced on 18 May 2023 at Sunbury Court Conference Centre in London, United Kingdom and ended on May 27.

[11] On 27 May, the Council announced that it had elected New Zealander Commissioner Lyndon Buckingham to succeed General Brian Peddle.