In its submission to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, scheduled for Saturday, it highlighted its contribution to people in the disadvantaged communities in South Africa, but conceded it regretted failing to stand up against injustices during the apartheid era.
"By international policy the (Salvation) army has refrained from political involvement, though seeking to condemn morally
"With people of all kinds of political persuasion in our ranks, we chose to remain silent, a sin omission which we deeply regret."
It conceded some Salvationists requested silence because of fear of repercussions.
"Nevertheless, this failure dehumanised our people and demonised the agents of change, eroding trust in all relationships," it said.
Its gatherings since its founding in southern Africa in 1883 had been open to all races, but its failure had been in allowing the recognition of separate ethnic groupings, seen as normal at the time, which fostered the idea of separate development.
"We did not see God's justice as being grounded in God's love and some of our people have been morally violated in the inequitable distribution of resources available to us. We did not, as Moses enjoins, `follow justice and justice alone'," the church said.
"Professing an apolitical stance, we used this to avoid the kind of protest for which the early Salvation Army was known," it said.
"We became self-satisfied and paternal, introspective about our own affairs and insensitive to what was happening around us. Though there is a sense in which such a stance enables us to continue to minister more freely, today we must confess it to be sinful - an affront to God and humankind."
It said it had failed to stand up and be counted when it mattered most. "That is painful to us".
In returning into the SA Council of Churches fold in 1994, the Salvation Army pledged to follow through on the reconcoliation processes, to balancing of the priestly and prophetic roles in ministry, to the just redistribution of resources in South Africa, and to continue to offer pastoral care to victims and perpetrators of apartheid-era crimes.
"We make this submission without accusation of any one person but rather as an explaination of how the Salvation Army acted within the light of its understanding at the time."
"The Salvation Army would want to uphold the principle of not being involved in party political issues. We will endeavour, however, not to hide under this umbrella as an excuse for silence when we should be prepared to speak prophetically and fearlessly on matters of injustice."