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Alexander Campbell (12 September 1788 – 4 March 1866) was a Scots-Irish immigrant who became an ordained minister in the United States and joined his father
Thomas Campbell Thomas Campbell may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Thomas Campbell (poet) (1777–1844), Scottish poet * Thomas Campbell (sculptor) (1790–1858), Scottish sculptor * Thomas Campbell (visual artist) (born 1969), California-based visual artist ...
as a leader of a reform effort that is historically known as the
Restoration Movement The Restoration Movement (also known as the American Restoration Movement or the Stone–Campbell Movement, and pejoratively as Campbellism) is a Christian movement that began on the United States frontier during the Second Great Awakening (17 ...
, and by some as the "Stone-Campbell Movement." It resulted in the development of non-denominational Christian churches, which stressed reliance on scripture and few essentials.McAllister, Lester and Tucker, William E. ''Journey in Faith'' St. Louis, Missouri: The Bethany Press, 1975. Campbell was influenced by similar efforts in Scotland, in particular, by James and Robert Haldane, who emphasized their interpretation of Christianity as found in the New Testament. In 1832, the group of reformers led by the Campbells merged with a similar movement that began under the leadership of
Barton W. Stone Barton Warren Stone (December 24, 1772 – November 9, 1844) was an American evangelist during the early 19th-century Second Great Awakening in the United States. First ordained a Presbyterian minister, he and four other ministers of the Washingt ...
in Kentucky.Douglas Allen Foster and Anthony L. Dunnavant, ''The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement: Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Christian Churches/Churches of Christ, Churches of Christ'',
William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company is a religious publishing house based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1911 by Dutch American William B. Eerdmans (November 4, 1882 – April 1966) and still independently owned with William's daughte ...
, 2004, , , 854 pages, entry on ''Campbell, Alexander''
Their congregations identified as Disciples of Christ or Christian churches. Several church groups have some historical ties with Campbell's efforts. The three main groups are the
Churches of Christ The Churches of Christ is a loose association of autonomous Christian congregations based on the '' sola scriptura'' doctrine. Their practices are based on Bible texts and draw on the early Christian church as described in the New Testament. ...
, the
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. The denomination started with the Restoration Movement during the Second Great Awakening, first existing during the 19th ...
, and the independent
Christian churches and churches of Christ The group of churches known as the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ is a fellowship of congregations within the Restoration Movement (also known as the Stone-Campbell Movement and the Reformation of the 19th Century) that have no forma ...
. Additionally, there are the International Churches of Christ, the International Christian Church, the
Churches of Christ in Australia The Churches of Christ in Australia is a Reformed Restorationist denomination. It is affiliated with the Disciples Ecumenical Consultative Council and the World Communion of Reformed Churches. Key features of the church's worship are the weekly ...
, the
Churches of Christ in Europe The Churches of Christ in Europe are Christian groups of autonomous congregations using the name "church of Christ" which may or may not have a historical association with the Restoration Movement. These groups are characterized by an emphas ...
, and the
Evangelical Christian Church in Canada The Evangelical Christian Church (Christian Disciples) as an evangelical Protestant Canadian church body. The Evangelical Christian Church's national office in Canada is in Waterloo, Ontario. History The church has its origins in the formal ...
. Campbell also founded Bethany College in what became
Bethany, West Virginia Bethany is a town in southern Brooke County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 756 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Weirton–Steubenville metropolitan area. It is best known as the home of Bethany College, a private liberal ...
.


Early life and education

Alexander Campbell was born 12 September 1788 near
Ballymena Ballymena ( ; from ga, an Baile Meánach , meaning 'the middle townland') is a town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is part of the Borough of Mid and East Antrim. The town is built on land given to the Adair family by King Charles I i ...
, in the parish of Broughshane,
County Antrim County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, ) is one of six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of and has a population ...
,
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...
. His parents were
Thomas Campbell Thomas Campbell may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Thomas Campbell (poet) (1777–1844), Scottish poet * Thomas Campbell (sculptor) (1790–1858), Scottish sculptor * Thomas Campbell (visual artist) (born 1969), California-based visual artist ...
and Jane Corneigle Campbell, who were of Scots descent. Like his father, he was educated at the
University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...
, where he was greatly influenced by
Scottish Enlightenment The Scottish Enlightenment ( sco, Scots Enlichtenment, gd, Soillseachadh na h-Alba) was the period in 18th- and early-19th-century Scotland characterised by an outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. By the eighteenth century ...
philosophy. He was also influenced by the English philosopher
John Locke John Locke (; 29 August 1632 – 28 October 1704) was an English philosopher and physician, widely regarded as one of the most influential of Enlightenment thinkers and commonly known as the "father of liberalism". Considered one of ...
. In 1809 at the age of 21, Alexander emigrated to the United States with his mother and siblings from Scotland, to join his father Thomas, who had emigrated there in 1807. They sailed from Scotland on the ''Latonia'' on 3 August 1809 and landed in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
on 29 September, then traveled overland to Philadelphia. They continued to western Pennsylvania, where the senior Campbell was serving as a minister in Washington County on the frontier. Alexander was
ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform ...
by his father's
Brush Run Church The Brush Run Church was one of the earliest congregations associated with the Restoration Movement that arose during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century. In 1811, a congregation of Christian reformers known as the Christian Assoc ...
on 1 January 1812.


Marriage and personal life

The year before, Campbell had married Margaret Brown on 12 March 1811.Adron Doran, ''Restoring New Testament Christianity'', 21st Century Christian, 1997, Margaret's father John Brown owned a significant amount of land in the Bethany, Virginia, area (now in
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the ...
). The couple resided in what is now known as the
Alexander Campbell Mansion The Alexander Campbell Mansion, also known as Campbell Mansion or Alexander Campbell House, is a historic house on West Virginia Route 67 just east of Bethany, West Virginia. Built in 1793 and repeatedly enlarged, it was the home of minister Al ...
near Bethany, and had eight children. Their first child, a daughter, was born on 13 March 1812. His daughter's birth spurred Campbell to study the subject of baptism. He ultimately concluded that scripture did not support the baptism of infants. He came to believe that individuals had to choose conversion for themselves and baptism was not appropriate until they did so. After the death of Margaret in 1827, Campbell married again the next year, to Selina Huntington Bakewell on 31 July 1828; they had six children.Douglas Allen Foster and Anthony L. Dunnavant, ''The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement: Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Christian Churches/Churches of Christ, Churches of Christ'', Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004, , , 854 pages, entry on ''Campbell, Selina Huntington Bakewell''


Public life

From 1815 to 1834, Campbell and his father kept the Brush Run Church affiliated with a local Baptist association. After disagreements over some issues, they allied with the Mahoning Baptist Association. Campbell's only formal political service was as a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1829–1830, held in
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, Californi ...
. He met some of the leading politicians of the day and was invited to preach in several churches in the capital city. In 1840, Campbell founded Bethany College in Bethany, Virginia (now
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the ...
). He believed that the clergy should be college educated. Many future leaders of the Disciples of Christ and Churches of Christ graduated from the college, although some latter congregations did not attach the same value to theological study and professional clergy.Douglas Allen Foster and Anthony L. Dunnavant, ''The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement: Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Christian Churches/Churches of Christ, Churches of Christ'', Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004, , , 854 pages, entry on ''Bethany College'' Campbell visited the United Kingdom in 1847. During the trip he gave public lectures in England and Scotland. He went to Ireland to deliver funds that U.S. Restoration Movement churches had raised for relief in the Great Famine. While at
Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popu ...
, he was challenged by James Robertson to a debate on the subject of
slavery Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
, which the
American South The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...
protected and Campbell defended as moral. As a result of the fierce exchange, Robertson sued Campbell for
libel Defamation is the act of communicating to a third party false statements about a person, place or thing that results in damage to its reputation. It can be spoken (slander) or written (libel). It constitutes a tort or a crime. The legal defi ...
. The American denied the charge, but he was arrested and imprisoned for ten days. Campbell was released when the warrant for his arrest was declared to be illegal. The case was ultimately tried, and the jury decided in his favor.


Death and legacy

Alexander Campbell died on 4 March 1866 at
Bethany, West Virginia Bethany is a town in southern Brooke County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 756 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Weirton–Steubenville metropolitan area. It is best known as the home of Bethany College, a private liberal ...
. His widow died more than three decades later, on 28 June 1897. His nephew Archibald Campbell (1833–1899) had already become an important abolitionist and Republican party leader, and as editor of the ''Wheeling Daily Intelligencer'' helped found what became the state of West Virginia.


Writings

While in his early 20s, Campbell wrote several moral essays under the pseudonym "Clarinda." and published them in a local paper.Gary Holloway
"Alexander Campbell as a Publisher"
''
Restoration Quarterly ''Restoration Quarterly'' is a scholarly journal associated with the Churches of Christ. It focuses on issues of interest to the Churches of Christ and other groups associated with the Restoration Movement more generally.Douglas Allen Foster and A ...
'', Vol. 37 No. 1 (1995)
In 1820, his debate with the Presbyterian John Walker was published, reminding him of the efficacy of writing and publishing. He bought a press and built a small print shop in 1823, establishing what proved to be a successful publishing operation.Greg Taylor
"Alexander Campbell: Millennial Blogger"
, Disciples of Christ Historical Society, Accessed June 13, 2011
Campbell edited and published two journals. The first was the ''
Christian Baptist The ''Christian Baptist'', established in 1823 by Alexander Campbell, was the first magazine associated with the early Restoration Movement.Douglas Allen Foster and Anthony L. Dunnavant, ''The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement: Christian ...
,'' which he edited from 1823 through 1830.Douglas Allen Foster and Anthony L. Dunnavant, ''The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement: Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Christian Churches/Churches of Christ, Churches of Christ'', Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004, , , 854 pages, entry on ''Christian Baptist, The'' The second was ''The Millennial Harbinger,'' which he began in 1830 and continued to edit until his death in 1866. He became less active in it during the 1850s.Douglas Allen Foster and Anthony L. Dunnavant, ''The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement: Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Christian Churches/Churches of Christ, Churches of Christ'', Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004, , , 854 pages, entry on ''Millennial Harbinger, The'' In both, he advocated the reform of Christianity along the lines as it was practiced on the American frontier. He encouraged contributions by writers who thought differently from him, and the journals encouraged a lively dialogue about issues in the reform movement. Campbell expanded his printing operation in 1830 for the ''Millennial Harbinger''. The change from the ''Christian Baptist'' to the ''Harbinger'' was prompted by several concerns. Differences of opinion were arising between Campbell and the Baptists, and in many cases Baptist associations were expelling persons connected with the Campbell movement. He was concerned that "Christian Baptist" – which he considered to be less appropriate than the biblical term "Disciples" – was becoming the ''de facto'' name of the group. He also wanted the new journal to have a more positive tone, promoting reform and preparing the world for the millennium and the second coming of Christ. Campbell wrote several books, including ''The Christian System''. He also wrote hymns, including "Upon the Banks of Jordan Stood". Campbell compiled and published a translation of the New Testament under the title ''The
Living Oracles The Living Oracles is a translation of the New Testament compiled and edited by the early Restoration Movement leader Alexander Campbell.Gary Holloway"Alexander Campbell as a Publisher" '' Restoration Quarterly'', Vol. 37 No. 1 (1995)Douglas A ...
''.Douglas Allen Foster and Anthony L. Dunnavant, ''The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement: Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Christian Churches/Churches of Christ, Churches of Christ'', Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004, , , 854 pages, entry on ''Bible, Versions and Translations of'' Published in 1826, it was based on an 1818 translation by George Campbell, James MacKnight and Philip Doddridge, and included edits and extensive notes by Campbell.


Works

* ''The Living Oracles'' (1826) – Campbell's translation of the New Testament * ''Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs'' (1828) * ''Prospectus of the Millennial Harbinger'' (1829) * ''Delusions: An Analysis of the Book of Mormon'' (1832) * ''The Christian Preacher's Companion'' (1836) * ''The Christian System'' (1839) – summary of Campbell's theology * ''The Christian Hymnbook'' (1843) * ''A Tract for the People of Kentucky'' (1849) * ''Christian Baptism—Its Antecedents and Consequents'' (1851) * ''The Acts of the Apostles'' (1858) – Campbell's translation * ''Memoirs of Elder Thomas Campbell'' (1861) * ''Popular Lectures and Addresses'' (1863) * ''Familiar Lectures on the Pentateuch'' (1867)


Public debates

For a time, Campbell was wary of public debates. In June 1820, he debated with Rev. John Walker, a Baptist preacher, at
Mount Pleasant, Ohio Mount Pleasant is a village in southern Jefferson County, Ohio, United States. The population was 394 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Weirton–Steubenville metropolitan area. Founded in 1803 by anti-slavery Quakers, the village was an ear ...
, on
baptism Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost ...
, and since then, regularly participated in debates. Some of them gained national and international attention after their transcripts were published. In 1823, he debated with Rev. William L. McCalla, a
Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their n ...
minister, on
infant baptism Infant baptism is the practice of baptising infants or young children. Infant baptism is also called christening by some faith traditions. Most Christians belong to denominations that practice infant baptism. Branches of Christianity that ...
; in April 1829, with
Robert Owen Robert Owen (; 14 May 1771 – 17 November 1858) was a Welsh people, Welsh textile manufacturer, philanthropist and social reformer, and a founder of utopian socialism and the cooperative movement. He strove to improve factory working conditio ...
on
socialism Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes th ...
and
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global popula ...
; in January 1837, with Archbishop of
Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line w ...
,
John Baptist Purcell John Baptist Purcell (February 26, 1800 – July 4, 1883) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Cincinnati from 1833 to his death in 1883, and he was elevated to the rank of archbishop in 1850. He formed the b ...
on
Protestantism Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
and
Roman Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
; in September 1843, he defended the
Restoration Movement The Restoration Movement (also known as the American Restoration Movement or the Stone–Campbell Movement, and pejoratively as Campbellism) is a Christian movement that began on the United States frontier during the Second Great Awakening (17 ...
in a debate with Rev. Nathan L. Rice, who represented traditional Presbyterianism.Haley, J. J
''Debates that made history: the story of Alexander Campbell's debates with Rev. John Walker, Rev. W. L. McCalla, Mr. Robert Owen, Bishop Purcell and Rev. Nathan L. Rice''
Saint Louis, Missouri: Christian Board of Publication, 1920.


Legacy and honors

*Campbell was instrumental in the
Restoration Movement The Restoration Movement (also known as the American Restoration Movement or the Stone–Campbell Movement, and pejoratively as Campbellism) is a Christian movement that began on the United States frontier during the Second Great Awakening (17 ...
, which resulted in a new direction for American Christians and founding of numerous new, non-denominational churches as well as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). *His house in Bethany, West Virginia, the
Alexander Campbell Mansion The Alexander Campbell Mansion, also known as Campbell Mansion or Alexander Campbell House, is a historic house on West Virginia Route 67 just east of Bethany, West Virginia. Built in 1793 and repeatedly enlarged, it was the home of minister Al ...
, was designated as a
National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places liste ...
. *The Alexander Campbell Auditorium at Culver-Stockton College is named in his honor. *Campbell is known to have preached at the Slash Church, now on the National Register of Historic Places in rural
Hanover County, Virginia Hanover County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 109,979. Its county seat is Hanover Courthouse. Hanover County is a part of the Greater Richmond Region. History Located in the wester ...
and still used by a Disciples of Christ congregation.


See also

* José María Jesús Carbajal, spiritually mentored by Campbell *
Old Bethany Church Old Bethany Church, also known as Old Bethany Church of Christ and Old Meetinghouse of the Bethany, is a historic Disciples of Christ church located at Main and Church Streets in Bethany, Brooke County, West Virginia. It was built in 1852, and i ...


References


Further reading

*Challen, James (editor), "Biographical Sketch of Alexander Campbell", ''Ladies' Christian Annual'', March 1857 (Volume VI, No. 3), Philadelphia: James Challen, Publisher. Pages 81–90
Online Edition
* Clanton, J. Caleb. ''The Philosophy of Religion of Alexander Campbell'' (U of Tennessee Press, 2013) 207 pp OI:10.1080/14664658.2014.979000 online review*Foster, Douglas, et al., ''The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement''. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2005. *Holloway, Gary
"Alexander Campbell as a Publisher"
''
Restoration Quarterly ''Restoration Quarterly'' is a scholarly journal associated with the Churches of Christ. It focuses on issues of interest to the Churches of Christ and other groups associated with the Restoration Movement more generally.Douglas Allen Foster and A ...
'', Vol. 37/No. 1 (1995) * *McAllister, Lester and Tucker, William E. ''Journey in Faith'' St. Louis, Missouri: The Bethany Press, 1975. *Richardson, Robert
''Memoirs of Alexander Campbell''
In two volumes. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1871. *Verkruyse, Peter A. "Prophet, Pastor and Patriarch: The Rhetorical Leadership of Alexander Campbell." Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama Press, 2006.


External links



at th
Restoration Movement
Memorial University of Newfoundland Memorial University of Newfoundland, also known as Memorial University or MUN (), is a public university in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, based in St. John's, with satellite campuses in Corner Brook, elsewhere in Newfoundland and ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Campbell, Alexander (clergyman) 1788 births 1866 deaths 19th-century American writers American Christian theologians American members of the Churches of Christ Bethany College (West Virginia) British members of the Churches of Christ Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) clergy Churches of Christ Critics of Mormonism Irish emigrants to the United States (before 1923) Ministers of the Churches of Christ Nondenominational Christianity People from Ballymena People from Bethany, West Virginia People of the Scottish Enlightenment Restoration Movement Scottish members of the Churches of Christ Translators of the Bible into English 19th-century translators