Campbellite is a mildly

pejorative A pejorative word, phrase, slur, or derogatory term is a word or grammatical form expressing a negative or disrespectful connotation, a low opinion, or a lack of respect toward someone or something. It is also used to express criticism, hosti ...

term referring to adherents of certain religious groups that have historic roots 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 American frontier during the Second Great Awakening (1790–1 ...

, among whose most prominent 19th-century leaders were

Thomas Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

and Alexander Campbell.

Influence of the Campbells

Thomas and Alexander Campbell were the most prominent leaders of the

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 ...

movement of the early 19th century. The group was committed to restoring

primitive Christianity Primitive Christianity, Primitive Christian, or Primitive Church may refer to: * Early Christianity, up to the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD ** Christianity in the 1st century * Christian primitivism, or Restorationism, later movements intended ...

. It merged with the Christians (Stone Movement) in 1832 to form what is now described as the American

(also known as the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement). Other prominent individuals in the Restoration Movement included Barton W. Stone,

Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European literature, European and Scottish literature, notably the novels ''Ivanhoe'' (18 ...

and "Raccoon" John Smith.

Historically associated groups

Over time, strains grew within the Restoration Movement. In 1906, the U.S. Religious Census listed the Christian Churches and the

Churches of Christ The Churches of Christ, also commonly known as the Church of Christ, is a loose association of autonomous Christian congregations located around the world. Typically, their distinguishing beliefs are that of the necessity of baptism for salvation ...

as separate and distinct groups for the first time.McAlister, Lester G. and Tucker, William E. (1975), ''Journey in Faith: A History of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)'' - St. Louis, Chalice Press, This, however, was simply the recognition of a division that had been growing for years, with published reports as early as 1883. The most obvious distinction between the two groups was the rejection of musical instruments in the Churches of Christ. The controversy over musical instruments began in 1860 with the introduction of

organ Organ and organs may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a group of tissues organized to serve a common function * Organ system, a collection of organs that function together to carry out specific functions within the body. Musical instruments ...

s in some churches. More basic were differences in the underlying approach to Biblical interpretation. For the Churches of Christ, any practices not present in accounts of New Testament worship were not permissible in the church, and they could find no New Testament documentation of the use of instrumental music in worship. For the Christian Churches, any practices not expressly forbidden could be considered. The major groups with historical roots in the movement are: *The

*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 ...

*The Christian churches and churches of Christ The term ''Campbellite'' is most often applied to the more conservative branches of the movement, including the

and the Christian churches and churches of Christ.

Term

Members of these groups generally consider the term ''Campbellite'' inappropriate, saying that they are followers of

Jesus Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...

, not Campbell.See also Wayne Jackson
"Alexander Campbell and Christ's Church,"
''Christian Courier'' (accessed 11-15-2012)Monroe E. Hawley, ''Redigging the Wells: Seeking Undenominational Christianity'', Quality Publications, Abilene, Texas, 1976, page 86 (paper), (cloth) James D. Bales, ''The Faith Under Fire'', Lambert Book House, Shreveport, Louisiana, 1867 They draw parallels with

Martin Luther Martin Luther ( ; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, Theology, theologian, author, hymnwriter, professor, and former Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. Luther was the seminal figure of the Reformation, Pr ...

's protest of the name ''

Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

s''V. E. Howard, ''What Is the Church of Christ?'' 4th Edition (Revised) Central Printers & Publishers, West Monroe, Louisiana, 1971 and the

Anabaptists Anabaptism (from Neo-Latin , from the Greek : 're-' and 'baptism'; , earlier also )Since the middle of the 20th century, the German-speaking world no longer uses the term (translation: "Re-baptizers"), considering it biased. The term (tra ...

' protest of the name given to them by their enemies. With specific reference to the early Restoration Movement, " e terms Campbellism and Campbellites were universally rejected by those to whom they were applied."

Popular culture

A Campbellite family is featured in Chapter IX of MacKinlay Kantor's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel " Andersonville" (1955).

References

{{Restoration Movement Restoration Movement