Earl Irvin West (May 18, 1920,

Carmel, Indiana Carmel () is a suburban city in Hamilton County, Indiana, United States, immediately north of Indianapolis. With a population of 99,757 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city spans across Clay Township, Hamilton County, Indi ...

– February 4, 2011,

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...

) was a historian of 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 ...

. He was known for his multivolume work ''Search for the Ancient Order'', published incrementally from 1949 to 1993. He was

baptized Baptism (from ) is a Christian sacrament of initiation almost invariably with the use of water. It may be performed by sprinkling or pouring water on the head, or by immersing in water either partially or completely, traditionally three ...

Hugo McCord Hugo McCord (1911–2004) was an American preacher and biblical scholar within the Churches of Christ in America. He produced his own translation of the New Testament (and Book of Genesis, Genesis, Psalms, and Book of Proverbs, Proverbs), titled ...

in 1935. A graduate of

Butler University Butler University is a private university in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university has over 60 major academic fields of study within six colleges in the arts, business, communic ...

, he received his Ph.D. in American history at

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a state university system, system of Public university, public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. The system has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration o ...

. Although he lived in Indianapolis, Indiana, and was the minister for two different congregations; he also served for many years as professor of church history at Harding Graduate School of Religion in Memphis, Tennessee, now

Harding School of Theology Harding School of Theology, known until 2011 as Harding University Graduate School of Religion, is located in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. It is an entity related to the Christian private university associated with the Churches of Christ known ...

, commuting once a week to Memphis. West founded Religious Book Service.

Early life and education

West attended

Freed–Hardeman University Freed–Hardeman University is a private university associated with the Churches of Christ and located in Henderson, Tennessee. It is primarily undergraduate and residential. The university also serves some commuting, part-time and adult student ...

, Abilene Christian University and

Pepperdine University Pepperdine University () is a private university, private Christianity, Christian research university affiliated with the Churches of Christ, with its main campus in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Pepperdine's main campus consists ...

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:West, Earl Irvin 1920 births 2011 deaths American members of the Churches of Christ Butler University alumni Historians of Christianity People from Carmel, Indiana People from Memphis, Tennessee American historians of religion Indiana University alumni Freed–Hardeman University alumni Pepperdine University alumni Abilene Christian University alumni