Alexander Campbell (minister)

Alexander Campbell
Campbell around 1855
Born(1788-09-12)12 September 1788
Died4 March 1866(1866-03-04) (aged 77)
Burial placeGod's Acre, Bethany, West Virginia, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Glasgow
Spouses
Margaret Brown
(m. 1811; died 1827)
(m. 1828)
Children14
FatherThomas Campbell
ReligionChristianity (Disciples of Christ)
Ordained1 January 1812
Writings
Congregations served
1st President of Bethany College
In office
1840 – 4 March 1866
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byWilliam K. Pendelton
2nd President of the
General Convention of the
American Christian Missionary Society
In office
1850–1866
Preceded byDavid S. Burnet
Succeeded byDavid S. Burnet

Alexander Campbell (12 September 1788 – 4 March 1866) was an Ulster Scots immigrant who became an ordained minister in the United States and joined his father Thomas Campbell as a leader of a reform effort that is historically known as the Restoration Movement, 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.[1]: 111 

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 in Kentucky.[2]: 112  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 Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and the independent Christian churches and churches of Christ. Additionally, there are the International Churches of Christ, the International Christian Church, the Churches of Christ in Australia, the Churches of Christ in Europe, and the Evangelical Christian Church in Canada.[3][4] Campbell also founded Bethany College in what became Bethany, West Virginia.

  1. ^ McAllister, Lester and Tucker, William E. Journey in Faith St. Louis, Missouri: The Bethany Press, 1975.
  2. ^ 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., 2004, ISBN 0-8028-3898-7, ISBN 978-0-8028-3898-8, 854 pages, entry on Campbell, Alexander
  3. ^ Sydney E. Ahlstrom, A Religious History of the American People (2004)
  4. ^ Melton's Encyclopedia of American Religions (2009)