Neither Founder nor Inheritor: A New Perspective on Alexander Campbell’s Role in the Stone-Campbell Movement
Abstract
Historians typically identify Alexander Campbell (1788-1866) as the founder of the Stone-Campbell Movement (also known as the Restoration), a nineteenth-century American religious movement that sought to unite Christians by returning to the perceived purity of the first century Christian Church. Today, Christians rooted in this tradition number over seven million. Many scholars argue for a precise genesis of the movement, placing Campbell in the role of a founder and theological innovator. On the other hand, many within the religious traditions identified with the Restoration Movement minimize Campbell’s efforts, arguing instead that Campbell restored an earlier form of Christianity that had been lost. They do not regard Campbell as the founder of a new tradition. From a historical lens, Campbell is a founder and innovator; from the theological lens he helped shape, he is often understood as not. This thesis provides a different perspective on Campbell’s role, seeking to preserve the nuance of the subject, by viewing his efforts through the lens of a bricolage or patchwork. Rather than founding a new tradition or restoring a lost one, Campbell compiled already present ideas and practices from a plurality of different traditions into a more unified system. By analyzing nineteenth century Baptists, Presbyterians, seventeenth century English Anabaptists, and Campbell’s own explicitly mentioned sources, one can trace various streams of influence that converge in the central doctrinal convictions of Restorationist tradition. This thesis focuses on how earlier traditions particularly shaped Campbell’s perspectives on scriptural primacy, believers’ baptism by immersion, congregational church polity, and regular communion. This research provides a more nuanced depiction of the history of the Restoration by combining the historical context of the movement and direct influences of Alexander Campbell with his own contributions. Placing Campbell as a religious architect rather than a founder, allows for a more nuanced understanding of the movement’s history, accounting for its context and complexity. It also offers a case study for understanding the emergence of new religious movements, particularly in nineteenth-century America.
Start Time
16-4-2025 2:30 PM
End Time
16-4-2025 3:30 PM
Room Number
219
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Presentation Subtype
UG Orals
Presentation Category
Arts and Humanities
Faculty Mentor
Jennifer Adler
Neither Founder nor Inheritor: A New Perspective on Alexander Campbell’s Role in the Stone-Campbell Movement
219
Historians typically identify Alexander Campbell (1788-1866) as the founder of the Stone-Campbell Movement (also known as the Restoration), a nineteenth-century American religious movement that sought to unite Christians by returning to the perceived purity of the first century Christian Church. Today, Christians rooted in this tradition number over seven million. Many scholars argue for a precise genesis of the movement, placing Campbell in the role of a founder and theological innovator. On the other hand, many within the religious traditions identified with the Restoration Movement minimize Campbell’s efforts, arguing instead that Campbell restored an earlier form of Christianity that had been lost. They do not regard Campbell as the founder of a new tradition. From a historical lens, Campbell is a founder and innovator; from the theological lens he helped shape, he is often understood as not. This thesis provides a different perspective on Campbell’s role, seeking to preserve the nuance of the subject, by viewing his efforts through the lens of a bricolage or patchwork. Rather than founding a new tradition or restoring a lost one, Campbell compiled already present ideas and practices from a plurality of different traditions into a more unified system. By analyzing nineteenth century Baptists, Presbyterians, seventeenth century English Anabaptists, and Campbell’s own explicitly mentioned sources, one can trace various streams of influence that converge in the central doctrinal convictions of Restorationist tradition. This thesis focuses on how earlier traditions particularly shaped Campbell’s perspectives on scriptural primacy, believers’ baptism by immersion, congregational church polity, and regular communion. This research provides a more nuanced depiction of the history of the Restoration by combining the historical context of the movement and direct influences of Alexander Campbell with his own contributions. Placing Campbell as a religious architect rather than a founder, allows for a more nuanced understanding of the movement’s history, accounting for its context and complexity. It also offers a case study for understanding the emergence of new religious movements, particularly in nineteenth-century America.