"Campbellites" - Two Uses Of The Word

"Campbellites" - Two Uses Of The Word

For 150 years denominational antagonists of the Church of Christ have called us "Campbellites." The word was always used as an insult and a slur. By it, they implied that churches of Christ originated with Alexander Campbell (1788 -1866) rather than with Jesus as we claimed (Matt. 16:18). Our preachers often pointed out that churches founded by men had no claim on God's favor and had no more value than the man who founded them. Denominational preachers could not deny that their church was founded by a particular man or group of men at an identifiable place and time. Their response was to charge us with being disciples of Campbell whom they claimed founded the Church of Christ. Baptist preachers were especially known for reproaching us with this unwelcome insult. There was a reason for their bitterness. After leaving the Presbyterian Church, Campbell spent a few years working among the Redstone Association of Baptists. So great was his influence, that thousands abandoned that faith and joined hands with Campbell in restoring the church and her faith to their original purity. In some quarters that bitterness still exists.

When a reader asked Campbell, "What is Campbellism?" he replied "It is a nickname of reproach invented and adopted by those whose views, feelings and desires are all sectarian–who cannot conceive of Christianity in any oother light than an ism...I have always disclaimed every thing sectarian; and if the people of the different sects slander me or any of those who prefer the scriptures to any human creed, and the kingdom of Jesus the Messiah to any sect; I say, if they slander us with the names and epithets which we disavow, they must answer to him who judges righteously. But for ourselves, we protest against the name... ( Campbellism, Christian Baptist Vol 5. 1828, p. 270). When Campbell spoke in New Orleans, the editor of the local newspaper wrote a glowing report of his labors, describing Campbell as the founder of a flourishing and respectable denomination commonly known as Campbellites. When the piece was brought to his attention, Campbell diplomatically responded, kindly explaining that such was not the case and that the name was not used by his brethren. "You have done me, gentlemen, too much honor is saying I am the â€˜founder' of the denomination...known...as Campbellites." I have always repudiated all human heads and human names for the people of the Lord and shall feel very thankful if you will correct the erroneous impression which you article may have made in thus representing me..." (Memoirs of A. Campbell, Vol. 2, p. 441).

Men who view Christianity through the lense of denominationalism cannot imagine or appreciate a body of people who strive to be Christians, nothing more or less. Nor can they visualize a church that was founded by Christ; that worships, serves and is organized just as He directed. This defect in their spiritual vision leads them to rail at us and cast hateful slurs in our direction.

Now, a new breed of men are freely using this term to describe the Lord's people and church. These are men in our own ranks who have lost any love and respect they may once have held for the Church of Christ. They have borrowed the practice from their liberal cousins of the Disciples of Christ whose defection occurred a century or more ago. The writings of our change agents are sprinkled with "Campbellite, Campbellism and Campbellian" but not for the purpose of insulting us. They use them because in their delusion, they have come to believe that Alexander Campbell founded the church of which they are members; that he originated the beliefs and practices unique to us. The evidently think that claiming him as their founder somehow gives them legitimacy with their denominational neighbors. They believe we have been deluding ourselves all these years in denying Campbell as the father of our faith.

Two kinds of people call churches of Christ "Campbellites." The one does it out of meanness, thinking to insult us. The other does it out of ignorance, deceived and deceiving (II Tim. 3:13). We can bear the insults of our enemies but we shall not stand idle when men who should know better shame the church by their careless use of these misleading terms.

Sincerely,

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