No. 20, October 1996

 

WERE STONE AND CAMPBELL SECTARIAN?

 

            Last spring at the Pepperdine Lectures I joined Doug Foster of Abilene Christian and Tom Olbricht of Pepperdine in a review Richard Hughes’ Reviving the Ancient Faith: The Story of Churches of Christ in America. While all three of us gave the book high marks in general, we offered some criticisms that we hoped would prove helpful.

 

            I took particular exception to Richard’s description of Barton W. Stone and Alexander Campbell as sectarians. He in fact traces the origin of Churches of Christ to the “apocalyptic sectarianism” of Stone and the “legalistic sectarianism” of Campbell. I believe I can prove that Stone was neither apocalyptic nor sectarian and that Campbell was neither legalistic nor sectarian.

 

            While I agree with Richard that Churches of Christ have sectarian origins, and that they have moved “from sect to denomination,” a basic thesis of his book, I believe their sectarianism is traceable to second-generation editor bishops rather than to Stone and Campbell. We would in fact never have become sectarian, and never divided and sub-divided, had we remained true to the ecumenical principles of Stone and Campbell.

 

            That is what Campbell himself predicted: This movement will never divide if it remains true to these principles. Hughes presents a different picture. We started as a sect – in the days of Stone and Campbell! I could not disagree with him more.

 

            To Richard’s credit, he does allow that Campbell eventually became ecumenical. It was in his youth, in his “swashbuckling” days as editor of the Christian Baptist that he was a legalist and a sectarian. This is when the (noninstrumental) Churches of Christ began - as a sect under the tutelage of Alexander Campbell!

 

            For the sake of the record-and to let the record speak for itself - I offer a few quotations from both Stone and Campbell. The quotes from Campbell will be limited to the Christian Baptist when he was supposed to be a swashbuckling sectarian.

 

            “Let us acknowledge all to be our brethren who believe in the Lord Jesus and humbly and honestly obey him as far as they know his will and their duty. Let us not reject whom the Lord has received.” (Christian Messenger, 1831, p.21)

 

            Campbell: “What are the principles of union and communion advocated in this work? . . So long as he confesses with his lips that he believes in his heart this truth (Jesus is the Christ), and lives conformably to it and supports an unblemished moral character, so long he is a worthy brother.” Christian Baptist 10, May 1, 1826)

 

            Stone: “Let the unity of Christians be our polar star.” CM, 1832, p. 266)

 

            Campbell: “I have tried the pharisaic plan and the monastic. I was once so straight that, like the Indian’s tree, I leaned a little the other way . . . I was once so strict a Separatist that I would neither pray nor sing praises with anyone who was not as perfect as I supposed myself. In this unpopular course I persisted until I discovered the mistake; and discovered that on the principle embraced in my conduct, there never could be a congregation or church upon the earth.” (CB, III, 10, May 1, 1826)

 

            Stone (to Campbell): “From all your public exhibitions we have been induced to believe that you fraternized with all who believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, and who were willingly obedient to his commands.” (CM, 1827, p. 11)

 

            Campbell: “Why not dispense with this popish furniture in the church and allow Christians of every stature to meet at the same fireside and eat at the same table.” (CB, IV, 1, Aug. 7, 1826)

 

            Stone: “We will that this body die, be dissolved, and sink into union with the Body of Christ at large.” (Biography, p. 51)

 

            Campbell: “I have no idea of adding to the catalogue of new sects. This game has been played too long. I labor to see sectarianism abolished, and all Christians of every name united upon the one foundation on which the apostolic church was founded.” (CB, III, 7, Feb. 6, 1826)

 

            Stone: “Our principles are known to the world … that we will unite in fellowship with all holy, obedient believers in Jesus, without regard to their opinions - that we will labor to the destruction of sectarianism.” (CM, 1829, p. 202)

 

            Campbell: “I declare non-fellowship with no man who owns the Lord in word and deed. Such is a Christian. He that denies the Lord in word or deed is not a Christian … If a man cause division by setting up his own decisions, his private judgment, we must consider him as a factionist, and as such he must be excluded – not for his difference in opinions, but because he makes his opinion an idol and demands homage to it. (CB, VII, 11, June 7, 1830)

 

            Not exactly sectarian, I would say, and such sentiments could be multiplied almost endlessly. In 1839, after a generation as a reformer, Campbell insisted that Christian unity had always been his “darling theme,” including his Christian Baptist days. Stone looked back on the union of the Stone and Campbell movements in 1832, which he helped effect, as “the noblest act of my life.”

 

            Robert Richardson, Campbell’s physician and biographer and our first historian, described the Movement as “born and bred of a passion for Christian unity, and unity has been its consuming theme.” Could this discerning man, hailed by Campbell as the best interpreter of the Movement, have been so wrong?

 

            Then there is William G. West who did a Ph.D. on Stone at Yale in 1949, describing him as an “Early American Advocate of Christian Unity.” In reference to this thesis, Luther A. Weigle, then the dean at Yale, referred to Stone as “a grass, roots practitioner of Christian unity rather than a debater about it.” I suspect that West and Weigle would have been surprised that in another generation an “insider,” a professor at Pepperdine, would find Stone a sectarian!

 

            Richard Hughes makes it clear what he means by sect and sectarian: “any segment of the universal body of Christ that regards itself as the total body of Christ” (p. 4). In the same paragraph he says the Churches of Christ for most of their history have regarded themselves as the whole of the body of Christ.

 

            That may be true of non instrumental Churches of Christ in the 20th century, but it is not true of Stone and Campbell. I invite Richard Hughes to present the evidence, which is absent from his history, that Stone and Campbell ever had any such idea that the movement/church they started was “the whole of the body of Christ.”

 

WE UNITE ON UNIVERSALS, NOT PARTICULARS

 

            This is one of the hallmarks of our heritage, that unity can be realized only in the general truths of the Christian faith, not in particulars of doctrine. It is in fact the fatal error of Protestantism, particularism. Each sect began with an emphasis on some particular which distinguished it from all others, and that particular was usually a requirement for fellowship.

 

            It remains true today of the sectarian spirit: Unless you accept our set of particulars you are not of us! While Pentecostals are great Christians, they are still tempted to disagree with Paul and insist that yes, all do or should speak in tongues, and you are not exactly faithful if you don’t.

 

            You can’t be a Mormon without believing a lot of weird particulars, including the prophetic integrity of Joseph Smith.

 

            There are still a lot of Baptist churches that insist that you be rebaptized – their way – to be one of them. The International (Boston) Churches of Christ are even more adamant along those lines, and it doesn’t matter how meaningful your baptism was the first time around.

 

            And many fundamentalists still want to “convert” you if you do not see what they call “eternal security” or “the inerrant Word” the way they do.

 

            To be sure, we still have many in Churches of Christ that judge “faithfulness” in terms of instrumental music or whether you belong to the right church.

 

            All this is the fallacy of particularism. The fallacy is not in deeming particular doctrines as important, for they may well be important. But they are not crucial, not absolutely essential, not fundamental, as are the general (catholic) truths. It is a fallacy of “not making distinctions,” such as: All truths are equally true but all truths are not equally important.

 

            Our own Alexander Campbell put it this way: So long as they hold fast to the Head, who is Christ! We might disagree (even be wrong) about various doctrines and still be right about Christ. Jesus is the object of our universal, catholic faith. We find our unity in being joined to him. Being “faithful” means being loyal to him according to our measure of light.

 

            It remains to be said that we can never unite on particulars. Particulars in the form of theories, opinions, theology, and methods are to be allowed so long as they are not made essentials. They may be held as private property and even as congregational preferences, but are not to be imposed upon others as if catholic in nature. We could thus make an old slogan to read:

 

            In things catholic (general or universal), unity;

            In particulars, liberty;

            In all things, love.

 

            In Eph. 4 the apostle names the seven catholic principles that serve as the basis of Christian unity. He in fact names them in the context of “preserving the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” They are one God, one Spirit, one Body, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one Hope. Here we have our unity, but only in their general meaning. We do not understand them (or obey them) absolutely. Many opinions and theories have been spun from all these, and we differ over their broader implications. But that is all right so long as we are faithful to these truths the best we know how.

 

            This was the unity of the primitive Christians. The general truths of their faith, as centered in Christ, caused them to die as martyrs. They did not die for particulars. It was only when they championed their particulars that they divided into sects. – Leroy

 

OUR TRIP WITH THE AUSSIES

 

            When Leroy and I visited Ron and Dot Brooker in Australia in 1994, they were in the midst of planning a tour of western Canada and Alaska for the Australians coming to the World Convention of Churches of Christ in Calgary in 1996. The tour sounded so interesting we wondered if they would make an exception and let two Americans tag along. They would! And we did! And what a trip!

 

            We left Calgary in the rain the morning after the convention closed. All places of interest had been selected and accommodations had been made. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and the bus driver competent, so we could just relax and take it all in. The trip was by bus, train, and ship through the Inside Passage. The bus driver told us the trip was about 5,000 miles.

 

            Perhaps the most dramatic experience was touring the 26 glaciers in the Prince Edward Sound. The Sound is surrounded by many mountains, and most of them have glaciers in their valleys and on there slopes. The difference between a snow covered mountain and a glacier is that the glacier is made up of snow that through the centuries has become so heavy and dense that it is now compacted ice. As the ice gradually moves down the mountain it gouges out valleys and changes the landscape. The guide explained that the chalky color of the rivers and streams was caused by the mighty grinding effect the glaciers had on the rocks beneath.

 

            The ship was taken up close to the glacier, the engines turned off so that we might hear the crackling of the “calving” glaciers. Occasionally a huge hunk of ice would break off and fall into the Sound. Sometimes the force of the fall would rock the ship. One felt the awesomeness of the antiquity and size and beauty of these glaciers.

 

            The forest ranger on board our ship was to give a lecture on bears but changed the lecture to whales when a herd of whales was spotted in our path. He suddenly said, “I see six whales!” At that time I could see none, but as they got nearer we could see them breeching, and their flukes skimming the surface. It was a thrill to see their spraying and cavorting. The ranger said, “There are many theories as to why whales breech (jump out of the water), but my theory is that they do it because they like it.”

 

            We visited some of the old gold mining towns like Dawson City, Whitehorse, and Skagway, as well as Fairbanks and Anchorage. Out from Dawson City at a river called Bonanza we visited the very first gold strike that occurred exactly 100 years ago to the very day that we were there. They had a celebration where the appropriate dress was period clothes of those long ago times.

 

            The highlight was an address by one of their top officials. One could still see abandoned equipment along side some of the rivers and streams of days long gone. What a tale they could tell if they could talk! So many heartbreaking stories.

 

            Many miners left their impoverished families for a chance to make a strike only never to be heard from again. How many lives were lost and how much suffering was caused by the pursuit of gold. And some few, very few, did make it big.

 

            Leroy and I have long realized that people are far more interesting than places and things. We already had some friends from Australia, staying in many homes while we were there, but we came to have a bus load of friends! We found them to be resourceful and creative with a wonderful sense of humor.

 

            We came to know each one because we rotated seats each day and the ones that sat on the front right of the bus were in the “hot seat” and had to introduce and tell about themselves. One person was assigned to write a diary of each days activities then it was read to the rest of us the next day. One, a hospital chaplain, delivered his diary to the tune of “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”. Another talented lady wrote her diary in rhyming verse. All were interesting and creative.

 

            The second day we were out, our tour guide told us we would likely see a moose that day, but no moose. The second and third and fourth day still no moose. It came to be a joke that there were no moose in Alaska! Our tour guide was teased vigorously about the absence of moose. Finally, after more than two weeks and near the end of our tour, a moose was spotted alongside the highway. The bus driver stopped and the whoops and hollers were so loud that the poor moose took off into the woods. It was also fun seeing a big bear slowly saunter across the highway. We saw mountain sheep so high on the mountain they looked like specks. There were more caribou than any other wild animal. The wild animals were great fun.

 

            The most moving experience, however, was our worshiping together the two Sundays we were on the road. With two bus loads of Aussies we were a substantial group. The services, conducted in our hotels, were centered around the Lord’s Supper. We were pleased that our companions wanted to set aside our sightseeing to remember the Lord around his Table. It was very meaningful.

 

            We had a delightful farewell party before we said our goodbyes. Most of the Aussies vacationed further in the U.S. and Canada while we were pleased to fly home. – Ouida

 

OUR CHANGING WORLD

 

            We enjoyed great fellowship with 2,000 others at the World Convention of Churches of Christ in Calgary. Speakers were from several nations. Discussion groups had special appeal. My own presentation of “Our Heritage At Its Best” was well received. The acapella churches were better represented than ever before, and on several occasions the large assembly sang without instrumentation for their sake. The next convention will be in Brisbane (Australia) in 2000, and in 2004 in Bristol, England.

 

            Following the Convention we joined some 85 Australians (two busloads) on a 17-day tour of western Canada, including the Yukon, and Alaska. Being the only Americans along, they spoiled us. Highlights were the Alaska highway (1460 miles of it!), Fairbanks, Anchorage, Skagway, Whitehorse, Dawson City (where gold was discovered 100 years ago), and the Inside Passage (on a steamer). The scenery was exciting, but Ouida especially enjoyed the whales and the glaciers. I’ve conned her into telling you about some of it.

 

            In September I was at Abilene Christian to hear Fred Craddock (Disciples of Christ) address Churches of Christ ministers on Hebrews, which went beautifully. Being a professor of preaching, he was able to provide helpful hints for more effective preaching. He especially scored arrogance in the pulpit. They loved it and him! There was an oddity about it all: Even though this was a “first” for ACU, having a non-Church of Christ scholar speaking on a biblical topic to our leaders, it was done as if they had been doing it all along!

 

            Without Ouida, I was with the Cedars Church of Christ in Wilmington, Delaware for a weekend in September, a sizable church. It was a blessed experience with beautiful sisters and brothers. The more I circulate these days, the more convinced I am that our people are eager to be a part of the larger Christian world. They want change to ~ responsible, biblical, and meaningful, but they do want change.

 

BOOK NOTES

 

            We have copies of the Campbell- Rice Debate for $20 pp (reg. $30) as long as they last. Also important for your Restoration library are the two historical novels by Louis Cochran: The Fool of God about Alexander Campbell) and Racoon John Smith. $12.50 ea. pp.

 

            ACU Press is to be commended for what is by now an impressive list of readable, useful books about Churches of Christ. We can supply all of these: Discovering Our Roots (Allen, Hughes), $13; Will the Cycle Be Unbroken (Foster), $12: The Cruciform Church (Allen), $13; The Worldly Church (Allen, Hughes, Weed), $10. Two new titles will especially interest you: Hearing God’s Word: My Life with Scripture in the Churches of Christ (Olbricht), $21; Saddlebags, City Streets and Cyberspace (Casey), $16. Prices include postage.

 

            The Fire That Consumes (Fudge) impressively challenges the orthodox view that “eternal” hell is endless; acclaimed as a responsible study by the church at large; now in paperback at $14 pp. Fudge has also recently published a highly readable account of his own pilgrimage in Beyond the Sacred Page; $10 pp.

 

            Our Heritage in Unity and Fellowship (Cecil Hook, editor), is a representative selection of the writings of Carl Ketcherside and Leroy Garrett. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to catch the essence of our history and heritage in 51 short, crisp, no-holds barred essays, 350 pages; $10 pp. We can also supply Ketcherside’s Twisted Scriptures. $8 pp.

 

            Stanley Paher has done some thoughtful work in two areas neglected by Churches of Christ. His Biblical Inspiration and the Formation of the Canon is only $5, while his Natural Law; Universal in Scope, Moral in Design but $4; postpaid.

 

            Five volumes containing the last ten years of Restoration Review are available for $65 postpaid while they last. These are substantial volumes of 400 pages each.