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This
is one of the most neglected features of our heritage from our
forebears,
the
ideal of unity based upon what
is
generally
conceded by all Christians.
On
several occasions Alexander Campbell set forth the principle of
catholicity as the basis of union among Christians, even to the
point of making it a challenge to the Christian world.
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In 1839
in his
Millennial
Harbinger
he
began a series on “Union of Christians” in which he
admitted that the subject had long been with him a darling theme.
But he granted that for a long time he could not see clearly the
grounds upon which the union of all Christians could be realized,
though he believed he now had the answer. He set it forth in the
first essay of the series in the form of a three point proposal:
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1.
“That a congress of all Protestant parties (and if anyone
choose to add the Greek and Roman sects, I will vote for it) be
convened in some central place, and that this congress be composed
of delegates appointed by all parties in the ratio of their entire
population.”
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2.
“When convened according to appointment,
the
rule of union
shall
be, that whatever in
faith.
in
piety,
and
morality
is
catholic, or universally admitted by all parties, shall be adopted
as the basis of union; and whatever is not by all parties admitted
as of divine authority, shall be rejected as schismatical and
human.”
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3.
“That all parties shall, by their delegates, solemnly pledge
themselves to submit to all things that are purely catholic, or
universally accredited by all parties; and to abandon whatever
tenets, forms, or usages they may have which are not admitted as of
divine authority by all Christendom.”
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Campbell
was so sure of the reasonableness of what he called “the rule
of union” that he challenged “him’ that is of
contrary opinion” to give one good reason against it. He was
not asking for
two
reasons
against it, he insisted, but just one!
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Within
two years of this proposal John T. Johnson, who one time wrote to
Campbell that the union of Christians could be effected if it
weren’t for the preachers!, arranged a unity meeting in
Lexington where Campbell could set forth before the Christian world
his catholic principle. Johnson was also largely responsible for the
gathering in the same city back in 1832 that resulted in the union
of the Stone and Campbell movements. All the denominations were
invited to this one in April of 1841 “at which all the
religious parties will enjoy equal privileges.” The
invitation, signed by Johnson, assured all the churches that “The
olive branch of peace is held out to all religious parties.”
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It
was a meeting in which resolutions were introduced and then passed
or rejected by the audience. A president was selected to preside
over the proceedings and two secretaries to report them to the
public. Except for a short intermission for dinner, Campbell spoke
one of the days from 10 a.m. until4:30 p.m.! During the address he
put forth this resolution:
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Resolved,
that
the union of Christians can be scripturally effected by requiring a
practical acknowledgment of such articles of belief and such rules
of piety and morality as are admitted by all Christian
denominations.”
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The
secretaries reported that Dr. James Fishback, then a leading Baptist
who later became a reformer, proposed union upon the Bible alone and
on Christ as Lord. On baptism he said, “There is scriptural
ground for an honest difference of opinion among the sincere
disciples and followers of Jesus Christ, laid in the weakness and
imperfection of man, and that they ought not to disown one another
at the Lord’s table as Christians on account of their
difference.” He did not present this as a resolution and the
secretaries do not tell how the audience reacted, which was made up
of many Disciple leaders. But Campbell, writing about It later, said
it was the best discourse he had ever heard from a Baptist and
wished it had been printed and published to the world.
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Campbell’s
catholic rule of union was set forth as a resolution and was passed
unanimously by the immense audience.
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One
wonders how such a resolution would fare before some of our huge
Church of Christ-Christian Church audiences today. Borrowing a page
from John T. Johnson, one might conclude that it would pass with
flying colors among our rank and file if the preachers would stay
out of it! I can just see some well-meaning brother from Fort Worth
insisting that a cappella music is a catholic principle of the
apostolic faith, though he might hesitate to use the word
catholic!
It
is noteworthy that Campbell includes in his proposal that whenever a
party insists upon something that cannot be admitted by all parties
as universal, it is to be rejected as schismatical. Campbell’s
position would, of course, allow a church to have practices unique
to itself such as a cappella music, but since they are not catholic
in nature they cannot be made tests of communion.
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Years
later, in the Rice debate, Campbell again referred to his catholic
position: “Our doctrine is catholic, very catholic,” he
told Rice and the audience. “Not Roman catholic nor Greek
catholic, but simply catholic.”
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And
so it is. We have a catholic creed, the confession that Jesus is the
Christ the Son of God; a catholic name, Christian; a catholic
authority, the Bible; a catholic baptism, immersion into the name of
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; a catholic Table, spread
for all Christians, and we neither invite nor debar.
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Campbell
had his answer to the place of opinion and differences: “Where
we cannot agree in opinion, we will agree to differ; and a free
intercourse will do more to enlighten us and to reform all abuses
than years of controversy and volumes of defamation,” he said
in the 1834
Millennial
Harbinger.
He
also said to Rice in their debate: “It is not the object of my
efforts to make men think alike on a thousand themes. Let men think
as they please on any matter of human opinion, and even upon the
doctrines of religion, provided only that they hold the head Christ
and keep His commandments.”
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He
was not always so catholic, for he wrote in the
Christian
Baptist
of
1826:
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