Alexander Campbell (minister)
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.: 111
Alexander Campbell Leader of the Restoration Movement | |
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Campbell around 1855 | |
| Born | 12 September 1788 |
| Died | 4 March 1866 (aged 77) Bethany, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Burial place | God's Acre, Bethany, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Education | University of Glasgow |
| Spouses | Margaret Brown
(m. 1811; died 1827)Selina Huntington Bakewell
(m. 1828) |
| Children | 14 |
| Parent |
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| Religion | Christianity (Disciples of Christ) |
| Ordained | 1 January 1812 |
| Writings |
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Congregations served |
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| 1st President of Bethany College | |
| In office 1840 – 4 March 1866 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | William K. Pendelton |
| 2nd President of the General Convention of the American Christian Missionary Society | |
| In office 1850–1866 | |
| Preceded by | David S. Burnet |
| Succeeded by | David S. Burnet |
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.: 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. Campbell also founded Bethany College in what became Bethany, West Virginia.