Campbell, Alexander

From Encyclopediak

Campbell, Alexander (1788-1866), the founder of the denomination called the Disciples of Christ, formerly Campbellites, was born in Ireland, came to the United States in 1809 and settled in Pennsylvania. He was for a time pastor of a Presbyterian Church, but early followed his father, Thomas Campbell, in regarding the Bible as the sole authority in religious matters. He advocated a larger unity among churches, and began to agitate union of Christians upon the foundation of the teachings of the New Testament, without regard to other creeds. The Church known as the Disciples of Christ, or Christians, grew out of this movement. Campbell was editor successively of The Christian, The Baptist and the Millennial Harbinger. He founded Bethany College in West Virginia and was its president until he died. See CHRIST, DISCIPLES OF.