Misplaced Pages

#126873

88-552: Williamson Christian College was founded in 1997 by Kenneth Oosting. Oosting was the former dean of Milligan College and an educational business consultant. The college was named after Williamson County , where it is located. It has a focus on business, leadership, and ministry academics. The college was initially incorporated with the Tennessee Secretary of State in December 1996, officially receiving approval from

176-588: A plurality of elders in each congregation, weekly communion and immersion for the remission of sins." Among practices he rejected as non-essential were "the holy kiss, deaconesses, communal living, footwashing and charismatic exercises." Several Baptist associations began disassociating congregations that refused to subscribe to the Philadelphia Confession . The Mahoning Association came under attack. In 1830, The Mahoning Baptist Association disbanded. The younger Campbell ceased publication of

264-650: A "primitive" form of Christianity grew in popularity in the U.S. after the American Revolution . This desire to restore a purer form of Christianity played a role in the development of many groups during this period, known as the Second Great Awakening . These included the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , Baptists and Shakers . The Restoration Movement began during, and was greatly influenced by, this Second Awakening. While

352-562: A class model in which each class meets one time per week for five weeks. This model was based on the Adult Learning MBA program at Trevecca Nazarene University , which Oosting developed before founding Williamson Christian College. These compact and accelerated courses allow both traditional and non-traditional students to earn their degree while still being a part of the workforce. This class model also allows for continuous enrollment, allowing for nine enrollment dates throughout

440-667: A friendly rivalry and kept the dialog going within the movement. The Gospel Advocate was founded by the Nashville -area preacher Tolbert Fanning in 1855. Fanning's student William Lipscomb served as co-editor until the American Civil War forced them to suspend publication in 1861. After the end of the Civil War, publication resumed in 1866 under the editorship of Fanning and Lipscomb's younger brother David Lipscomb ; Fanning soon retired, and David Lipscomb became

528-533: A handshake between Stone and "Raccoon" John Smith . Smith had been chosen by attendees as spokesman for the followers of the Campbells. A preliminary meeting of the two groups had been held in late December 1831, culminating with the merger on January 1, 1832. Two representatives of the assembly were appointed to carry the news of the union to all the churches: John Rogers for the Christians and Smith for

616-545: A millennial age through human progress. Rather, he believed that it depended on the power of God, and that while waiting for God to establish His kingdom, one should live as if the rule of God were already fully established. For the Stone movement, this millennial emphasis had less to do with eschatological theories and more about a countercultural commitment to live as if the kingdom of God were already established on earth. This apocalyptic perspective or world view led many in

704-427: A more humble and an older designation. As a result, both names were used, and the confusion over names has continued ever since. After 1832, use of the term "Reformation" became frequent among leaders of the movement. The Campbells had designated themselves as "Reformers," and other early leaders also saw themselves as reformers seeking Christian unity and restoring apostolic Christianity. The movement's language at

792-475: A movement to reduce rituals in worship, formed part of the intellectual background of early Restoration Movement leaders. The branch of the Reformation movement which was represented by Huldrych Zwingli and John Calvin contributed an emphasis on "restoring biblical forms and patterns." The rationalism of John Locke provided another influence. Reacting to the deism of Lord Herbert , Locke sought

880-560: A primitive Christianity based on the Bible. While restoring primitive Christianity was central to the Stone movement, they believed that restoring the lifestyle of members of the early church is essential. During the early years, they "focused more... on holy and righteous living than on the forms and structures of the early church. The group also worked to restore the primitive church. Concerned that emphasizing particular practices could undermine Christian freedom, this effort tended to take

968-433: A progressive strand in his thinking. The Campbell movement was characterized by a "systematic and rational reconstruction" of the early church, in contrast to the Stone movement which was characterized by radical freedom and lack of dogma. Despite their differences, the two movements agreed on several critical issues. Both saw restoring apostolic Christianity as a means of hastening the millennium. Both also saw restoring

SECTION 10

#1732798536127

1056-425: A rational faith that was formulated and defended based on facts derived from the Bible. Campbell's solution to achieve Christian unity combined forsaking the creeds and traditions, which he believed had divided Christians, and recovering the primitive Christianity, found in scripture, that was common for all Christians. Alexander Campbell's millennialism was more optimistic than Stone's. He had more confidence in

1144-579: A reliable basis for Christian unity. Thomas Campbell combined the Enlightenment approach to unity with the Reformed and Puritan traditions of restoration. The Enlightenment affected the Campbell movement in two ways. First, it provided the idea that Christian unity could be achieved by finding a set of essentials that all reasonable people could agree on. Second, it also provided the concept of

1232-420: A reliance on facts provides the basis for agreement among scientists, Alexander believed that if Christians limited themselves to the facts found in the Bible they would necessarily come to agreement. He believed that those facts, approached in a rational and scientific manner, provided a blueprint or constitution for the church. Alexander was attracted to this scientific approach to the Bible because it offered

1320-596: A result, it is difficult to find any direct links between such early dissenters and the restoration movement. Beginning with the Renaissance , intellectual roots become easier to discern. At the heart of the Reformation was an emphasis on the principle of "Scripture alone" ( sola scriptura ). This, along with the related insistence on the right of individuals to read the Bible and interpret it for themselves and

1408-518: A set of essentials upon which all reasonable persons might agree." The essentials he identified were those practices for which the Bible provided: "a 'Thus saith the Lord,' either in express terms or by approved precedent." Unlike Locke, who considered the earlier efforts by Puritans to be inherently divisive, Thomas argued for "a complete restoration of apostolic Christianity." Thomas believed that creeds served to divide Christians. He also believed that

1496-616: A way to address religious divisions and persecution without abandoning Scripture. To do this, Locke argued against the right of government to enforce religious orthodoxy and turned to the Bible to supply a set of beliefs that all Christians could agree upon. The core teachings which he viewed as essential were the messiahship of Jesus and Jesus' direct commands. Christians could be devoutly committed to other Biblical teachings, but in Locke's view these were non-essentials over which Christians should never fight or try to coerce each other. Unlike

1584-525: Is essentially, intentionally and constitutionally one." During the First Great Awakening , a movement developed among those Baptists known as Separate Baptists . Two themes of this movement were the rejection of creeds and "freedom in the Spirit ." The Separate Baptists saw Scripture as the "perfect rule" for the church. However, while they turned to the Bible for a structural pattern for

1672-653: The 1st-century churches as described in the New Testament. One historian of the movement has argued that it was primarily a unity movement, with the restoration motif playing a subordinate role. The Restoration Movement has since divided into multiple separate groups. The three main groups are: the Churches of Christ , the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) , and the independent Christian Church/Church of Christ congregations. Additionally, there are

1760-800: The American Christian Missionary Society (ACMS). By the end of the century, the Foreign Christian Missionary Society and the Christian Woman's Board of Missions were also engaged in missionary activities. Forming the ACMS did not reflect a consensus of the entire movement, and these para-church organizations became a divisive issue. While there was no disagreement over the need for evangelism, many believed that missionary societies were not authorized by scripture and would compromise

1848-613: The American Restoration Movement or the Stone–Campbell Movement , and pejoratively as Campbellism ) is a Christian movement that began on the United States frontier during the Second Great Awakening (1790–1840) of the early 19th century. The pioneers of this movement were seeking to reform the church from within and sought "the unification of all Christians in a single body patterned after

SECTION 20

#1732798536127

1936-716: The Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) since the 2001–02 academic year. Milligan competes in 29 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, cycling, eSports, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, track & field, triathlon and volleyball; while women's sports include basketball, bowling, cheerleading, cross country, cycling, dance, eSports, flag football, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field, triathlon and volleyball. Former sports included football and men's disc golf. Restoration Movement The Restoration Movement (also known as

2024-683: The Christian Baptist . In January 1831, he began publication of the Millennial Harbinger . The Age of Enlightenment had a significant influence on the Campbell movement. Thomas Campbell was a student of the Enlightenment philosopher John Locke . While he did not explicitly use the term "essentials" in the Declaration and Address , Thomas proposed the same solution to religious division as had been advanced earlier by Locke and Edward Herbert : "[R]educe religion to

2112-676: The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability . Williamson College is a non-denominational Christian college and as such, holds no affiliation to any specific Christian denomination. It is guided by a 12-member board of trustees. Milligan College Milligan University is a private Christian university in Milligan College, Tennessee . Founded in 1866 as the Buffalo Male and Female Institute , and known as Milligan College from 1881 to May 2020,

2200-894: The International Churches of Christ , the International Christian Church , the Churches of Christ in Europe , and the Evangelical Christian Church in Canada , and the Churches of Christ in Australia . Some characterize the divisions in the movement as the result of the tension between the goals of restoration and ecumenism : the Churches of Christ and unaffiliated Christian Church/Church of Christ congregations resolved

2288-562: The Kentucky Synod and formed the Springfield Presbytery . The defining event of the Stone wing of the movement was the publication of Last Will and Testament of The Springfield Presbytery, at Cane Ridge, Kentucky, in 1804. The brief document announces their withdrawal from Presbyterianism and their intention to be solely part of the body of Christ. The writers appeal for the unity of all who follow Jesus, suggest

2376-520: The Naval training programs. The V-12 Navy College Training Program utilized the college's campus from 1943 to 1945. On March 18, 2011, the Board of Trustees appointed Bill Greer (Milligan Class of 1985) as the 15th president; Greer assumed leadership of the college on July 15, 2011. In the spring of 2020, the university drew attention for its views of and actions related to gay and lesbian people after

2464-732: The Puritans and the later Restoration Movement, Locke did not call for a systematic restoration of the early church. One of the basic goals of the English Puritans was to restore a pure, "primitive" church that would be a true apostolic community. This conception was a critical influence in the development of the Puritans in Colonial America . It has been described as the "oldest ecumenical movement in America": Both

2552-632: The Tennessee Higher Education Commission in April 1997, and classes starting in 1998. It first received accreditation in 2002. Oosting retired from his position as president in 2008. Stephen Higgins succeeded Oosting as President and retired in 2012. The current president of the college, Ed Smith, was sworn in on November 11, 2012. For the college's 10th anniversary it hosted former Arkansas Governor and 2008 and 2016 presidential candidate Mike Huckabee to speak about

2640-534: The United Church of Christ . The merger raised the question of what to call the new movement. Finding a biblical, non-sectarian name was important. Stone wanted to continue to use the name "Christians," while Alexander Campbell insisted upon "Disciples of Christ". Stone advocated using the name "Christians" based on its use in Acts 11:26 , while Campbell preferred the term "disciples" because he saw it as both

2728-550: The American Christian Missionary Society (ACMS) in a way that would be acceptable to more members of the Movement." The "Louisville Plan," as it came to be known, attempted to build on existing local and regional conventions and to "promote the harmonious cooperation of all the state and District Boards and Conventions." It established a General Christian Missionary Convention. Membership

Williamson College - Misplaced Pages Continue

2816-483: The Bible was clear enough that anyone could understand it and, thus, creeds were unnecessary. Alexander Campbell was also deeply influenced by Enlightenment thinking, in particular the Scottish School of Common Sense of Thomas Reid and Dugald Stewart . This group believed that the Bible related concrete facts rather than abstract truths, and advocated a scientific or " Baconian " approach to interpreting

2904-417: The Bible. It would begin with those facts, arrange the ones applicable to a given topic, and draw conclusions from them in a way that has been described as "nothing less than the scientific method applied to the Bible." Alexander reflected this Baconian approach when he repeatedly argued that "the Bible is a book of facts, not of opinions, theories, abstract generalities, nor of verbal definitions." Just as

2992-715: The Campbells resisted what they saw as the spiritual manipulation of the camp meetings , the Southern phase of the awakening "was an important matrix of Barton Stone's reform movement" and shaped the evangelistic techniques used by both Stone and the Campbells. In 1801, the Cane Ridge Revival in Kentucky planted the seed for a movement in Kentucky and the Ohio River valley to disassociate from denominationalism . In 1803 Barton W. Stone and others withdrew from

3080-710: The Disciples about the same time as Thomas, but split with Thomas in 1863 over disagreements about eschatology, forming the Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith. During the American Civil War his followers also sought to register as conscientious objectors . Some congregations were unable to register this name because of local regulations and chose an alternative name, Church of the Blessed Hope; but

3168-756: The Disciples movement were not required to be baptised again. Thomas, on the other hand, insisted that a baptism based on a different understanding of the gospel to that held in the Disciples movement was not a valid baptism, and he called for rebaptism in his periodical, the Apostolic Advocate . Campbell viewed this as sectarianism, which cut across the fundamental commitment of the Disciples movement to "the union of all Christians," and rejected " anabaptism ." The two men became estranged. Thomas began to refuse to share prayer, worship, or communion with those he considered not to be validly baptised Christians. His theological views also continued to develop. By 1837 he

3256-471: The New Testament led the reformers to begin to practice baptism by immersion , the nearby Redstone Baptist Association invited Brush Run Church to join with them for the purpose of fellowship. The reformers agreed, provided that they would be "allowed to preach and to teach whatever they learned from the Scriptures." Thomas' son Alexander came to the U.S. to join him in 1809. Before long, he assumed

3344-701: The Separate Baptists in the southern frontier helped prepare the ground for the Restoration Movement. The membership of both the Stone and Campbell groups drew heavily from the ranks of the Separate Baptists. Separate Baptist restorationism also contributed to the development of the Landmark Baptists in the same region as the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement and at about the same time. Under

3432-780: The Stone and Campbell group: an emphasis on conversion experience, quarterly observance of communion, and nontrinitarianism . Those who did not unite with Campbell (the Christian Connection ) merged with the Congregational Churches in 1931 to form the Congregational Christian Churches . In 1957, the Congregational Christian Church merged with the Evangelical and Reformed Church to become

3520-589: The Stone movement to adopt pacifism , avoid participating in civil government, and reject violence, militarism, greed, materialism and slavery. The Campbell wing of the movement was launched when Thomas Campbell published the Declaration and Address of the Christian Association of Washington in 1809. The Presbyterian Synod had suspended his ministerial credentials. In The Declaration and Address, he set forth some of his convictions about

3608-559: The United States. Thomas was a strong supporter of Alexander Campbell and the principles of the Disciples movement, and he quickly became a well-known leader and teacher. In 1834, however, Thomas took a contrary position to Campbell on the significance of baptism which led to a sharp conflict between the two men. While Campbell believed baptism by immersion to be very important, he recognised as Christians all who believed Jesus of Nazareth to be Messiah and Lord, and recognised any prior baptism. For this reason, members of Baptist churches who joined

Williamson College - Misplaced Pages Continue

3696-522: The autonomy of local congregations. The ACMS was not as successful as proponents had hoped. It was opposed by those who believed any extra-congregational organizations were inappropriate; hostility grew when the ACMS took a stand in 1863 favoring the Union side during the Civil War. A convention held in Louisville, Kentucky , in 1869 adopted a plan intended to address "a perceived need to reorganize

3784-541: The basis of expediency and Christian liberty . Affluent urban congregations were more likely to adopt musical instruments, while poorer and more rural congregations tended to see them as "an accommodation to the ways of the world." The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement notes that Restoration Movement historians have tended to interpret the controversy over the use of musical instruments in worship in ways that "reflect their own attitudes on

3872-550: The belief that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God ; that Christians should celebrate the Lord's Supper on the first day of each week ; and that baptism of adult believers was necessarily by immersion in water . Because the founders wanted to abandon all denominational labels , they used the biblical names for the followers of Jesus. Both groups promoted a return to the purposes of

3960-449: The church "should stress only what all Christians hold in common and should suppress all divisive doctrines and practices". Several slogans have been used in the Restoration Movement, which are intended to express some of the distinctive themes of the movement: During the late Middle Ages , dissenters such as John Wycliffe and John Huss called for a restoration of a primitive form of Christianity, but they were driven underground. As

4048-599: The church of Jesus Christ. He organized the Christian Association of Washington in Washington County, Pennsylvania on the western frontier of the state, not as a church but as an association of persons seeking to grow in faith. On May 4, 1811, the Christian Association reconstituted itself as a congregationally governed church. With the building it constructed at Brush Run, Pennsylvania, it became known as Brush Run Church . When their study of

4136-513: The church of the New Testament." The Restoration Movement developed from several independent strands of religious revival that idealized early Christianity. Two groups which independently developed similar approaches to the Christian faith were particularly important. The first, led by Barton W. Stone , began at Cane Ridge, Kentucky , and identified as " Christians ". The second began in western Pennsylvania and Virginia (now West Virginia) and

4224-563: The church, they did not insist on complete agreement on the details of that pattern. This group originated in New England but was especially strong in the South where the emphasis on a biblical pattern for the church grew stronger. In the last half of the 18th century, Separate Baptists became more numerous on the western frontier of Kentucky and Tennessee , where the Stone and Campbell movements would later take root. The development of

4312-407: The combined movement had a membership of approximately 20,000. This loose fellowship of churches was called by the names "Christian Connection/Connexion" or "Christian Church." The cornerstone for the Stone movement was Christian freedom. This ideal of freedom led them to reject all the historical creeds, traditions and theological systems that had developed over time and to focus instead on

4400-522: The congregations formed by Scott and heard him preach. Campbell believed that Scott was bringing an important new dimension to the movement with his approach to evangelism. Alexander used The Christian Baptist to address what he saw as the key issue of reconstructing the apostolic Christian community in a systematic and rational manner. He wanted to clearly distinguish between essential and non-essential aspects of primitive Christianity. Among what he identified as essential were "congregational autonomy,

4488-430: The contributions of persons whose positions differed radically from their own. Following Campbell's death in 1866, the journals were used to keep the discussions going. Between 1870 and 1900, two journals emerged as the most prominent. The Christian Standard was edited and published by Isaac Errett of Cincinnati . The Christian Evangelist was edited and published by JH Garrison from St. Louis . The two men enjoyed

SECTION 50

#1732798536127

4576-596: The differences intolerable when Alexander Campbell began publishing a journal, The Christian Baptist , which promoted reform. Campbell anticipated the conflict and moved his membership to a congregation of the Mahoning Baptist Association in 1824. In 1827, the Mahoning Association appointed Walter Scott as an evangelist . Through Scott's efforts, the Mahoning Association grew rapidly. In 1828, Thomas Campbell visited several of

4664-460: The early church as a route to Christian freedom. And both believed that unity among Christians could be achieved by using apostolic Christianity as a model. The commitment of both movements to restoring the early church and to uniting Christians was enough to motivate a union between many in the two movements. The Stone and Campbell movements merged in 1832. This was formalized at the Hill Street Meeting House in Lexington, Kentucky , with

4752-458: The fine arts programs at the university. As a church-related liberal arts university, Milligan remains closely aligned with the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ, a capella churches of Christ, and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the three religious bodies that have traditionally supported the school. A campus ministry program and culture of service exist on campus. Alcohol and tobacco use are prohibited on campus. On August 1, 2019,

4840-424: The form of rejecting tradition rather than an explicit program of reconstructing New Testament practices. The emphasis on freedom was so strong that the movement avoided developing any ecclesiastical traditions; it was "largely without dogma, form, or structure." What held "the movement together was a commitment to primitive Christianity." Another theme was that of hastening the millennium . Many Americans of

4928-460: The great founding documents of the movement are authentically ecumenical. In The Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery (1804), Barton Stone and his fellow revivalists dissolved their exclusive presbyterial relationship, desiring to "sink into union with the Body of Christ at large." Five years later Thomas Campbell wrote in The Declaration and Address of the Christian Association of Washington [PA] (1809) "The church of Christ on earth

5016-415: The inerrancy of the Bible. According to the Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement Pinkerton is "sometimes labeled the first 'liberal' of the Stone-Campbell Movement." In addition to rejecting the plenary inspiration of the Bible and supporting the use of instruments in worship, Pinkerton also supported "open membership" (recognizing as members individuals who have not been baptized by immersion) and

5104-453: The influence of Alexander Campbell's essays on "A Restoration of the Ancient Order of Things" in the Christian Baptist . The term "Stone-Campbell Movement" emerged towards the end of the 19th century as a way to avoid the difficulties associated with some of the other names that have been used and to maintain a sense of the collective history of the movement. The Restoration Movement has been characterized by several key principles: Thus,

5192-467: The issue." Examples are given of historians from different branches of the movement interpreting it in relation to the statements of early Restoration Movement leaders, in terms of social and cultural factors, differing approaches to interpreting scripture, differing approaches to the authority of scripture, and "ecumenical progressivism" versus "sectarian primitivism." The early 19th-century Restoration Movement encompassed very different views concerning

5280-511: The leadership of James Robinson Graves , this group wanted to define a precise blueprint for the primitive church, believing that any deviation from that blueprint would prevent a person from being part of the true church. James O'Kelly was an early advocate of seeking unity through a return to New Testament Christianity. In 1792, dissatisfied with the role of bishops in the Methodist Episcopal Church , he separated from that body. O'Kelly's movement, centering in Virginia and North Carolina ,

5368-407: The leading role in the movement. The Campbells worked within the Redstone Baptist Association during the period 1815 through 1824. While both the Campbells and the Baptists shared practices of baptism by immersion and congregational polity , it quickly became clear the Campbells and their associates were not traditional Baptists. Within the Redstone Association, some of the Baptist leaders considered

SECTION 60

#1732798536127

5456-475: The margins of the movement. Thomas continued to have supporters among the Disciples but moved further from Christian orthodoxy. In 1846 he published a "Confession and Abjuration" of the faith he held at his baptism, and he arranged to be baptised again. Despite this, when he toured the United Kingdom to give prophetic lectures in 1848–1850 he played down his separation from the Disciples movement, in an endeavour to access congregations in Britain. But his true position

5544-499: The period believed that the millennium was near and based their hopes for the millennium on their new nation, the United States . Members of the Stone movement believed that only a unified Christianity based on the apostolic church, rather than a country or any of the existing denominations, could lead to the coming of the millennium. Stone's millennialism has been described as more " apocalyptic " than that of Alexander Campbell , in that he believed people were too flawed to usher in

5632-540: The period from 1832 to 1906. According to the 1906 U.S. Religious Census the combined membership of the movement made it the 6th largest Christian group in the country at that time. The Disciples do not have bishops; they have editors From the beginning of the movement, the free exchange of ideas among the people was fostered by the journals published by its leaders. Alexander Campbell published The Christian Baptist and The Millennial Harbinger . Stone published The Christian Messenger . Both men routinely published

5720-492: The poor quality of the congregation's singing. At first, the instrument was used for singing practices held on Saturday nights but was then incorporated into worship on Sundays. One of the elders of that assembly removed the first melodeon, but it was soon replaced by another. Both acceptance of instruments and discussion of the issue grew after the Civil War. Opponents argued that the New Testament provided no authorization for their use in worship, while supporters argued on

5808-410: The potential for human progress and believed that Christians could unite to transform the world and initiate a millennial age. Campbell's conceptions were postmillennial , as he anticipated that the progress of the church and society would lead to an age of peace and righteousness before the return of Christ . This optimistic approach meant that, in addition to his commitment to primitivism, he had

5896-453: The reformers. Despite some challenges, the merger succeeded. Many believed the union held great promise for the future success of the combined movement and greeted the news enthusiastically. When the two movements united, only a minority of Christians participated. Those who did were from congregations west of the Appalachian Mountains that had come into contact with the Stone movement. The eastern members had several key differences with

5984-435: The role of clergy: the Campbell branch was strongly anti-clergy, believing there was no justification for a clergy/lay distinction, while the Stone branch believed that only an ordained minister could officiate at communion. Early leaders of the movement had a high view of scripture and believed that it was both inspired and infallible . Dissenting views developed during the 19th century. As early as 1849, Pinkerton denied

6072-411: The school has a student population of more than 1,300 students, most of whom reside and study on its 355-acre (1.44 km ) campus. Milligan University is historically related to the Restoration Movement . The university offers over 100 programs of study leading to both undergraduate and graduate degrees. In 1943, Milligan became the only college in the nation to completely turn its facilities over to

6160-412: The sole editor. While Lipscomb was the editor, the focus was on seeking unity by following scripture exactly, and the Advocate' s editorial position was to reject anything that is not explicitly allowed by scripture. The Christian Oracle began publication in 1884. It was later known as The Christian Century and offered an interdenominational appeal. In 1914, Garrison's Christian Publishing company

6248-425: The tension by stressing restoration, while the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) resolved the tension by stressing ecumenism. Because the Restoration Movement lacks any centralized structure, having originated in a variety of places with different leaders, there is no consistent nomenclature for the movement as a whole. The term "Restoration Movement" became popular during the 19th century; this appears to be

6336-466: The time included phrases such as "religious reformation," the "present reformation," the "current reformation" and "the cause of reformation." The term "Restoration Movement" became popular by the late 19th century. It appears to have been inspired by Alexander Campbell's essays on "A Restoration of the Ancient Order of Things" in the Christian Baptist. The combined movement grew rapidly over

6424-433: The two names referred to the same sect. The sect divided in 1921, and the Church of God (General Conference) was formed by the larger grouping. In 1849, the first national convention was held at Cincinnati, Ohio. Campbell had concerns that holding conventions would lead the movement into divisive denominationalism. He did not attend the gathering. Among its actions, the convention elected Campbell its president and created

6512-588: The university changed its alcohol policy to allow students over the age of 21 to drink alcohol off campus. The Milligan Stampede is Milligan University's student-run newspaper. It was founded in 1925. Its staff also operate a student-run broadcast news service and news website. The Milligan athletic teams are called the Buffaloes. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in

6600-461: The university fired a professor for being in a same-sex relationship. This administrative decision was founded on a document drafted in 2015 detailing the administration's views on homosexuality. The Elizabeth Leitner Gregory Center for the Liberal Arts, a center for performing arts, opened on January 16, 2008. It features a 300-seat theater, photography labs, and classrooms for use by

6688-674: The upcoming primaries and the importance of higher education. In 2012, the college moved from its initial location to its current campus at 274 Mallory Station Road in the Cool Springs area of Franklin. The following year, the name of the school was changed to Williamson College . In 2014, Williamson College began a program in partnership with the Williamson County Sheriffs Office to educate inmates in Williamson County jails. A second campus

6776-528: The value of congregational self-governance, and declare the Bible as the source for understanding the will of God. They denounced the "divisive" use of the Westminster Confession of Faith and adopted the name "Christian" to identify their group. By 1804 Elias Smith had heard of the Stone movement and the O'Kelly movement by 1808. Although not formally merged, the three groups were cooperating and fellowshiping by 1810. At that time

6864-691: The year. Williamson College is accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE), which is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation . The college was accredited by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools from 2002 to 2007 until it earned accreditation from ABHE. The college is authorized to grant degrees by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission . The college maintains its financial standards in accordance its membership in

6952-581: Was a strong supporter of the temperance and abolition movements. As the 19th century progressed, the denial of the inerrancy of the Bible slowly spread. In 1883 the editor of the Christian Standard , Isaac Errett, said "Admitting the fact of inspiration, have we in the inspired Scriptures an infallible guide?... I do not see how we can answer this question affirmatively." Others, including JW McGarvey , fiercely opposed these liberal views. Nothing in life has given me more pain in heart than

7040-681: Was announced in Smyrna, Tennessee in 2018, to better serve Veterans, Nissan Smyrna Assembly Plant employees, and the surrounding communities. Williamson College offers studies in business, leadership, and ministry, and has undergraduate programs for both associate's and bachelor's degrees . The college also has multiple graduate programs for master's degrees in Organizational Leadership, an Entrepreneurial MBA , Theological Studies, and Worship Arts Leadership. Degrees are offered on campus and online. Williamson College provides

7128-402: Was congregational rather than individual. Local congregations elected delegates to district meetings, which in turn elected delegates to state meetings. States were given two delegates, plus an additional delegate for every 5,000 members. The plan proved divisive and faced immediate opposition. Opponents continued to argue that any organizational structure above the local congregational level

7216-611: Was discovered by James Wallis and David King, and the movement closed ranks against him. In 1864 he coined the name "Christadelphian" for those who shared his views and sought to register as conscientious objectors to military service. The name was adopted by Robert Roberts , the Scottish protege of Thomas, for the periodical which he had just begun to publish in Birmingham ; and the sect began to grow rapidly. Benjamin Wilson left

7304-509: Was discussed in journal articles as early as 1849, but initial reactions were generally unfavorable. Some congregations, however, are documented as having used musical instruments in the 1850s and 1860s. An example is the church in Midway, Kentucky , which was using an instrument by 1860. A member of the congregation, L. L. Pinkerton, brought a melodeon into the church building. The minister had been distressed to his "breaking point" by

7392-527: Was led by Thomas Campbell and his son, Alexander Campbell , both educated in Scotland; they eventually used the name " Disciples of Christ ". Both groups sought to restore the Christian church based on visible patterns set forth in the New Testament , and both believed that creeds kept Christianity divided. In 1832 they joined in fellowship with a handshake. Among other things, they were united in

7480-477: Was not authorized by scripture, and there was a general concern that the board had been given too much authority. By 1872 the Louisville Plan had effectively failed. Direct contributions from individuals were sought again in 1873, individual membership was reinstated in 1881, and the name was changed back to the American Christian Missionary Society in 1895. The use of musical instruments in worship

7568-452: Was originally called Republican Methodists. In 1794 they adopted the name Christian Church. During the same period, Elias Smith of Vermont and Abner Jones of New Hampshire led a movement espousing views similar to those of O'Kelly. They believed that members could, by looking to scripture alone, simply be Christians without being bound to human traditions and the denominations brought by immigrants from Europe. The ideal of restoring

7656-479: Was purchased by R.A. Long. He established a non-profit corporation, The Christian Board of Publication" as the Brotherhood publishing house. The Christadelphians , Church of the Blessed Hope , and Church of God (General Conference) also have roots in the restoration movement, but took their own direction about this time. In 1832 Walter Scott baptised John Thomas , an English doctor who had emigrated to

7744-544: Was teaching annihilationism , and he debated a Presbyterian clergymen, Isaac Watts. Campbell interpreted this as materialism and believed that it undermined the biblical doctrine of the resurrection, and he reacted strongly. In the Millennial Harbinger Campbell announced that he could no longer consider Thomas a brother. Many congregations of Disciples took this as an indication that they should withhold fellowship from Thomas, and he found himself on

#126873