Declaration and Address of the Christian Association of Washington (ePub)

Thomas Campbell (1763-1854) was a prominent figure in the early 19th-century movement for Christian unity. Born in County Down, Ireland, and educated at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, Campbell became an ordained minister in the Seceder Presbyterian Church. However, his ecumenical approach increasingly distanced him from sectarianism. In pursuit of a more universal Christianity, Campbell moved to the United States in 1807, where he worked to promote religious reformation and unity among Christians beyond denominational lines.

His seminal work, the 'Declaration and Address of the Christian Association of Washington' (1809), laid the foundational principles for what later became known as the Stone-Campbell Movement. In this document, Campbell advocated for a return to the practices of the early Christian church and emphasized the Bible as the sole rule of faith and practice. Campbell's call for Christian unity and his challenge to traditional denominationalism were influential in the development of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Churches of Christ, and the Independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ. As a scholar and reformer, Campbell's legacy is marked by his commitment to biblical authority and the unity of all Christians, which continues to be a resonant theme in contemporary Christian discourse.