Quest for Christian Unity, Peace, and Purity

In 2000 Thomas Olbricht was an editor of a study of Thomas Campbell’s Declaration and Address (D&A) entitled above. I cite from two of the several studies in that book including their own citations from the D&A. Don Haymes describes the occasion of that document. “In the year of our Lord 1809 a lonely man far removed from his own country—a country of stark certainties and violent passions—found himself despised and rejected in the new land of hope to which he had come. Thomas Campbell, traversing land and sea in the middle of life, came to his own—the Scot-Irish Seceder Presbyterians of Western Pennsylvania—and his own received him not. Yet out of the turmoil that accompanied his rejection by the Chartiers Presbytery emerged a faithful remnant, drawn to the Irish preacher’s irenic temper and the conviction of his teaching.”

Harold Straughn speaks about unity and biblical purity. The most important section of the D&A, he says, is found in Proposition 6: “That although inferences and deductions from Scripture premises, when fairly inferred, may be truly called the doctrine of God’s holy word: yet are they not formally binding upon the consciences of Christians farther than they perceive the connection, and evidently see that they are so; for their faith must not stand in the wisdom of men; but in the power and veracity of God—therefore no such deductions can be made the terms of communion, but do properly belong to the after and progressive edification of the church.” Straughn continues with Proposition 7 in which Campbell repeats, “yet as these must be in in a great measure the effect of human reasoning, and of course must contain many inferential truths, they ought not to be made terms of Christian communion.”

A lot of words here to think about as we struggle to discern the doctrine and practice of the church in the many controversial issues we encounter. I hear Campbell saying that when we make those Scriptural arguments, they must not be formally binding on the consciences of Christians who do not understand or agree and, most importantly, they must not be made terms of communion or fellowship. Yes, let us constantly seek for Scriptural purity—what does it say—but we must also strive for unity and peace rather than division over every issue—what does it mean.

—Tom Yoakum