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The Christian Association of Washington was an organization established by
Thomas Campbell Thomas Campbell may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Thomas Campbell (poet) (1777–1844), Scottish poet * Thomas Campbell (sculptor) (1790–1858), Scottish sculptor * Thomas Campbell (visual artist) (born 1969), California-based visual artist ...
in 1809 to promote
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
unity.Douglas Allen Foster and Anthony L. Dunnavant, ''The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement: Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Christian Churches/Churches of Christ, Churches of Christ'', Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004, , , 854 pages, entry on ''Christian Association of Washington'' It was a study group that Campbell formed with like minded friends and acquaintances in the local neighborhood of Washington, Pennsylvania.C. Leonard Allen and Richard T. Hughes, ''Discovering Our Roots: The Ancestry of the Churches of Christ,'' Abilene Christian University Press, 1988, The group sought to foster unity by focusing on a common form of
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
that they could all agree upon. This charter that Campbell wrote for this group, the ''Declaration and Address of the Christian Association of Washington'', became one of the most important early texts of the Restoration Movement.


History

After arriving in the
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in 1807, Thomas Campbell began working with the Associate Synod of North America, which assigned him to the Chartiers Presbytery in
Western Pennsylvania Western Pennsylvania is a region in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, covering the western third of the state. Pittsburgh is the region's principal city, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic ...
.Douglas Allen Foster and Anthony L. Dunnavant, ''The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement: Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Christian Churches/Churches of Christ, Churches of Christ'', Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004, , , 854 pages, entry on ''Campbell, Thomas'' He was censured by the Presbytery for extending communion to individuals who were not seceder
Presbyterians Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
, and withdrew from the synod. After withdrawing, he continued to preach, working with Christians without regard to their
denominational A religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name and tradition among other activities. The term refers to the various Christian denominations (for example, Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, and the many variet ...
affiliation. In 1809 Campbell decided to establish a Christian society which individuals could join, but that would not be a
church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship * Chris ...
. During a first meeting in the summer of 1809, Campbell discussed his concern about the divisions among Christians, and proposed that unity could be restored by taking the
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as the only standard for faith and practice. The group adopted the "rule" he proposed, "Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; and where they are silent, we are silent," as its only creed.Reid, D. G., Linder, R. D., Shelley, B. L., & Stout, H. S. (1990). Dictionary of Christianity in America. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. Entry on ''Campbell, Thomas (1763–1854)'' During a second meeting, held on August 17, 1809, the name "Christian Association of Washington" was chosen and Campbell was asked to draft a statement of the purposes and objectives of the Association. The ''Declaration and Address of the Christian Association of Washington'' was adopted unanimously on September 7, 1809 and published shortly before the end of the year. The ''Declaration'' received little attention at the time. Campbell soon became concerned that, despite his intentions, the Association was taking on the characteristics of a church. After the Association unsuccessfully sought to be accepted into fellowship with the Pittsburgh Synod of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, Campbell became convinced that it would have to become an independent church in order to continue to function. On May 4, 1811, the Association reconstituted itself as a congregationally governed church. With the building it constructed at Brush Run,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, it became known as the Brush Run Church.McAlister, Lester G. and Tucker, William E. (1975), ''Journey in Faith: A History of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)'', St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press,


Notes


External links


''Declaration and Address''
at th
Restoration Movement Pages
at the
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{{Restoration Movement Religious organizations established in 1809 Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Churches of Christ Nondenominational Christianity Restoration Movement Religion in Washington County, Pennsylvania 1809 establishments in the United States 1809 establishments in Pennsylvania