Campbellites
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Campbellites" is a pejorative term which has been used to describe adherents of the beliefs derived from the American Restoration Movement, among whose most prominent 19th century leaders was Alexander Campbell, particularly members of the Churches of Christ (non-instrumental) and the Independent Christian Churches.
Most members of these groups reject this term and in fact find it to be derisive, saying that they are followers of Jesus, not Mr. Campbell, and follow him only to the extent that he was attempting to follow Christ. Adherents cite the first chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians as a condemnation of taking human names, and also draw parallels with Martin Luther's protest of the name "Lutherans." It is also often pointed out that elements of the Restoration Movement predated Campbell.
The group was originally called reformed Baptist, later resulting in denominations including Disciples of Christ, which accept being designated as a "denomination", and the Church of Christ, which generally does not.
Other prominent individuals in the movement include Sidney Rigdon and Parley P. Pratt, who, along with more than 3,000 of their adherents converted to Mormonism in the 1830s in Ohio.
