
Disciples History Moment for January 12, 2025
The New Year was always an important time for Alexander Campbell. He was ordained on January 1, 1812, started Bethany College on January 1, 1840, and began publication of the Christian Baptist on January 1, 1823. In 1830 he began his most important publication, The Millennial Harbinger. Beginning with his January 4, 1830 issue, Campbell began the Prospectus with these words: “This work shall be devoted to the destruction of Sectarianism, Infidelity, and Antichristian doctrine and practice. It shall have for its subject the development, and introduction of that political and religious order of society called THE MILLENIUM, which will be the consummation of that ultimate amelioration of society proposed in the Christian Scriptures.”
You will notice in the Prospectus, Campbell mentioned the “millennium” which was commonly understood to refer to the 1000-year reign of Christ. Although there are numerous ways of understanding this concept, these understandings fall into three basic categories: Premillennialism, Amillennialism, and Postmillennialism, the latter of which Campbell believed was the continued spiritual growth of the Church and its believers inaugurated by the spiritual power of Christ. This was a more positive and hopeful perspective that motivated the Stone-Campbell Movement toward the cooperation and unity of believers.
Rev. Kevin K. Adams
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