[Christian Unity] Looking Back: The Association

[Alan]

The Declaration and Address of Thomas Campbell not only made a proposal for how Christian unity might be achieved. It also set up an organization to promote and implement that proposal.

Following the introduction which explained the reasons for their actions, the document contains nine resolutions agreed upon by the signers. These resolutions defined the methods by which they agreed to promote and spread their vision of unity based on the scriptures alone.

• Resolution (I) established the Christian Association of Washington, "for the sole purpose of promoting simple evangelical christianity, free from all mixture of human opinions and inventions of men.
• Resolution (II) set up the funding necessary to support their efforts, including funds to provide Bibles to the poor.
• Resolution (III) bound all the members to work to create similar organizations of like-minded Christians wherever they may be found.
• Resolution (IV) clarifies tha the new organization is not considered a church, but an affiliation of "voluntary advocates" for their shared convictions.
• Resolution (V) defines the type of ministers they would support -- namely, those who support and practice the core principles defined in the document, "without attempting to inculcate anything...for which there cannot be expressly produced a thus saith the Lord either in express terms, or by approved precedent."
• Resolution (VI) set up a committee of twenty-one persons to oversee and carry out the business of the Association.
• Resolution (VI) set up the periodic meetings of the Association.
• Resolution (VIII) specified that every meeting would be opened with a sermon, the reading of the "constitution and address", and a collection of funds for the Association.
• Resolution (IX) committed the Association to provide financial support to ministers whose work complies with the principles of the Association.
  

What I find most interesting about the Association they formed is their commitment to work and to provide funds for establishing like-minded organizations and supporting ministers who practiced according to the convictions of the Association. They not only talked about unity; they did something about it.

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Posted By Alan to Christian Unity at 5/16/2009 09:05:00 AM