Perhaps the most influential document in the Restoration Movement is the “Declaration and Address” written by Thomas Campbell in 1809. It’s a very long document and often the 19th Century prose is hard to read. But it’s well worth the effort.
Fortunately, Campbell summarized his points in a series of numbered propositions, which serve as an excellent starting point for understanding his thought.
Thomas Campbell is generally credited with teaching “We speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent.” What he meant by this can best be discerned by digging into this seminal document.
Campbell’s propositions begin with perhaps the most-quoted portion of the document–
1. THAT the church of Christ upon earth is essentially, intentionally, and constitutionally one; consisting of all those in every place that profess their faith in Christ and obedience to him in all things according to the scriptures, and that manifest the same by their tempers and conduct, and of none else as none else can be truly and properly called christians.
This is also, of course, before the Movement had any interest in the doctrine of baptism or instrumental music. Rather, the issue that inaugurated the Movement was the desire for unity of all Christians.
Campbell defines a Christian based on faith in Jesus and penitence, that is, a commitment to obey Christ shown in a changed life.
3. That in order to this, nothing ought to be inculcated upon christians as articles of faith; nor required of them as terms of communion; but what is expressly taught, and enjoined upon them, in the word of God. Nor ought any thing be admitted, as of divine obligation, in their church constitution and managements, but what is expressly enjoined by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles upon the New Testament church; either in express terms, or by approven precedent.
Here’s the “silent where the Bible is silent” part. Notice, however, that he is speaking of “terms of communion.” We’d say “tests of fellowship.” Nothing not expressly found in the Bible may be a test of fellowship.
4 … the New Testament is as perfect a constitution for the worship, discipline and government of the New Testament church, and as perfect a rule for the particular duties of its members; as the Old Testament was for the worship discipline and government of the Old Testament church, and the particular duties of its members.
Campbell sees the New Testament as including particular instructions for worship, discipline, and government of the local church.
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 terms of communion, but do properly belong to the after and progressive edification of the church. Hence it is evident that no such deductions or inferential truths ought to have any place in the church’s confession.
Campbell had earlier mentioned commands and examples. Now he discusses inferences, and he says that inferences may not be tests of fellowship as inferences depend on human wisdom. While it is very likely that Thomas Campbell would have rejected instrumental music, he never would have made it a test of fellowship as it involves no express command but is, rather, an inference.
8. That as it is not necessary that persons should have a particular knowledge or distinct apprehension of all divinely revealed truths in order to entitle them to a place in the church; neither should they, for this purpose, be required to make a profession more extensive than their knowledge: but that, on the contrary, their having a due measure of scriptural self-knowledge respecting their lost and perishing condition by nature and practice; and of the way of salvation thro’ Jesus Christ, accompanied with a profession of their faith in, and obedience to him, in all things according to his word, is all that is absolutely necessary to qualify them for admission into his church.
9. That all that are enabled, thro’ grace, to make such a profession, and to manifest the reality of it in their tempers and conduct, should consider each other as the precious saints of God, should love each other as brethren, children of the same family and father, temples of the same spirit, members of the same body, subjects of the same grace, objects of the same divine love, bought with the same price, and joint heirs of the same inheritance. Whom God hath thus joined together no man should dare to put asunder.
In 8 Campbell states that to become a Christian one need only recognize that he is lost, profess faith in Jesus, and commit to obey him. In 9 Campbell states that all who make this profession and who show evidence that their repentance is genuine should be treated as Christians and should treat one another as brothers. In other words, the same standard for who may become a Christian is the standard for who remains a Christian.
12. That all that is necessary to the highest state of perfection and purity of the church upon earth is, first, that none be received as members, but such as having that due measure of scriptural self-knowledge described above, do profess their faith in Christ and obedience to him in all things according to the scriptures; nor, 2dly, that any be retained in her communion longer than they continue to manifest the reality of their profession by their tempers and conduct. 3dly, that her ministers, duly and scripturally qualified, inculcate none other things than those very articles of faith and holiness expressly revealed and enjoined in the word of God. Lastly, that in all their administrations they keep close by the observance of all divine ordinances, after the example of the primitive church, exhibited in the New Testament; without any additions whatsoever of human opinions or inventions of men.
Campbell’s prescription for a divided church is the admission into the communion of the saints of all penitent believers, the removal of those who refuse to live in accordance with God’s will, and preaching only those things found expressly in the word of God and following the example of the early church as found in the New Testament in terms of practice.
All else he calls “opinions.” Now, a careful reading of the rest of the document reveals just how radical Campbell’s ideas are.
We dare not therefore, patronize the rejection of Gods dear children, because they may not be able to see alike in matters of human inference–of private opinion; and such we esteem all things, not expressly revealed and enjoined in the word of God. If otherwise, we know not what private opinion means.
If it’s not found expressly in God’s word, it’s “private opinion” even though the inference may be true.
Every sincere and upright christian, will understand and do the will of God, in every instance, to the best of his skill and judgment: but in the application of the general rule to particular cases, there may, and doubtless will, be some variety of opinion and practice. This we see was actually the case in the apostolic churches, without any breach of christian unity. And if this was the case, at the erection of the christian church from amongst Jews and Gentiles, may we not reasonably expect, that it will be the same at her restoration, from under her long antichristian and sectarian desolations?
Again, individual Christians may reach different interpretations, but these cannot be tests of fellowship.
It’s fair to summarize Campbell’s plea as consisting of two ideas. First, Christians should treat all penitent believers as fellow Christians. Parties, denominations, and opinions should not be allowed to divide the church. Private opinions and even inferences drawn from the scriptures may not be tests of fellowship.
Second, the practice of the church should be patterned after First Century practice as revealed in the scripture. This, however, is not a test of fellowship. Rather, it is a means toward a uniformity of practice that will allow all Christians to unite, to worship together, and to have less to dispute over.
