"Declaration and Address"
Washington, Washington County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
First published at this site. The founding of the Disciples of Christ is dated from its adoption on Sept. 7, 1809. Written by Thomas Campbell, who with his followers had organized the Christian Association of Washington earlier that year.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
On the western Pennsylvania frontier in 1809, a Scots-Irish Presbyterian minister named Thomas Campbell put pen to paper and called for Christians to set aside sectarian division and unite on the plain teachings of scripture. His 'Declaration and Address,' first published at this site, became the founding document of the Disciples of Christ. It grew from the Christian Association of Washington, which Campbell and his followers had organized earlier that same year.
Why it matters
The document launched one of the largest religious movements born on American soil, part of the restless, home-grown spiritual ferment that reshaped faith in the early republic.
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Related people
- · Thomas Campbell
Related events
- · Publication of the Declaration and Address, 1809
Themes & tags
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