Debating for God

Alexander Campbell's Challenge to Skepticism in Antebellum America

Richard J. Cherok

• Publisher: Abilene Christian University Press
• Year: 2011
• Print ISBN:
  9780891125310
• eBook ISBN:
  9780891128380
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: History of Christianity

Historians have recognized Alexander Campbell as the leading figure in an important American Christian reform movement, an advocate of Christian unity, and an educator, but his role as an apologist has been forgotten. This book focuses on Campbell s career as a defender of the faith, arguing that he was 'the most significant Christian apologist of America s antebellum period.' He contended with some of the most notable skeptics of his era, most famous among them Robert Owen, founder of New Harmony. Martin E. Marty says regarding Campbell that 'No clergyman of his time exerted himself more vigorously in combat with the infidels of the period.' This groundbreaking book supports this claim with indepth treatment of these debates.

Table of contents

• COVER PAGE
• TITLE PAGE
• COPYRIGHT PAGE
• DEDICATION
• ILLUSTRATIONS
• PREFACE
• 1 INTRODUCTION: ALEXANDER CAMPBELL AND THE MASS RELIGIOUS CULTURE OF ANTEBELLUM AMERICA
• 2 ALEXANDER CAMPBELL AND NINETEEN-CENTURY CHRISTIAN RATIONALISM
• 3 DRAWING THE BATTLE LINES: CAMPBELL’S EARLY OPP OSITION TO SKEPTICISM
• 4 THE GREAT DEBATE: CAMPBELL, OWEN, AND THE EVIDENCES OF CHRISTIANITY
• 5 A LETTER FROM A “PRIVATE STUDENT”: HUMPHREY MARSHALL’S RESPONSE TO THE CAMPBELL-OWEN DEBATE
• 6 “WHET YOUR SWORD ANEW”: AN OWENITE CHALLENGE FROM DOCTOR SAMUEL UNDERHILL
• 7 CHARLES CASSEDY: ALCOHOLIC, WRITER, AND INQUISITIVE SKEPTIC
• 8 COMBATING THE NEW SKEPTICS: UNIVERSALISM, UNITARIANISM, AND SPI RITUALISM
• 9 CONCLUSION: “DEFENDER OF THE FAITH ONCE DELIVERED TO THE SAINTS”
• APPENDIX A ROBERT OWEN’S “TWELVE FUNDAMENTAL LAWS OF HUMAN NATURE”
• APPENDIX B UNDERHILL’S “CAMPBELL REFUTED”
• ANSWER TO A. CAMPBELL’S LETTER
• NOTES
• SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY