David Lipscomb
Encyclopedia
Lipscomb's beliefs on government can be classified as a radical theory of religious freedom, classical liberalism
, even potentially consistent with fundamental positions of Anarcho-primitivism
. Lipscomb believed in creating a peaceful, cooperative, decentralized communion in which freedom, worship, and family could thrive. Therefore, he was a pacifist
, unlike many anarchists (particularly those of the early 20th Century) who sometimes advocated violence as a legitimate means to freedom. For Lipscomb, violence and warfare were incompatible with Christianity, and, perhaps because of his experiences during the American Civil War
, he noted that civil governments tended to increase violence and warfare. In this context, Lipscomb appears to be a meliorist.
Unlike Leo Tolstoy
, Lipscomb's theories developed without any influence or knowledge of the early anarchists like Pierre Proudhon and Josiah Warren
, who developed their beliefs without reliance on religion. Anarchism after Lipscomb remained unaware of Lipscomb's contributions.
When Lipscomb was discovered by radical libertarian scholars, some such as Prof. Edward Stringham
noted that Lipscomb had independently questioned common assumptions that
Further, Lipscomb argued that
While all of these arguments are common today in anarchist thought, Lipscomb may have been the first to bring them all together, at least in America and likely preceded only by William Godwin
in England and Proudhon in France. The radical libertarians in America from Lysander Spooner
to Murray Rothbard
and beyond developed and popularized these arguments after Lipscomb did, but with no knowledge of Lipscomb. Lipscomb's theory of freedom must be understood as a radical statement positing the almost absolute separation of church and state
as the only true guarantor of the freedom of religion.
er in addition to his religious
activities, at one time operating his own ferry
across the Cumberland River
from his farm north of Nashville to the side of the river on which the main part of the city was located. He eventually relocated to an estate south of Nashville. Today, this estate is the campus of Lipscomb University
. The log house in which he lived on his former farm has been dismantled and re-erected adjacent to his later home, which is used by the university for some social occasions.
In 1891, Lipscomb and James A. Harding
founded the Nashville Bible School, the precursor to the current Lipscomb University, which was not named for him until after his death. As Lipscomb was a product of the predominant Southern culture
of the time, this institution was segregated
and was for many years solely for white students, necessitating a separate sister institution in North Nashville for blacks
, which was not totally dismantled and merged with the larger white school until the 1960s.
.
A trace of Lipscomb's pacifism survives in Churches of Christ today; the group contained few conscientious objector
s even in World War I
, while 199 served in Civilian Public Service
camps during World War II
, though it is not recognized as a historical peace church
, which it would have been had Lipscomb's views in this area predominated. Lipscomb's views on voting and jury service are likewise nearly extinct within the group, held generally only by a few of the oldest members in rural
areas, though there are current members of the faculties of both Harding University
and Lipscomb University
who do not vote, following Lipscomb's views on the matter. There are also pacifists who currently teach at Lipscomb University http://csc.lipscomb.edu/page.asp?SID=194&Page=7460. When Lipscomb University
recently began the Center for International Peace and Justice, some of the faculty associated with the program saw it as a way of manifesting David Lipscomb's continuing legacy of pacifism
in a Church of Christ-supported University setting, though it must be noted that some of the faculty associated with the Center for International Peace and Justice do not share David Lipscomb's pacifist views.
His views on fraternal organizations were once quite controversial; this issue arises in Churches of Christ only periodically and generally locally, and is somewhat in eclipse due to the lessening of the size and influence of such groups generally, at least in the Upper South and Texas
where the Church of Christ is generally centered.
It has been noted that Lipscomb's influence over the Churches of Christ was greatest in about a 150- to 300-mile radius of his base in Nashville; while he influenced the group considerably in Texas and elsewhere as well, his influence there apparently was less than in the Nashville area.
Lipscomb's Gospel Advocate
developed significant, though unofficial, status within the Churches of Christ, more so than any of many other similar publications. The Churches of Christ had (and have) no recognized leadership hierarchy above the congregational level, yet debates of the day that concerned many congregations were framed within the pages of such periodicals. Churches of Christ still cling to the congregational model, with almost no inter-congregational political structures.
, one of the early Restorationists who was very influential but quite elderly by the time of Lipscomb's ascendancy. Lipscomb disagreed with Campbell most vehemently on the topic of the American Christian Missionary Society, a cooperative effort to fund and coordinate foreign missions
among various congregations, which Campbell accepted and encouraged but Lipscomb totally rejected as a sinful, unscriptural innovation.
Lipscomb noted that most of the congregations that supported the Missionary Society were likewise those not opposed to instrumental music. He began to attack both these practices, and felt that those ministers who were not publicly opposed to these activities should not be allowed to address "sound" congregations (those that followed what he saw to be Bible
truth). Notably, however, Lipscomb often spoke in non Church of Christ congregations that had instrumental music without ever alluding to his opinion on the matter, which is not directly addressed in the New Testament
. He believed in the early (unofficial) Church of Christ creed that Christians should have liberty in matters of opinion. However, he did not consider such issues a matter an opinion, but rather “took a firm stand against the organization of human societies for the preaching of the gospel, and he as ably contended for the simple worship without the use of instrumental music, as taught in the New Testament.”
Perhaps Lipscomb's words provide the world some insight as to why he vehemently rejected instrumental music:
As the debate over such matters spread, people chose sides and by 1906 the lines of division were evident. Thomas Hughes put forth that Lipscomb's apocalyptic worldview of “progression versus digression” shaped his belief that the “kingdom of God would break into pieces all the kingdoms of this world.” This resulted in his strict “legalistic” restorationist vision. While Hughes did not define what he meant by "legalistic," he accurately noted history revealing the fact that apocalyptic outlook affected the worldview and Christian life of many restoration leaders during that time.
formerly conducted in years ending in "6" by the United States Bureau of the Census) to list the "Church of Christ" and the "Christian Church" as separate bodies, formalizing what had long been the de facto case.
Lipscomb's legacy is still felt within the Church of Christ today, perhaps primarily through the Gospel Advocate
, which is still published and still tends to define mainstream orthodoxy within the body, although to a lesser extent than previously, and through its other publishing operations, notably in regard to Sunday School literature as noted previously.
His namesake institution in recent years has been accused of selling out to "liberalism" by many of the more conservative voices in the church. The term "liberalism" in the context of the Churches of Christ is frequently linked to a form of doctrine
founded upon a direct operation of the Holy Spirit
upon the heart of the sinner and saint as well as cooperation with denominational groups that differ in theology, doctrine and concept of truth. The term "liberalism" must be taken in a relative sense for both sides in this debate because too much of the religious world outside the Churches of Christ, the term "liberal" tends to denote teaching against plenary verbal inspiration while both sides tend still to be accepting the position of the plenary verbal inspiration of the Bible, a theologically very conservative position, while disagreeing about its mode and medium.
A more superficial distinction between liberal and conservative Churches of Christ has less to do with doctrine and more to do with style of worship: A "liberal" Church of Christ employs worship styles that are not congruent with those found in traditional Churches of Christ (e.g. singing with "Praise Teams," eschewing hymnals, raising hands, embracing drama and art, using multimedia displays, celebrating traditional religious holidays such as Christmas
and Easter
AS religious holidays), while both liberal and conservative Churches of Christ tend to have similar beliefs about the divinity of Christ; the meaning of his death, burial, and resurrection; the necessity of baptism; the literal truth of the New Testament
scriptures; the omnipotence
of God, etc. Some in both groups claim fidelity to David Lipscomb's spirit and teachings.
Classical liberalism
Classical liberalism is the philosophy committed to the ideal of limited government, constitutionalism, rule of law, due process, and liberty of individuals including freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and free markets....
, even potentially consistent with fundamental positions of Anarcho-primitivism
Anarcho-primitivism
Anarcho-primitivism is an anarchist critique of the origins and progress of civilization. According to anarcho-primitivism, the shift from hunter-gatherer to agricultural subsistence gave rise to social stratification, coercion, and alienation...
. Lipscomb believed in creating a peaceful, cooperative, decentralized communion in which freedom, worship, and family could thrive. Therefore, he was a pacifist
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
, unlike many anarchists (particularly those of the early 20th Century) who sometimes advocated violence as a legitimate means to freedom. For Lipscomb, violence and warfare were incompatible with Christianity, and, perhaps because of his experiences during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he noted that civil governments tended to increase violence and warfare. In this context, Lipscomb appears to be a meliorist.
Unlike Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist...
, Lipscomb's theories developed without any influence or knowledge of the early anarchists like Pierre Proudhon and Josiah Warren
Josiah Warren
Josiah Warren was an individualist anarchist, inventor, musician, and author in the United States. He is widely regarded as the first American anarchist, and the four-page weekly paper he edited during 1833, The Peaceful Revolutionist, was the first anarchist periodical published, an enterprise...
, who developed their beliefs without reliance on religion. Anarchism after Lipscomb remained unaware of Lipscomb's contributions.
When Lipscomb was discovered by radical libertarian scholars, some such as Prof. Edward Stringham
Edward Stringham
Edward Peter Stringham is the L.V. Hackley Endowed Professor for the Study of Capitalism and Free Enterprise at Fayetteville State University.He received a B.A. in economics from College of the Holy Cross and his Ph.D...
noted that Lipscomb had independently questioned common assumptions that
- Governments need to make laws.
- Governments are created for the public good.
- Democracy is for the common good.
Further, Lipscomb argued that
- Governments may seek to increase disorder to expand their power.
- People should abstain from voting, instead seeking change through persuasive and non-coercive methods.
- Peaceful civilization is not dependent on the state.
- Governments are created for the benefit of the rulers, not the people.
While all of these arguments are common today in anarchist thought, Lipscomb may have been the first to bring them all together, at least in America and likely preceded only by William Godwin
William Godwin
William Godwin was an English journalist, political philosopher and novelist. He is considered one of the first exponents of utilitarianism, and the first modern proponent of anarchism...
in England and Proudhon in France. The radical libertarians in America from Lysander Spooner
Lysander Spooner
Lysander Spooner was an American individualist anarchist, political philosopher, Deist, abolitionist, supporter of the labor movement, legal theorist, and entrepreneur of the nineteenth century. He is also known for competing with the U.S...
to Murray Rothbard
Murray Rothbard
Murray Newton Rothbard was an American author and economist of the Austrian School who helped define capitalist libertarianism and popularized a form of free-market anarchism he termed "anarcho-capitalism." Rothbard wrote over twenty books and is considered a centrally important figure in the...
and beyond developed and popularized these arguments after Lipscomb did, but with no knowledge of Lipscomb. Lipscomb's theory of freedom must be understood as a radical statement positing the almost absolute separation of church and state
Separation of church and state
The concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state....
as the only true guarantor of the freedom of religion.
Nashville Bible School
Lipscomb for a time was a prosperous farmFarm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
er in addition to his religious
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
activities, at one time operating his own ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
across the Cumberland River
Cumberland River
The Cumberland River is a waterway in the Southern United States. It is long. It starts in Harlan County in far southeastern Kentucky between Pine and Cumberland mountains, flows through southern Kentucky, crosses into northern Tennessee, and then curves back up into western Kentucky before...
from his farm north of Nashville to the side of the river on which the main part of the city was located. He eventually relocated to an estate south of Nashville. Today, this estate is the campus of Lipscomb University
Lipscomb University
Lipscomb University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. It is affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The campus is located in the Green Hills neighborhood of Nashville between Belmont Boulevard to the west and Granny White Pike on the east...
. The log house in which he lived on his former farm has been dismantled and re-erected adjacent to his later home, which is used by the university for some social occasions.
In 1891, Lipscomb and James A. Harding
James A. Harding
James Alexander Harding was an early influential leader in the Churches of Christ.Several schools are named after Harding: Harding University in Searcy, AR, Harding Academy , Harding Academy , and Harding University Graduate School of Religion in Memphis.Harding helped David Lipscomb, another...
founded the Nashville Bible School, the precursor to the current Lipscomb University, which was not named for him until after his death. As Lipscomb was a product of the predominant Southern culture
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
of the time, this institution was segregated
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
and was for many years solely for white students, necessitating a separate sister institution in North Nashville for blacks
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, which was not totally dismantled and merged with the larger white school until the 1960s.
Influence and Legacy
David Lipscomb's main legacy is Lipscomb UniversityLipscomb University
Lipscomb University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. It is affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The campus is located in the Green Hills neighborhood of Nashville between Belmont Boulevard to the west and Granny White Pike on the east...
.
A trace of Lipscomb's pacifism survives in Churches of Christ today; the group contained few conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
s even in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, while 199 served in Civilian Public Service
Civilian Public Service
The Civilian Public Service provided conscientious objectors in the United States an alternative to military service during World War II...
camps during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, though it is not recognized as a historical peace church
Peace churches
Peace churches are Christian churches, groups or communities advocating Christian pacifism. The term historic peace churches refers specifically only to three church groups among pacifist churches: Church of the Brethren, Mennonites including the Amish, and Religious Society of Friends and has...
, which it would have been had Lipscomb's views in this area predominated. Lipscomb's views on voting and jury service are likewise nearly extinct within the group, held generally only by a few of the oldest members in rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
areas, though there are current members of the faculties of both Harding University
Harding University
Harding University is located in Searcy, Arkansas, in the United States, about north-east of Little Rock. It is a private liberal arts Christian university associated with the Churches of Christ. The university takes its name from James A...
and Lipscomb University
Lipscomb University
Lipscomb University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. It is affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The campus is located in the Green Hills neighborhood of Nashville between Belmont Boulevard to the west and Granny White Pike on the east...
who do not vote, following Lipscomb's views on the matter. There are also pacifists who currently teach at Lipscomb University http://csc.lipscomb.edu/page.asp?SID=194&Page=7460. When Lipscomb University
Lipscomb University
Lipscomb University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. It is affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The campus is located in the Green Hills neighborhood of Nashville between Belmont Boulevard to the west and Granny White Pike on the east...
recently began the Center for International Peace and Justice, some of the faculty associated with the program saw it as a way of manifesting David Lipscomb's continuing legacy of pacifism
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
in a Church of Christ-supported University setting, though it must be noted that some of the faculty associated with the Center for International Peace and Justice do not share David Lipscomb's pacifist views.
His views on fraternal organizations were once quite controversial; this issue arises in Churches of Christ only periodically and generally locally, and is somewhat in eclipse due to the lessening of the size and influence of such groups generally, at least in the Upper South and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
where the Church of Christ is generally centered.
It has been noted that Lipscomb's influence over the Churches of Christ was greatest in about a 150- to 300-mile radius of his base in Nashville; while he influenced the group considerably in Texas and elsewhere as well, his influence there apparently was less than in the Nashville area.
Lipscomb's Gospel Advocate
Gospel Advocate
The Gospel Advocate is a religious magazine published monthly in Nashville, Tennessee for members of the Churches of Christ. The Advocate has enjoyed uninterrupted publication since 1866....
developed significant, though unofficial, status within the Churches of Christ, more so than any of many other similar publications. The Churches of Christ had (and have) no recognized leadership hierarchy above the congregational level, yet debates of the day that concerned many congregations were framed within the pages of such periodicals. Churches of Christ still cling to the congregational model, with almost no inter-congregational political structures.
Opposition to missionary societies and instrumental music
Lipscomb already had become so influential as a young man that he engaged in a running correspondence with Alexander CampbellAlexander Campbell (Restoration movement)
Alexander Campbell was an early leader in the Second Great Awakening of the religious movement that has been referred to as the Restoration Movement, or Stone-Campbell Movement...
, one of the early Restorationists who was very influential but quite elderly by the time of Lipscomb's ascendancy. Lipscomb disagreed with Campbell most vehemently on the topic of the American Christian Missionary Society, a cooperative effort to fund and coordinate foreign missions
Mission (Christian)
Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...
among various congregations, which Campbell accepted and encouraged but Lipscomb totally rejected as a sinful, unscriptural innovation.
Lipscomb noted that most of the congregations that supported the Missionary Society were likewise those not opposed to instrumental music. He began to attack both these practices, and felt that those ministers who were not publicly opposed to these activities should not be allowed to address "sound" congregations (those that followed what he saw to be Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
truth). Notably, however, Lipscomb often spoke in non Church of Christ congregations that had instrumental music without ever alluding to his opinion on the matter, which is not directly addressed in the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
. He believed in the early (unofficial) Church of Christ creed that Christians should have liberty in matters of opinion. However, he did not consider such issues a matter an opinion, but rather “took a firm stand against the organization of human societies for the preaching of the gospel, and he as ably contended for the simple worship without the use of instrumental music, as taught in the New Testament.”
Perhaps Lipscomb's words provide the world some insight as to why he vehemently rejected instrumental music:
"Neither Paul nor any other apostle, nor the Lord Jesus, nor any of the disciples for five hundred years, used instruments. This too, in the face of the fact that the Jews had used instruments in the days of their prosperity and that the Greeks and heathen nations all used them in their worship. They were dropped out with such emphasis that they were not taken up till the middle of the Dark Ages, and came in as part of the order of the Roman Catholic Church. It seems there cannot be doubt but that the use of instrumental music in connection with the worship of God, whether used as a part of the worship or as an attraction accompaniment, is unauthorized by God and violates the oft-repeated prohibition to add nothing to, take nothing from, the commandments of the Lord. They have not been authorized by God or sanctified with the blood of his Son."
As the debate over such matters spread, people chose sides and by 1906 the lines of division were evident. Thomas Hughes put forth that Lipscomb's apocalyptic worldview of “progression versus digression” shaped his belief that the “kingdom of God would break into pieces all the kingdoms of this world.” This resulted in his strict “legalistic” restorationist vision. While Hughes did not define what he meant by "legalistic," he accurately noted history revealing the fact that apocalyptic outlook affected the worldview and Christian life of many restoration leaders during that time.
The Church of Christ
The triumph of this line of thought within the conservative Restoration congregations was the impetus behind the 1906 decision (made in the course of the religious censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
formerly conducted in years ending in "6" by the United States Bureau of the Census) to list the "Church of Christ" and the "Christian Church" as separate bodies, formalizing what had long been the de facto case.
Lipscomb's legacy is still felt within the Church of Christ today, perhaps primarily through the Gospel Advocate
Gospel Advocate
The Gospel Advocate is a religious magazine published monthly in Nashville, Tennessee for members of the Churches of Christ. The Advocate has enjoyed uninterrupted publication since 1866....
, which is still published and still tends to define mainstream orthodoxy within the body, although to a lesser extent than previously, and through its other publishing operations, notably in regard to Sunday School literature as noted previously.
His namesake institution in recent years has been accused of selling out to "liberalism" by many of the more conservative voices in the church. The term "liberalism" in the context of the Churches of Christ is frequently linked to a form of doctrine
Doctrine
Doctrine is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system...
founded upon a direct operation of the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
upon the heart of the sinner and saint as well as cooperation with denominational groups that differ in theology, doctrine and concept of truth. The term "liberalism" must be taken in a relative sense for both sides in this debate because too much of the religious world outside the Churches of Christ, the term "liberal" tends to denote teaching against plenary verbal inspiration while both sides tend still to be accepting the position of the plenary verbal inspiration of the Bible, a theologically very conservative position, while disagreeing about its mode and medium.
A more superficial distinction between liberal and conservative Churches of Christ has less to do with doctrine and more to do with style of worship: A "liberal" Church of Christ employs worship styles that are not congruent with those found in traditional Churches of Christ (e.g. singing with "Praise Teams," eschewing hymnals, raising hands, embracing drama and art, using multimedia displays, celebrating traditional religious holidays such as Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
and Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
AS religious holidays), while both liberal and conservative Churches of Christ tend to have similar beliefs about the divinity of Christ; the meaning of his death, burial, and resurrection; the necessity of baptism; the literal truth of the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
scriptures; the omnipotence
Omnipotence
Omnipotence is unlimited power. Monotheistic religions generally attribute omnipotence to only the deity of whichever faith is being addressed...
of God, etc. Some in both groups claim fidelity to David Lipscomb's spirit and teachings.
Further reading
- Robert E. Hooper, Crying in the Wilderness: A Biography of David Lipscomb (Nashville: David Lipscomb College, 1979)
- To His Excellency the President of the Confederate States of AmericaConfederate States of AmericaThe Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
Open Letter by David Lipscomb, November 13, 1862. Reprinted in the Appendix of the edition of On Civil Government cited above, pages 128-130.
External links
- Munc.ca, David Lipscomb at the Restoration Movement pages at the Memorial University of NewfoundlandMemorial University of NewfoundlandMemorial University of Newfoundland, is a comprehensive university located primarily in St...
. - The Buford Church of Christ in Georgia, U.S.A., maintains pages about the Restoration Movement, including this one Therestorationmovement.com about David Lipscomb.
- Gospeladvocate.com, this article was adapted from A Call to Remember by Robert E. Hooper, Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, 1977.