Work on a comprehensive, contextual history of the Stone-Campbell movement is now underway. The book is a natural progression of the work begun in the Stone-Campbell Encyclopedia. We believe that it is time for such a history to be produced, adding the story of our movement to the larger stories of American and World history.

The editors of the book are: Newell Williams (Brite Divinity School of TCU), Paul Blowers (Emmanuel School of Religion), Doug Foster (Abilene Christian University), and Scott Seay (Christian Theological Seminary). In addition, ten other historians will contribute to the project.

This is a book that no one has yet attempted. Far from a mere update of previous histories of the movement, this book will contextualize the Stone-Campbell movement into the larger American story. It will show how our churches were established within the fabric of the culture, economy, theology, ecclesiology, sociology, and periods of the United States. And it will show how this uniquely American faith spread throughout the whole world.

The book will also tell our story from all sides. Just as the Stone-Campbell Encyclopedia includes scholarship and perspectives from all three streams of our movement, this history will include the full spectrum of representative ideologies.

While our movement was born in the soil of early American revivalism, it is now a global expression of Christianity. Yet it remains our own unique story.

This history will have a connecting thread throughout of the spirituality of the movement. It will have the underlying support of historiography. And it will focus on the theological, ecclesiological, and sociological aspects inherent in our growth.

The book will include features that will appeal to a wide demographic of readership. This book will appeal to historians, students, congregations, and interested readers. It will be a book designed for the twenty-first century and it may well serve as a model for church history writing for the next generation.

The ministry that connects all three streams of the movement will sponsor the new Stone-Campbell history: Disciples of Christ Historical Society. And the most recognized imprint of the movement will publish it: Christian Board of Publication.

Work on the project will continue over the next several years, with publication planned for 2012.

Production of this new Stone-Campbell history is a joint venture of Christian Board of Publication (Cyrus N. White, President and Publisher) and Disciples of Christ Historical Society (Glenn Thomas Carson, President). White and Carson agree that the book will help to “develop a deep appreciation for the powerful Christian witness and unique character of the Stone-Campbell churches.”

For more information, visit A New History of the Stone-Campbell movement or contact wbuchek@cbp21.com or mail@discipleshistory.org

January 7, 2007