Alexander Campbell and the ancient order: A rhetorical analysis

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2012-12

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Abstract

This thesis is a rhetorical analysis of Alexander Campbell’s “Sermon on the Law” and his column “On the Restoration of the Ancient Order of Things.” Campbell was one of the leaders of the Restoration Movement, a religious movement during the Second Great Awakening, which birthed three individual denominations. This thesis adds to the limited conversation between rhetoric and the Restoration Movement by analyzing Campbell’s sermon and column with Burke’s cluster-agon analysis to explore significant terministic screens. The results of this analysis provides textual evidence for many foundational ideologies of the Churches of Christ including the argument for not preaching the law before the gospel, autonomous church government, and a pure hermeneutical approach to interpreting the Scripture.

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Keywords

Restoration movement, Church of Christ, Rhetoric, Campbell, Alexander, Sermon on the Law, Ancient order, Burkean analysis, Clutter-agon analysis, Terministic screens

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