Download or read book A Social History of the Disciples Christ: Sources of division in the Disciples of Christ, 1865-1900 written by David Edwin Harrell and published by Religion and American Culture. This book was released on 2003 with total page 488 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The definitive social history of the Disciples of Christ in the 19th century The Disciples of Christ, led by reformers such as Alexander Campbell and Barton W. Stone, was one of a number of early 19th-century primitivist religious movements seeking to "restore the ancient order of things." The Disciples movement was little more than a loose collection of independent congregations until the middle of the 19th century, but by 1900 three clear groupings of churches had appeared. Today, more than 5 million Americans--members of the modern-day Disciples of Christ (Christian Church), Independent Christian Churches, and Churches of Christ, among others--trace their religious heritage to this "Restoration Movement."