On Civil Government, Its Origin, Mission and Destiny, and the Christian's Relation to It is David Lipscomb's 1889 treatise, compiled from a series of articles he had written for the Gospel Advocate in 1866 and 1867, in the years just after the Civil War divided churches across the American South. Lipscomb argues that civil government and Christ's kingdom are two separate and incompatible orders, that government exists only because God permitted it as a concession to human rebellion rather than as something a Christian should love or join, and that citizenship in Christ's kingdom means declining to vote, hold office or serve in the military. Lipscomb co-founded Nashville Bible School in 1891, edited the Gospel Advocate for 47 years, and is credited by the Tennessee Encyclopedia and the Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement with leading the tradition's more conservative wing toward the formal separation recognized by the 1906 religious census as the distinct Churches of Christ.
Facts
Citation
AuthorDavid Lipscomb
PublisherGospel Advocate Publishing Company
The 1889 Nashville edition, the book form of articles Lipscomb had first published serially in the Gospel Advocate in 1866 and 1867; no earlier standalone edition survives distinct from the 1889 printing. Publication Year1889
The Gospel Advocate Publishing Company book edition year; the argument itself was first published as Gospel Advocate articles in 1866 and 1867. Source Typeprimary-text
Assessment
Reliability Tier2
Tier two: a leading founding era figure's own primary theological treatise, historically influential and directly bound up with the tradition's formal separation from the Disciples of Christ, but one pioneer's individual argument rather than an officially adopted denominational statement. Churches of Christ hold no central doctrinal authority above the local congregation, and most congregations today do not follow Lipscomb's specific anti-voting, anti-military conclusions, so this is a primary theological source rather than independent scholarly analysis. Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
This source names Churches of Christ directly: "1906 religious census as the distinct Churches of Christ."
This source names Tennessee directly: "for 47 years, and is credited by the Tennessee Encyclopedia and the Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement with leading the tradition's more conservative wing toward the formal separation..."
Claims Backed By This Source (24 claims)
This source backs 24 claims across the atlas. As facts: 18 well-attested. As cited relationships: 3 holds. Plus 3 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.
Disposition By Topic
- Articles, 8 claims: 6 well-attested, 2 general references.
- Literary Works, 8 claims: 6 well-attested, 1 holds, 1 general references.
- Sources, 8 claims: 6 well-attested, 2 holds.
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