1840 - Disciples and Higher Education
From the very beginnings of the movement, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) congregations have founded institutions of higher learning. Thomas Campbell operated a school at Burlington, Kentucky. Barton W. Stone was the Principal at Rittenhouse Academy, the precursor to Georgetown College. In 1840, Alexander Campbell founded Bethany College, in what is now West Virginia, and has admitted women since 1880. The restoration movement established similar schools, especially in the years following the Civil War.
Three institutions of higher education in Lexington emerged from that impulse: Transylvania University, Lexington Theological Seminary and the University of Kentucky.
As its name suggests, Transylvania was the first college “across the woods” and west of the Allegheny Mountains. It was chartered by the Virginia Assembly and Governor Thomas Jefferson in 1780, before Kentucky was a state. Transylvania dominated academe in the in the first half of the nineteenth century and was the preferred destination for the children of the South's political, military, and business elite. Alumni include the president of the Confederacy, two US vice presidents, 50 US Senators, 101 Representatives, three House Speakers, 36 governors and 34 ambassadors.
The Lexington Theological Seminary - with which so many of Woodland’s members have been associated over the years - was founded in 1865, but its roots go back to 1836, as the Department of Hebrew Literature at Bacon College. In 1858, Bacon College was re-chartered as Kentucky University. The department changed to the School of Biblical Literature and Moral Sciences and its connection to the Restoration Movement ended. In 1878, the department received its own charter and the College of the Bible was born. Kentucky University moved from Harrodsburg to Transylvania’s Lexington campus and retained the KU name until 1908. Following a brief period as the Agricultural and Mechanical College the University of Kentucky was born in Lexington on a new campus.
In 1950, the College of the Bible relocated from Transylvania to the UK campus. In 1965 it became the Lexington Theological Seminary.
Disciples continue to support and encourage higher education but exercise no sectarian control. Because intellectual and religious freedom are important values for the Disciples of Christ, its colleges, universities, and seminaries and schools do not seek to indoctrinate students or faculty with a sectarian point of view.
Three institutions of higher education in Lexington emerged from that impulse: Transylvania University, Lexington Theological Seminary and the University of Kentucky.
As its name suggests, Transylvania was the first college “across the woods” and west of the Allegheny Mountains. It was chartered by the Virginia Assembly and Governor Thomas Jefferson in 1780, before Kentucky was a state. Transylvania dominated academe in the in the first half of the nineteenth century and was the preferred destination for the children of the South's political, military, and business elite. Alumni include the president of the Confederacy, two US vice presidents, 50 US Senators, 101 Representatives, three House Speakers, 36 governors and 34 ambassadors.
The Lexington Theological Seminary - with which so many of Woodland’s members have been associated over the years - was founded in 1865, but its roots go back to 1836, as the Department of Hebrew Literature at Bacon College. In 1858, Bacon College was re-chartered as Kentucky University. The department changed to the School of Biblical Literature and Moral Sciences and its connection to the Restoration Movement ended. In 1878, the department received its own charter and the College of the Bible was born. Kentucky University moved from Harrodsburg to Transylvania’s Lexington campus and retained the KU name until 1908. Following a brief period as the Agricultural and Mechanical College the University of Kentucky was born in Lexington on a new campus.
In 1950, the College of the Bible relocated from Transylvania to the UK campus. In 1965 it became the Lexington Theological Seminary.
Disciples continue to support and encourage higher education but exercise no sectarian control. Because intellectual and religious freedom are important values for the Disciples of Christ, its colleges, universities, and seminaries and schools do not seek to indoctrinate students or faculty with a sectarian point of view.
- https://www.therestorationmovement.com/lessons/RM%20History%20Of%20Bacon%20College.pdf
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transylvania_University