*Editor’s Note: In this article’s final paragraph, the author rightly calls this sports-church conflict an “elephant in the room.” As such, it’s an elephant that has plunked down in the […]
Alexander Campbell: Determined and Dedicated to God
“It was a good offer, Hannah. Most men would have jumped at it. I may be a fool.” She stared. “Alexander, you didn’t refuse it?”
He nodded. “Yes, I refused it.” The words came with effort. “I told him I expected to spend my life working for the unity of Christians. I’m sorry, Hannah. I’m grateful for everything you’ve done. But I must do what I consider my duty as a”—he hesitated, and then smiled, a broad smile, a grin, somehow of triumph—“as a man of God, I suppose you’d call it.”
She stared at him, her hands clenched into tiny balls under her crossed arms. “You mean a fool of God, Mr. Campbell. A fool!”
The Fool of God by Louis Cochran was originally published in 1958 by Duell, Sloan and Pearce. College Press then published it in 1985. Now, College Press and RENEW.org have collaborated to bring this story back in print again. College Press and RENEW.org see the value in telling the story of Alexander Campbell, who devoted his life to working for the unity of Christians. We all benefit from his legacy and learn from his life of faithfulness.
Louis Cochran, author of Fool of God, was an FBI agent in Kansas City, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; and Los Angeles, California. He also practiced law in Jackson, Mississippi. He authored Raccoon John Smith and along with this wife, Bess White Cochran, wrote Captives of the Word. He received an honorary doctor of letters degree in 1960 from Bethany College in Bethany, West Virginia—the school founded by Alexander Campbell. He died in 1974.
Endorsements for The Fool of God:
“I grew up in a church downstream of the Campbell movement and had no idea of the rich spiritual heritage I was part of. The Fool of God helped me appreciate the faithful shoulders upon which I stand.”
—Jason Henderson, chief operating officer, RENEW.org
“The Fool of God is a compelling invitation to embrace the unifying power of the gospel message. It reminds us that in Christ, everyone is welcomed to the family table.”
—Tina Wilson, author of Step into Scripture
“I highly recommend this book for those who want an introduction to and inspiration from Alexander Campbell’s life.”
—Chad Harrington, coauthor of The Revolutionary Disciple; owner of HIM Publications and YouPublish
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