James O'Kelly

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James O'Kelly (born 1735 in Tidewater Virginia; died October 16, 1826 in Chatham County, North Carolina) was an American clergyman during the Second Great Awakening and an important figure in the early history of Methodism in America. Affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church from its organization at the Christmas Conference in 1784, O'Kelly, who favored the congregationalist system of church polity, came to oppose the church's system of centralized episcopal authority, which he believed infringed on the freedom of preachers. At the 1792 General Conference of the Methodist Church he introduced a resolution that would allow clergy more freedom in determining their assignments. The resolution was defeated. In protest, O'Kelly withdrew from the denomination and with his supporters founded the Republican Methodist Church, later known simply as the Christian Church, or "Connection", which merged with the Congregational churches in 1931 to form the Congregational Christian Churches. This body, in turn, merged with the German-American Evangelical and Reformed Church in 1957 to form the present United Church of Christ.

[edit] See also

• Methodist New Connexion in Britain.
• Kilgore, Charles Franklin. The James O'Kelly Schism in the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1963.

v • d • e Restoration Movement Early Leaders Alexander Campbell • Thomas Campbell • Tolbert Fanning • Benjamin Franklin • Marshall Keeble • David Lipscomb • William Lipscomb• Charles J. Lister • Elijah Martindale • James O'Kelly • Daniel Sommer • Barton W. Stone Branches Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)   Independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ   Churches of Christ The churches of Christ (non-institutional) • Sponsoring church International Churches of Christ   Historical Background Second Great Awakening • Christian Connection • Springfield Presbytery • Last Will and Testament of The Springfield Presbytery • Declaration and Address of the Christian Association of Washington Restorationism