Archibald Alexander: An Unlikely Leader Who Helped Shape American Religion
Archibald Alexander: An Unlikely Leader Who Helped Shape American Religion When Archibald Alexander arrived in Virginia in 1776 as a teenage orphan looking to further his ministerial studies, few could have predicted the prominent leadership roles he would come to hold in American religious life. [1] Yet through his influential writings, distinguished academic career, and model Christian character, Alexander left an indelible mark on the development of American theology and denominational growth in the early 19th century. [2] In retrospect, Alexander’s rise to prominence seems improbable. Orphaned at age nine, he spent much of his childhood working manual labor jobs to get by, leaving little time for formal education. [3] Though he managed to pick up Latin and Greek grammar later in his youth, it was not until age 20, when a local minister took Alexander under his wing, that he began serious theological training. [4] Alexander made up for his late start with remarkable speed...