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Dr. James
Shannon
Biographical Sketch
Biographical Sketch On The Life of James Shannon Without a doubt, we know that early Christians owned slaves. The letter to Philemon was written to a slave holder who was encouraged, but not commanded to allow his runaway, now converted, slave to assist Paul: “But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary” (Phile. 14). [All scripture references are from the NKJV unless otherwise noted]. Ephesians 6:5-9 and Colossians 3:22-25 provide practical guidance to both masters and servants. Yes, salvation was for all (Gal. 3:28). Christians in the first century reformed society through personal work not political reform. God has always been able to work his wonders in all types of governments. In the Old Testament, he often used Israel’s enemies as his instruments to chastise. That did not mean that he approved the practices of these idolatrous nations. Similarly, slavery was tolerated and humane treatment urged, but the hegemony itself was not attacked. The issue of slavery became particularly divisive in American society in the 1840s when both the Methodists and Baptists divided over the question. The Presbyterians divided on the eve of the Civil War. Churches in the Restoration Movement by and large escaped division over the issue chiefly due to the political pacifism of the leading editors and preachers of the day. Further, the goal of uniting believers was paramount, and therefore most brotherhood preachers chiefly ignored the subject. Interestingly though, according to one estimate (Fee 26), members of the church owned more slaves per person than did their religious neighbors. Slavery was widely, howbeit, silently practiced. Of late, the Disciples of Christ have expressed remorse for this silence. A resolution passed by the General Board in 2001 apologizes for the silence (Business Docket 312) and likely paves the way for urging the U.S. Congress to consider slave reparations. In our own brotherhood, apologies concerning admission policies at Christian colleges have made headlines. We would do well to consider the historical antecedents of segregation. That means examining brotherhood views of slavery. One notable exception to the silence was James Shannon. Shannon shocked many in his day by his defense of slavery. Allow me to introduce Shannon to you. James Shannon (22 April 1799-25 February 1859), educator and evangelist, identified with the Restoration Movement in 1836. He presided over four literary institutions: College of Louisiana (Centenary), Bacon College, University of Missouri, and Christian University (Culver-Stockton College). Reactions to Shannon’s anti-abolitionist views have suppressed his positive contributions. Shannon was born in Monaghan County, Ireland, and educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution. He taught briefly in Antrim before moving to Sunbury, Georgia, in 1821 to teach at Sunbury Academy. Shannon left the Presbyterian Church, was immersed, and in 1823 became an ordained Baptist preacher. In 1823 he married Evelina Belmont Dunham. From 1826-1829 he preached for the Augusta Baptist Church. His 1827 address at the Georgia Baptist Convention launched a campaign for a Baptist school of higher learning, Mercer College. In 1830 Shannon became chair of Ancient Languages at Franklin College (University of Georgia, Athens). While in Athens, he helped organize and preached for the Baptist Church. In 1834 Shannon urged fellow Baptists to accept baptism as a prerequisite for salvation. From 1835-1840 Shannon presided over the College of Louisiana. In Jackson, Shannon bore the loss of a wife, left the Baptist Church, established a church of Christ, and rose in favor with Restoration leaders and editors. In 1837 he married Frances Carey Moore, who was converted during a southern tour of Alexander Campbell in 1839. From 1840-1850 Shannon was president of Bacon College in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. In 1841 Shannon spoke at the Lexington Unity Meeting. In 1843 he made necessary preparations for Campbell’s debate with N. L. Rice. An 1844 defense of slavery marked Shannon as a slavery apologist. About 1847 Shannon erected a beautiful mansion “Aspen Hall” which still graces Harrodsburg. The political events of 1849 encouraged Shannon to reprint the slavery address and to debate John C. Young on the issue. From 1850-1856 Shannon presided over the University of Missouri at Columbia. In 1851 he helped establish Christian Female College (Columbia College). In 1852 Shannon spoke at the American Bible Union Convention in Memphis, Tennessee, and was commissioned to translate the Gospel of Luke. Legislative opposition to Shannon intensified with his 1855 pro-slavery speaking tour and speech at the Lexington, Missouri, Pro-slavery Convention. As a “fire-eater,” Shannon warned of division and war if abolitionists persisted. Shannon’s views on owning slaves, if distasteful to brotherhood leaders seeking to avoid division, articulated what the brethren silently and widely practiced. From 1856-1859 Shannon led Christian University (Culver-Stockton College) in Canton, Missouri, as its first president. He died in 1859 and is buried in Columbia, Missouri. Acknowledgment of controversial leaders sometimes leads to embarrassment by institutions and individuals still linked to the feats and/or antics of persons now deemed radical or wrong. Better a shadowy reference than a glowing embarrassment seems to be the conventional wisdom. However, few are without fault, and to dismiss the accomplishments of others because of their controversial stances distorts the history of ideas and events. The truth of the matter is that Shannon was brave enough to admit what the brethren widely practiced. To his credit, Shannon treated his slaves well and avoided particularly racist arguments. He was willing to concede that slavery could be abolished with just compensation to the slaveholder, but held that slavery was divinely ordained by God because it was mentioned in the Bible. He never seemed troubled that the great American experiment of a “republic” was not in the Bible. Neither, did he experience dissonance in telling his students, “to call no man, master.” From 1836-1859 Shannon was at the very center of both school and church in the American Restoration Movement. The study of his life provides a needed looking glass for viewing the social movement from inception to maturation stages. WORKS CITED Business Docket and Program. General Synod/Assembly, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Kansas City, MO, 13-17 Jul. 2001. Report No. 0113: 309-312. Fee, John G. Non-fellowship with Slaveholders: The Duty of Christians. New York: John A. Gray, 1851. Poyner, Barry C. Bound to Slavery: James Shannon and the Restoration Movement. Fort Worth: Star Bible, 1999 _____________________ —2002 FHU Lectures, RESTORATION LEADERS:JAMES SHANNON, Barry Cole Poyner, pages 336-339
Visit By Dr. Shannon's Biographer
Webmaster's Note: It has been my joy to know Barry C. Poyner for a few years. His late father-in-law, Jim Lenoir (passed away in May, 2004), was a dear friend and elder at the Mastin Lake Road Church of Christ, Huntsville, Alabama, where my father, Richard Harp preached from 1990-2005. In October, 2001, Barry came and visited in our home in Atlanta, Georgia in October, 2001. Barry had arranged to meets some of the Shannon descendants at a meeting at the Fayetteville Church of Christ. Some of the family artifacts were brought along among which was the Silver Service pictured below. It was my joy to travel with him down to Macon, Georgia, where we visited the library at Mercer University, a college Shannon contributed the first $100 to when it began in 1833. It was a joy to visit in the home of some of the direct descendants of James Shannon, and to see some of their precious memorabilia.
Audio Lectures
Life of James Shannon (2.5 Megs; 40.11 Min.; Barry Poyner, minister and biographer, came to Fayetteville Church of Christ, Fayetteville, GA, 10/31/2001, and reported on the Life of James Shannon. Some of the Shannon family members were present. He spoke on Shannon's life and his contributions to the Restoration Movement.)
Directions To The Grave Of Dr. James Shannon James Shannon is buried in Columbia, Missouri in the Columbia Cemetery. If traveling on I-70 in Missouri take exit 126 in Columbia, North Providence Rd. (State Hwy. 163) and go south. Cross Nebraska Avenue and Business Loop 70. Stay on Providence Rd until you get to E. Broadway and turn right. Begin looking to the left for the entrance to the Columbia Cemetery. Enter main entrance. Go down drive toward the middle of the cemetery. Begin looking to the right. Cross Rollins Rd. and it will be on the right just past the enclosure of "J.S. Rollins," then the second monument. If you get to Garth Rd. you have gone too far. Section is on the west side of the road. Also in this section is the grave of another RM preacher, T.M. Allen. His monument is northwest of the Shannon plot.
GPS Coordinates
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