David Swing (August 23, 1830 – October 3, 1894) was a United States teacher and clergyman who was the most popular Chicago preacher of his time.

He graduated from Miami University in 1852, where was Phi Delta Theta fraternity brother of Benjamin Harrison and classmate of Whitelaw Reid.

[1] In April 1874, he was tried before the Presbytery of Chicago on charges of heresy preferred by Dr Francis Landey Patton, who argued that Professor Swing preached that men were saved by works, that he held a "modal" Trinity, that he did not believe in plenary inspiration, that he unduly countenanced Unitarianism, etc.

As an action was taken against the church, of which he had remained pastor, he resigned the pastorate, again leased McVicker's theatre (and after 1880 leased Central Music Hall, which was built for the purpose), and in 1875 founded the Central Church, to which many of his former parishioners followed him, and in which he built up a large Sunday school, and established a kindergarten, industrial schools, and other charities.

[1] He published Sermons (1874), including most of his "heretical" utterances, Truths for To-day (2 vols, 1874–1876), Motives of Life (1879), and Club Essays (1881).