A Church formed at a national meeting of Black Methodists in 1816 in the USA, the culmination of a movement begun in 1787. It expanded rapidly after the Civil War, and today has c.1·2 million members. In 1841 it established the first African-American publishing house in the USA.
The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the "AME Church", is a Christian denomination founded by Bishop Richard Allen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1816.
Church name
African: The AME church was organized by people of African descent. Methodist: The church's roots are in the Methodist church. Members of St. George's Methodist Church left the congregation when faced with racial discrimination, but continued with the Methodist doctrine and the order of worship. Episcopal: The AME church operates under an episcopal form of church government. The denomination leaders are Bishops of the church. Episcopal, in this sense, refers to the form of government under which the church operates.History
The African Methodist Episcopal Church has a unique history in that it is the first major religious denomination in the Western World that had its origin over sociological rather than theological beliefs and differences, and the first African-American organized and incorporated denomination in the US. The AME church is also the church that sponsored the first independent historical black college, Wilberforce University. The church was born in protest against slavery—against dehumanization of African people, brought to the American continent as cheap labor. This fit well with the Methodist church's philosophy since its founder John Wesley had once called the slave-trade "that execrable sum of all villanies". The church was organized by African-American members of St. George's Methodist Episcopal Church. The congregation supported the act of the trustees, and Allen and Jones led the African-American members to form the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1793. In general, they adopted the doctrines and form of government of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Although most wanted to affiliate with the Protestant Episcopal Church, Allen led a small group who resolved to remain Methodists. Cone, and Jacqueline Grant who came out of the AME tradition critiqued Euro-centric Christianity and African American churches for their shortcomings in fully impacting the plight of those oppressed by racism, sexism, and economic disadvantage.
Beliefs
The AME Motto, "God Our Father, Christ Our Redeemer, Man Our Brother", reflects the basic beliefs of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
The basic foundations of the beliefs of the church can be summarized in the The Apostles' Creed and The Twenty Five Articles of Religion.
Church mission
The Mission of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is to minister to the spiritual, intellectual, physical, emotional, and environmental needs of all people by spreading Christ's liberating gospel through word and deed. At every level of the Connection and in every local church, the African Methodist Episcopal Church shall engage in carrying out the spirit of the original Free African Society, out of which the A.M.E.
Colleges, seminaries and universities
Wilberforce University Website Edward Waters College Website Payne Theological Seminary Website Morris Brown College Website Allen University Website Shorter College (Arkansas) Website Paul Quinn College Website Turner Theological Seminary Website Campbell College Kittrell College Jackson Theological Seminary WebsiteStructure
The General Conference
The General Conference is the supreme body of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Council of Bishops
The Council of Bishops is the Executive Branch of the Connectional Church. It has the general oversight of the Church during the interim between General Conferences. The Council of Bishops shall meet annually at such time and place as the majority of the Council shall determine and also at such other times as may be deemed necessary in the discharging its responsibility as the Executive Branch of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Board of Incorporators
The Board of Incorporators, also known as the General Board of Trustees, has the supervision, in trust, of all connectional property of the Church and is vested with authority to act in behalf of the Connectional Church wherever necessary. Church the General Treasurer and the members of the various Commissions and one Bishop as presiding officer with the other Bishops associating.
Judicial Council
The Judicial Council is the highest judicatory body of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Overview
The AME church estimates around 5,000,000 members, 9000 ministers, and 7000 congregations in more than 30 nations in North and South America, Africa, and Europe . Twenty bishops and 12 general officers comprised the leadership of the denomination
The AME Church is a member of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC), and the World Council of Churches. Church founded in Delaware by Peter Spencer in 1813, or the AME Zion Church, founded in New York.
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