imported>GhostInTheMachine: Changing short description from "American Christian denomination, 1918-" to "American Christian denomination"

2025-07-12T18:36:02Z

Changing short description from "American Christian denomination, 1918-" to "American Christian denomination"

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{{Short description|American Christian denomination}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}
The '''African Orthodox Church''' ('''AOC''') is a predominantly [[Black church|African-American Christian denomination]] which was founded in the United States in 1918 by the joint collaboration of its first patriarch, [[George Alexander McGuire]], and [[Marcus Garvey|Marcus M. Garvey]].

The AOC holds to the historic three-fold ministry of [[bishop]]s, [[priest]]s, and [[deacon]]s, and lays strong emphasis on [[apostolic succession]]. The church celebrates the seven [[sacraments]] of the [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic Church]]. Its worship is [[liturgy|liturgical]], of Eastern and Western rites. The [[Nicene Creed|Nicene]], [[Apostles' Creed|Apostles']], and [[Athanasian Creed|Athanasian]] creeds are affirmed.<ref name="Mead, Frank S. 1995, pp. 128-129">Mead, Frank S., ''Handbook of Denominations in the United States'', 10th edition, Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1995, pp. 128-129</ref>

== History ==

The African Orthodox Church was founded on the belief that black [[Episcopal Church in the United States of America|Episcopalians]] should have a denomination of their own. Episcopal rector [[George Alexander McGuire]] was consecrated a bishop on September 28, 1921, who had served as Chaplain-General of the ''Universal Negro Improvement Association'' (U. N. I. A.), in [[Chicago]], Illinois, by an ''[[Episcopi vagantes|episcopus vagans]]'', Archbishop [[Joseph Rene Vilatte]], assisted by Bishop Carl A. Nybladh who had been consecrated by Vilatte. This placed Bishop McGuire in [[apostolic succession]], which was something he had greatly desired.<ref name="Mead, Frank S. 1995, pp. 128-129"/>

The [[United States Census Bureau]]'s ''Religious Bodies'', 1926 edition, first reported one denomination "which now has a thriving organization of congregations" derived from Vilatte, that "aspires to ultimate association with Eastern Orthodox Churches as a racial or national unit" and "does not desire any association with Old Catholic Churches"—the {{abbr|AOC|African Orthodox Church}}.<ref name="USBoC1929">{{cite encyclopedia|year=1929|title=Religious bodies: 1926|encyclopedia=Religious bodies|publisher=United States Government Printing Office|location=Washington, DC|url=http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015002601345?urlappend=%3Bseq=1087|access-date=April 24, 2013|author-link=United States Census Bureau|edition=1926|volume=2|pages=45–49, 1070|oclc=628203882|author=United States. Bureau of the Census|hdl=2027/mdp.39015002601345?urlappend=%3Bseq=1087}}</ref>{{rp|page=1070}} It had its episcopal see in New York City but incorporated in Florida. It claimed 13 organizations, with a membership of 1,508 without a church edifice. There was no organization reporting a parsonage. The number of ministers identified with the church was 30.<ref name="USBoC1929" />{{rp|pages=46–47}}

The African Orthodox Church of New York (AOCoNY) was another denomination first reported in 1926 within ''Religious Bodies''. It was incorporated in New York state) and also had its episcopal see in New York City. The {{abbr|AOCoNY|African Orthodox Church of New York}} was in a fellowship "strictly one of spiritual communion" with the {{abbr|AOC|African Orthodox Church}} and a distinct organization with "absolute independence." It claimed three organizations, with a membership of 717 with one church edifice. There was one organization reporting a parsonage. The number of ministers identified with the church was not reported.<ref name="USBoC1929" />{{rp|page=49}}

The African Orthodox Church originally attracted mostly [[Anglican]] [[West Indian]] immigrants. It spread to the South in 1925 when McGuire started a parish in [[West Palm Beach]], Florida. Two years later he consecrated an African, Daniel William Alexander, as Primate of the Province of [[South Africa]] and central and southern Africa. At this time McGuire was elected as [[patriarch]] with the title of Alexander I. The church then spread to [[British Uganda]] and [[British Kenya]], where it grew to about 10,000. A congregation also developed in [[Nassau, Bahamas]].<ref name="Brandreth1987" />{{rp|page=37}}

In 1932 a bishop of the church went to Uganda and ordained [[Ruben Spartus Mukasa]] and one of his associates there priests of the African Orthodox Church. However, a few years later, Mukasa and his followers decided to align with the [[Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria]]. Mukasa went to [[Alexandria]] and was ordained by the patriarch there, while the African Orthodox Church lost its connection in Uganda.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cnewa.org/mag-article-bodypg-us.aspx?articleID=3211 |title=history of Orthodoxy in Uganda |access-date=October 29, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927200903/http://www.cnewa.org/mag-article-bodypg-us.aspx?articleID=3211 |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The St. John William Coltrane Church in [[San Francisco]] was founded in 1971 and joined the AOC in 1982.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/01/us/01religion.html|title=Sunday Religion, Inspired by Saturday Nights|first=Samuel G.|last=Freedman|newspaper=The New York Times|date=December 1, 2007}}</ref>

== Relationship to the Syriac Orthodox Church ==
A notice from the [[Syriac Orthodox Church|Syriac Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East]] concerning schismatic bodies and ''{{lang|la|[[episcopi vagantes]]}}'', dated December 10, 1938, states that "after direct expulsion from official Christian communities" some schismatic bodies exist, including "all the sects claiming succession through [[René Vilatte|Vilatte]]", that claim "without truth to derive their origin and apostolic succession from some ancient Apostolic Church of the East" and
{{quote|[...] some of these schismatic bodies have with effrontery published statements which are untrue as to an alleged relation "in succession and ordination" to our Holy Apostolic Church and her forefathers, We find it necessary to announce to all whom it may concern that we deny any and every relation whatsoever with these schismatic bodies and repudiate them and their claims absolutely. Furthermore, our Church forbids any and every relationship, and above all, intercommunion with all and any of these schismatic sects and warns the public that their statements and pretensions [...] are altogether without truth.<ref name="Brandreth1987">{{cite book|location=Northumberland, Great Britain|publisher=Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge|last=Brandreth|first=Henry R. T.|title=Episcopi vagantes and the Anglican Church|date=n.d.|orig-year=1947|url=http://anglicanhistory.org/england/hrtbrandreth/vagantes1947.pdf}}</ref>{{rp|page=70}}}}
The notice named the {{abbr|AOC|African Orthodox Church}} specifically as an example of such schismatic bodies.<ref name="Brandreth1987" />{{rp|page=70}}

In a letter dated to 1987, however, [[Athanasius Paulose II]] of the [[Evangelistic Association of the East]], stated the following:<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kersey |first=John |date=2014-06-01 |title=Letters from the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church |url=https://san-luigi.org/2014/06/01/letters-from-the-malankara-orthodox-syrian-church/ |access-date=2025-03-08 |website=The Abbey-Principality of San Luigi |language=en}}</ref>

{{Quote|text=I have your kind letter of 02-06-1987. Regarding your doubt about the consecration of Mar Joseph Rene Vilatte of U.S.A., I referred six books and confirm that what you have said about Mar Julius is correct. Mar Joseph Rene Vilatte of U.S.A. was consecrated at Colombe of Ceylone in 1892 by Mar Paulose Athanasius, Mar Julius, and Mar Geevarghese Gregoriose as authorized by H.H. The Patriarch of Antioch. Mar Julius was a duly consecrated Bishop. This is the position of our Syrian Orthodox Church.}}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Christianity|United States}}
* {{annotated link|Evangelical Orthodox Church}}
* {{annotated link|Harlem Renaissance}}
* {{annotated link|Raphael Morgan}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Works cited ==
* Alexander, D. W. ''Constitution and Canons and Episcopate of the African Orthodox Church'' Beaconsfield 1942
* Arthur C. Thompson's ''The History of the African Orthodox Church'' (1956)
* Byron Rushing's ''A Note on the Origin of the African Orthodox Church'' (JNH, Jan. 1972)
* Gavin White. "Patriarch McGuire and the Episcopal Church" in Historical Magazine of the Protestant Episcopal Church. No. 38. — 1969. — P. 109—141.

== External links ==
* [http://netministries.org/see/churches.exe/ch26904 NetMinistries - African Orthodox Church, Inc.]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160406014839/http://www.mtv.com/news/2862125/a-place-for-the-soul-to-sing-the-church-of-st-john-coltrane/ A Place For The Soul To Sing: The Church Of St. John Coltrane], [[Carvell Wallace]], April 5, 2016, [[MTV]].
* [https://www.worldwideanglicanchurch.org/ Worldwide Anglican Church] of Uganda and Nigeria (African Orthodox Church of Africa)

{{Black church}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Anglicanism in the United States]]
[[Category:Christian denominations established in the 20th century]]
[[Category:Christian organizations established in 1921]]
[[Category:Historically African-American Christian denominations]]
[[Category:Old Catholic denominations in the United States]]
[[Category:1921 establishments in Illinois]]

African Orthodox Church - Revision history

imported>GhostInTheMachine: Changing short description from "American Christian denomination, 1918-" to "American Christian denomination"