AME
The African Methodist Episcopal Church is the oldest independent Protestant denomination founded by Black Americans, established in 1816 by Richard Allen in Philadelphia in protest of racial segregation in Methodist worship. The AME Church combines Wesleyan theology with a prophetic commitment to racial justice, education, and liberation. It has historically been a center of African American community life, civil rights activism, and global missions in Africa and the Caribbean.
Doctrine
What We Believe
Salvation
Grace available to all; free will to accept Christ; emphasis on sanctification
Scripture
Bible as the inspired Word of God; interpreted through Wesleyan tradition
Baptism
Both infant and believer's baptism; sprinkling or immersion
Communion
Spiritual presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper
Worship Style
Vibrant and Spirit-filled; gospel music, call-and-response preaching, communal energy
Church Government
Episcopal; bishops govern episcopal districts; General Conference is highest authority
Women in Leadership
Women ordained as deacons, elders, and bishops
LGBTQ+ Stance
Traditional; marriage defined as between a man and woman (official position)
476 AME churches
Browse the full directory
Directory
Featured AME Churches
Saint James AME Church
Mount Teman AME Church
Historic Bethel AME Church
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