African Methodist Episcopal Church


African Methodist Episcopal Church,

Methodist denomination (see MethodismMethodism,
the doctrines, polity, and worship of those Protestant Christian denominations that have developed from the movement started in England by the teaching of John Wesley.
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). It was established in 1816 in Philadelphia with Richard AllenAllen, Richard,
1760–1831, American clergyman, founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He was born a slave in Philadelphia and purchased his freedom. He became pastor of a black group that had seceded from the Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia.
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 as its first bishop. In 1991 there were about 3.5 million members in the United States.