AME History
“Founded in freedom, rooted in faith, and committed to justice" — the African Methodist Episcopal Church is a global witness for The African Methodist Episcopal Church (AMEC) was founded in 1787 out of a struggle for religious freedom and dignity. Richard Allen, Absalom Jones, and others formed the Free African Society in Philadelphia after being forced from worship at St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church because of racial discrimination. In 1794, Allen dedicated Bethel AME, securing its independence through the courts and laying the foundation for the denomination.
The AME Church spread quickly, establishing congregations in northern cities like Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Chicago, and Detroit, as well as in parts of the South and even California and Canada before the Civil War. During Reconstruction, AME ministers evangelized newly freed slaves, and by 1880 membership reached 400,000. Bishop Henry M. Turner later extended the Church into Africa.
Today, the AME Church is present in 20 Episcopal Districts across 39 countries on five continents. Rooted in Methodist doctrine, it carries a distinct heritage of liberation, justice, and service.
Our Beliefs
“Methodist in doctrine, distinctive in mission — the AME Church stands for faith, freedom, and justice.”
The African Methodist Episcopal Church (AMEC) shares the core doctrine and worship of Methodism. Our denomination was not born out of doctrinal differences, but from a struggle against racism and injustice within the Methodist Episcopal Church. Richard Allen and fellow believers created a church where people of African descent could worship freely and with dignity.
The foundation of our faith is expressed in the Apostles’ Creed and The Twenty-Five Articles of Religion, which affirm belief in the Trinity, the divinity of Jesus Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit, the authority of Scripture, the necessity of salvation by grace through faith, and the practice of the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion.
While Methodist in doctrine, the AME Church emphasizes liberation, justice, and service, living out the Gospel by confronting oppression and lifting up God’s people. We remain a church both rooted in tradition and responsive to the needs of the present age.