Richard Allen (reverend)
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Richard Allen (14 February 1760 - 26 March 1831) was an African American pastor and the founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Born as a slave of colonial jurist Benjamin Chew at Germantown, Pennsylvania (now a part of Philadelphia) in 1760, his family was soon sold to a Stockley Sturgis, whose plantation was near Dover, Delaware.
Converted early, he joined the Methodist Society at an early age, and began evangelizing and attending services so regularly that he attracted criticism from local slave owners. In response to this opposition Richard and his brothers redoubled their efforts for Stokely, whom Richard described as "unconverted...but... what the world called a good master". This hard and pious work lead Stokley to encourage preaching amongst his slaves, and soon he was convinced that slavery was wrong, and therefore offered his slaves an opportunity to buy their freedom.
| Part of a series on Methodism | |
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| John Wesley | |
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Background Christianity Protestantism Pietism Anglicanism Arminianism | |
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Doctrinal distinctives Articles of Religion Prevenient Grace Governmental Atonement Imparted righteousness Christian perfection | |
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People Richard Allen Francis Asbury Thomas Coke Albert C. Outler Charles Wesley George Whitefield · | |
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Largest groups World Methodist Council United Methodist Church AME Church Church of the Nazarene British Methodist Church | |
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Related movements Holiness movement Salvation Army Personalism Pentecostalism | |
Long having preached amongst his neighbors, Richard began preaching at St. George's Methodist Church, although this was only allowed in the early mornings, and within a segregated section built for their purpose. He also regularly preached on the commons, gaining a congregation of nearly 50, supporting himself with a variety of odd jobs.
Allen's desire to build a place of worship for African Americans brought only scorn from his white church and the established African Americans of his community. Rev. Absalom Jones, along with few others however supported the move. In 1787 they formed the "Free African Society" and left St. George's Methodist Church. In 1816 Richard founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia and was elected its first bishop.
Allen at first supported the "back to Africa" movement, and even a scheme for emigration to Haiti, but later was convinced by the overwhelming opposition of Philadelphia’s black community to oppose the white led American Colonization Society which organized it. Allen, Jones, and James Forten were the acknowledged leaders of the free black American community of that day.
Reference
External links / References
- [Richard Allen & African-American Identity]
- [from PBS.org]
- [about the AMEs]
- [The Life of Richard Allen]
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