This week in Christian history: AME founder born, Dead Sea Scrolls

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor

Richard Allen born – Feb. 14, 1760

Richard Allen (1760-1831), founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Richard Allen (1760-1831), founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. | Public Domain

This week marks the anniversary of when Richard Allen, the black preacher who founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church, was born the son of slaves.

Allen became a Methodist as a teenager, in part because of the denomination’s official opposition to slavery. He decided to found his own denomination in 1816 after experiencing prejudice within a Methodist church.

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In addition to the denomination, Allen also helped found Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a prominent and influential congregation.

In 2016, the United States Postal Service honored Allen with an official stamp, saying in a statement at the time that Allen’s “life — a legacy of determination, uplift, charity and faith — remains an inspiration to all Americans.”

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