What if these walls could talk at Hyde Park African Methodist Episcopal Church? This church stands as a testament to faith. It is located in Cook County. Its coordinates are N41.67448 W87.63394. It stands at an elevation of 616 feet above sea level.
Let’s step back in time. Picture the era when the African Methodist Episcopal Church was just beginning. It grew from the Free African Society in Philadelphia in 1787. Richard Allen and Absalom Jones were key figures. They established the FAS. The FAS addressed racial discrimination. This occurred at St. George’s MEC. Black members were pulled off their knees while praying.
The FAS transformed into an African congregation. Allen led a group to remain Methodists. In 1794, Bethel AME was dedicated. Allen became its pastor. He fought for Bethel’s independence. He won in Pennsylvania courts in 1807 and 1815. Allen secured the right for his congregation to exist independently. Other black Methodists desired religious autonomy. Allen called them to Philadelphia. They formed a new Wesleyan denomination. It was named the AME.
Before the Civil War, the AME Church spread. It mainly reached the Northeast and Midwest. There were major congregations in Philadelphia. They also existed in New York and Cincinnati. Further congregations were established in Chicago and Detroit. Even in slave states like Maryland congregations were founded. The denomination reached the Pacific Coast by the 1850s. Churches appeared in Stockton and Sacramento. Also, San Francisco gained churches. Bishop Morris Brown established the Canada Annual Conference.
The Civil War and Reconstruction were significant for the AME’s development. AME clergy moved into Confederate states. This happened with the Union army’s permission. They aimed to bring newly freed slaves into their denomination. Theophilus G. Steward preached in South Carolina. His sermon “I Seek My Brethren” became a call. It urged evangelization of blacks in the South. By 1880, AME membership reached 400,000. Bishop Henry M. Turner expanded African Methodism. He went across the Atlantic. He ministered in Liberia and Sierra Leone in 1891. He ministered to South Africa in 1896. The AME had adherents on two continents.
The AME Church is doctrinally Methodist. But clergy and scholars have defined its unique theology. Bishop Benjamin W. Arnett spoke at the 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions. He spoke of blacks’ presence in Christianity’s formation. Bishop Benjamin T. Tanner challenged biblical scholars. He stated that they wrongly portrayed Solomon as white. Theologians James H. Cone and others critiqued Euro-centric Christianity. They also addressed shortcomings in impacting those oppressed by racism.
Today, the African Methodist Episcopal Church spans five continents. It has membership in thirty-nine countries. The work is managed by twenty-one active bishops. Nine General Officers manage the departments.
Think about the journey of the Hyde Park African Methodist Episcopal Church. It is a beacon of faith and resilience. Its story reflects the broader narrative. The AME Church fought for spiritual freedom and social justice. This church stands as a reminder of that ongoing struggle. It is a testament to the power of faith in action.