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'''George Alexander McGuire''' (1866-1934) was a bishop and founder in 1921 of the non-canonical African Orthodox Church,<refgroup="note">The African Orthodox Church (AOC) is a non-canonical, primarily African-American denomination, in the [[w:High church|High church]] Anglican tradition.The AOC holds to the historic three-fold ministry of bishops, priests, and deacons, and lays strong emphasis on [[apostolic succession]]. The church celebrates the seven sacraments of the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. Its worship is liturgical, blending elements of Eastern and Western rites. The [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed|Nicene]], Apostles', and Athanasian creeds are affirmed. (Mead, Frank S. ''Handbook of Denominations in the United States.'' 10th edition. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1995. pp.128-129.)</ref> which had been envisaged as well as chaplaina home for Blacks of the Protestant Episcopal persuasion who wanted ecclesiastical independence, based on [[Apostolic succession|Apostolic tradition]]. In addition he was Chaplain-general General of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA).

In 1894, McGuire arrived in the United States and initially joined the [[w:African Methodist Episcopal Church|African Methodist Episcopal Church]]. On [[January 2]], 1895, however McGuire joined the Episcopal Church and two years later became an ordained priest.

By 1901 McGuire was appointed rector of [http://www.aecst.org/home.htm St. Thomas' Episcopal Church] in Philadelphia. Saint Thomas' served the African American elite of Philadelphia and was one of the most prestigious congregations in African American Christianity, having been started in 1794 by [[w:Absalom Jones|Absalom Jones]], one of the founders, together with [[w:Richard Allen (bishop)|Richard Allen]], of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.<ref>Tony Martin. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=NgIYlUbaoAoC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false McGuire, George Alexander].'' '''Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance'''. Volume 2. Cary D. Wintz, Paul Finkelman (Eds.). Taylor & Francis, 2004. p.776.</ref> He is listed as the rector of St. Thomas' in Philadelphia from 1902-05, succeeded as rector there by A.C.V. Cartier (1906-12), the man whom Fr. [[Raphael Morgan]] had recommended for [[Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] [[ordination]] to the [[Church of Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriachate]]. From 1905 to 1909, McGuire served as Archdeacon for Colored Work in the [[w:Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas|Diocese of Arkansas]], becoming the church's highest ranking African American and the first to achieve the rank of Archdeacon, where he zealously labored to increase the number of missions from one to nine. He also encountered opposition from the local Episcopal bishop who believed blacks should be separated from whites and placed in their own church jurisdiction.

On [[September 2]] 1921, in the ''Church of the Good Shepherd'' in New York City, McGuire returned founded the ''"African Orthodox Church"'' (AOC),<ref group="note">The new denomination was originally called the ''' ''Independent Episcopal Church'' ''', but at its first Conclave, or House of Bishops, meeting on [[September 10]], 1924, the denomination was formally organized as the African Orthodox Church (AOC). Not be confused with the canonical [[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America]] (AOC). (Right Rev. Philippe L. De Coster (B.Th., D.D. (Belgium), Latin Old Roman Catholic Church of Flanders). ''[http://www.scribd.com/doc/2199133/African-Orthodox African Orthodox Church: Its General History]''. 1st Ed. Publ. Eucharist and Devotion, 1993-2008. p.3.</ref> envisaged as a home for blacks of the protestant Episcopal persuasion who wanted ecclesiastical independence. The church, based on traditional Catholic doctrines, was open to all but under complete black leadership and control. McGuire declared to his followers: ''“You must forget the white gods. Erase the white gods from your hearts. We must go back to the native church, to our own true God.”'' The notion of associating with "Orthodoxy" was possibly formed for several reasons. One source of inspiration for the United States in 1918 and soon afterwards joined Orthodox Church may have been due to McGuire's association with the UNIAVery Reverend Father [[Raphael Morgan]]. Marcus GarveyIn addition, "the UNIA’s presidentOrthodox branch of Christianity, appointed him first Chaplaindivided into Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, was never associated with racism, colonialism or religious imperialism. It was never involved in widespread missionary activity and had limited contacts with Afro-General Americans and Africans. Because of its low profile, it was not perceived as racist. The adherents of Eastern Orthodoxy were primarily southern and eastern Europeans, people not associated in the organizationUnited States with the establishment. The other division, at Oriental Orthodoxy, had its inaugural international convention membership in New York what is today referred to as, the Third World - the Middle East, Egypt, Ethiopia and southern India. The name ''African Orthodox Church'' denoted its aim: to be a universal Black church in August 1920affiliation with a branch of Christianity not known for racism or colonialism."<ref name=Natsoulas>Theodore Natsoulas. In this position he wrote two important documents ''Patriarch McGuire and the Spread of UNIA, the African Orthodox Church to Africa.''Universal Negro Ritual'', and 'Journal of Religion in Africa'Universal Negro Catechism,'' , Vol. 12, Fasc. 2 (1981), pp.81-104.</ref><ref group="note">Article one of the latter containing both religious constitution of the African Orthodox church explicitly confirmed and endorsed the church's twofold understanding of its itself and its mandate:<br>:"The name of this church, which was organized September 2nd, 1921, is and historical sectionsshall be THE AFRICAN ORTHODOX CHURCH. Its faith as declared, is Orthodox, reflecting his interest in religion conformity with the Orthodox Churches of the East from which its Episcopate is derived. While it admits to membership and race historyother privileges persons of all races, IT SEEKS PARTICULARLY TO REACH OUT TO THE MILLIONS OF AFRICAN DESCENT IN BOTH HEMISPHERES, and declares itself to be perpetually autonomous and controlled by Negroes.Hence the name, AFRICAN ORTHODOX."<refbr>Tony Martin(Warren C. Platt. ''The African Orthodox Church: An Analysis of Its First Decade. '''''Church History''', Vol. 58, No. 4 (Dec., 1989), pp.483-484.)</ref> Shortly after the UNIA convention in August 1924, McGuire broke with Garvey and focused on expanding his church which mostly attracted Anglican West Indian immigrants, from the [http[w:High Church|High Church]] Anglican tradition (i.e. [[w://booksAnglo-Catholicism|Anglo-Catholicism]]). McGuire would have liked to have seen AOC designated as the official church of UNIA, but Garvey was unwilling to grant such an exclusive priviledge to any denomination. McGuire accordingly resigned from his position at UNIA on the formation of AOC.googleHe then ensured official "orthodox" status for his new church by arranging [[apostolic succession]] for himself.ca<ref name=Martin/books?id>  =NgIYlUbaoAoC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#vConsecration in the American Catholic Church=onepage&q=&f=false Negotitions were immediately initiated with the [[Orthodox Church in America|Russian Orthodox Church in America]] in order to obtain valid [[Holy Orders|Apostolic Orders]]. The Russians were hesitant to assist the formation of another "independent" jurisdiction however, making it clear that they were willing to talk, but in the end, they intended to fully control this Black jurisdiction. Such an arrangement was totally unacceptable to Fr. McGuireand the other leaders of this new jurisdiction. Other Orthodox groups in the U.S.A. expressed the same willingness and intent as the Russians, George Alexanderhowever, the ''African Orthodox Church'' finally entered into negotiations with Archbishop [[w:Joseph René Vilatte|Joseph René Vilatte]]and the ''"American Catholic Church"'' (ACC).<ref group="note">The "American Catholic Church" (ACC) was a sect founded by [[w:Joseph René Vilatte|Joseph René Vilatte]] as an off-shoot of the Episcopalian Church. It included the jurisdictions and groups which had come out of Joseph René Vilatte's Episcopal ministry or were under his oversight. Among them were French and English speaking constituencies, and Polish and Italian ordinariates. The ACC began on [[August 20]], 1894, at a synod held in Cleveland, Ohio, where Polish-speaking parishes joined the jurisdiction of Bishop Vilatte, however the ACC was actually incorporated in July 1915.</ref> Fr.McGuire had himself re-ordained [[Bishop]] in the '' American Catholic Church'' being consecrated on [[September 28]] 1921, in Chicago, Illinois, by Archbishop [[w:Joseph René Vilatte|Joseph René Vilatte]],<ref group="note">Joseph René Vilatte was ordained to the '''Diaconate'''Encyclopedia of on [[June 6]], 1885, and to the Harlem Renaissance'''Priesthood''' on [[June 7]], 1885, by Bishop [[w:Eduard Herzog|Eduard Herzog]], the Old Catholic Bishop of Berne, Switzerland. Volume 2. Cary D. Wintz His '''Episcopal Consecration''' took place on [[May 29]], 1892, in the Cathedral of Archbishop Alvares in Colombo (Ceylon), when he was consecrated by the the Latin Rite [[Church of Antioch (Syriac)|Jacobite]] Bishop Mar Julious I ([[w:Antonio Francisco Xavier Alvares|Antonio Francisco Xavier Alvares]], of the [[Brahmavar (Goan) Orthodox Church]])) and by two other Jacobite bishops, Paul Finkelman with the permission of the Jacobite Patriarch of Antioch (Eds[[w:Ignatius Peter IV|Ignatius Peter IV (III)]]).)His long time goal had been to be recognized as the ''"Old Catholic Archbishop of North America. Taylor & Francis"'' The Jacobites consecrated him as: ''"Mar Timotheous I, 2004Jacobite Old Catholic Bishop of North America. pp.776"'' (See: '''[[Episcopi vagantes]]''').</ref>

On The Episcopal Church subsequently [[September 2Excommunication|excommunicated]] 1921, him. And the Roman Catholic Church excommunicated him both in 1900 and in 1907 (although he was reconciled to Rome from 1925 up to his death in 1929). Rene Vilatte as bishop made more than twenty subsequent consecrations of new bishops and of new churches. These consecrations became doubtful because they were made outside the authority of the Church. This prompted '''the Syro-Jacobite Church to officially withdraw recognition of the Good Shepherdsecession churches in 1938''' . Further, Vilatte was accused of not upholding the canons, nor did he remain within the jurisdiction of the Church of Antioch.<br>Some of the Old Catholic sects descended from Vilatte claim that, despite the fact that he had, in New York Citypractical fact, abandoned any connection with the Jacobites, McGuire founded some of the Jacobite sects in India consider him a "Saint"African Orthodox . And while the validity of Vilatte's Orders in the Roman Catholic Church" (AOC)was never finally settled, though personal opinions tend to the negative, most non-Roman Old Catholics maintain that his Orders were valid.</ref> assisted by bishop Carl A. Nybladh who had been consecrated by Vilatte.<ref>Not be confused with the canonical Right Rev. Philippe L. De Coster (B.Th., D.D. (Belgium), Latin Old Roman Catholic Church of Flanders). ''[[Antiochian http://www.scribd.com/doc/2199133/African-Orthodox African Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North AmericaChurch: Its General History]] (AOC''. 1st Ed. Publ. Eucharist and Devotion, 1993-2008. p.3.).</ref> envisaged as a home for blacks <ref group="note">In the earlier issues of ''The Negro Churchman'', the official organ of the protestant Episcopal persuasion who wanted ecclesiastical independenceAOC, there were frequent references to the validity of McGuire's consecration. The churchOn at least four occasions, based a chart was printed on traditional Catholic doctrinesthe cover page which traced the apostolic succession from the [[Church of Antioch (Syriac)|See of Antioch]] to McGuire:<br>:1. Ignatius Peter III, was open Syro-Jacobite Patriarch of Antioch and successor to all but under complete black leadership and controlS. Peter consecrated<br>:2. Paul Athanasius in 1877 consecrated<br>:3. Archbishop Alvarez of Ceylon in 1879 consecrated<br> :4. Archbishop Vilatte in 1892 consecrated<br>:5. Bishop McGuire declared to his followers: in 1921<br>(Theodore Natsoulas. ''“You must forget Patriarch McGuire and the white gods. Erase Spread of the white gods from your hearts. We must go back to the native church, African Orthodox Church to our own true GodAfrica.”'''''Journal of Religion in Africa''', Vol. 12, Fasc. 2 (1981), pp. 81-104.)</ref>

Shortly ===Meeting with the Ecumenical Patriarch===McGuire's concern with legitimacy was evident in his attempt to secure recognition from the Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. In December 1921, three months after his consecration, McGuire, through the intercession of Eastern Orthodox prelates, was granted an audience with Patriarch [[Meletius IV (Metaxakis) of Constantinople|Meletios]] while the UNIA convention latter was on a visit to New York City. The Patriarch was interested in August 1924the origins and dogma of the AOC. He accepted the Jacobite episcopal source as legitimate but was concerned over its [[Monophysitism|monophysite]] dogma. To McGuire this must have been a relatively minor matter and he had no difficulty in satisfying the Patriarch. Meletios also was concerned with Western Christian influences in dogma that might have permeated the AOC especially on the question of the nature of the [[Holy Trinity|Trinity]]. (Both Roman Catholicism and Anglicanism adhere to the belief that the Holy Spirit [[Filioque|proceeds from both the Father and Son]], while Orthodoxy holds procession only from the Father). Here too McGuire broke appears to have satisfied the Patriarch. Other areas of agreement between Greek Orthodoxy and the AOC included common acceptance of the dogmatic decisions of the seven [[Ecumenical Councils]], the seven [[Holy Mysteries|Sacraments]], the original form of the [[Nicene Creed]], the concept of transubstantiation, the declaration of the Virgin Mary as [[Mother of God]], justification by both faith and good works, and the rejection of predestination. McGuire claimed that the Patriarch accepted the AOC as an Orthodox Church but would not afford it [[Full communion|communion]] with Garvey Eastern Orthodoxy until it demonstrated stability and focused on expanding his church which mostly attracted Anglican West Indian immigrantsgrowth.

:McGuire would have liked to have seen AOC designated as the official church of UNIAIn 1924 Meletios and his successor, but Garvey was unwilling to grant such an exclusive priviledge to any denomination. McGuire accordingly resigned from his position at UNIA on the formation of AOC. He ensured official "orthodox" status for his new church by arranging [[apostolic succession]] for himself. He had himself reordained Bishop in the American Catholic Church (ACC);<ref>The "American Catholic Church" (ACC) was an off-shoot Gregory VII of the Episcopalian Church, a sect founded by [[w:Joseph René VilatteConstantinople|Joseph René VilatteGregorios VII]]. It included the jurisdictions , requested more information and groups which had come out received copies of Joseph René Vilattethe AOC's Episcopal ministry or were under his oversight. Among them were French and English speaking constituenciesDivine Liturgy, canons, constitution and Polish and Italian ordinariatesDeclaration of Faith. The ACC began on August 20Despite the interest shown, 1894, at the AOC never gained the desired recognition from a synod held in Clevelandmajor Eastern Orthodox Church. Orthodoxy does recognize different rites, Ohio, where Polish-speaking parishes joined but one of the stumbling blocks may have been the jurisdiction apparent eclectic nature of Bishop Vilattethe AOC's liturgy and services. At its inception, however the ACC liturgy was actually incorporated in July 1915described as a mixture of Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism and Orthodoxy.</ref><ref>Episcopal rector George Alexander McGuire The chief service was consecrated a Bishop on the Mass; minor and major orders were conferred through the [[September 28w:Roman Pontifical|Catholic Pontifical]] 1921, in Chicago, Illinois, by Archbishop ; and the official hymnal was the Anglican ''[[w:Joseph René VilatteHymns Ancient and Modern|Joseph René VilatteHymns Ancient and Modern]], assisted by bishop Carl A. Nybladh who had been consecrated by Vilatte. (Right Rev. Philippe L. De Coster (B.Th., D.D. (Belgium), Latin Old Roman Catholic Church of Flanders). ''The AOC was essentially [http[w://www.scribd.com/doc/2199133/AfricanAnglo-Orthodox African Orthodox Church: Its General HistoryCatholicism|High Anglican]]''. 1st Ed. Publ. Eucharist and Devotion, 1993-2008. p.3.)</ref> he it was then ordained first Bishop Orthodox only to the extent that its leader had the title of Patriarch, that the new AOC by a representative original form of the [[Orthodox Church Nicene Creed]] had been adopted, and that its episcopal source was in America|Russian an Orthodox Church]].<ref>Tony Martin. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?idname=NgIYlUbaoAoC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false McGuire, George Alexander].'' '''Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance'''. Volume 2. Cary D. Wintz, Paul Finkelman (Eds.). Taylor & Francis, 2004. pp.776<Natsoulas/ref>

:===Consolidation and Growth 1924-1934===In 1924, the newly organized conclave of AOC unanimously elected McGuire [[Archbishop ]] of the church. During the remaining decade of his life McGuire built AOC into a thriving international church. Branches were eventually established in Canada, Barbados, Cuba, [[Archdiocese of Johannesburg and Pretoria|South Africa]], [[Archdiocese of Kampala and All Uganda|Uganda]], [[Archdiocese of Kenya|Kenya]], Miami, Chicago, Harlem, Boston, Cambridge (Massachusetts), and elsewhere. The official organ of AOC, ''The Negro Churchman,'' became an effective link for the far-flung organization.<ref>Tony name=Martin. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=NgIYlUbaoAoC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false McGuire, George Alexander].'' '''Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance'''. Volume 2. Cary D. Wintz, Paul Finkelman (Eds.). Taylor & Francis, 2004. pp.776</ref>

McGuire founded a parish of his denomination in West Palm Beach, Florida in 1925. Two years after that, he consecrated an African clergyman as Metropolitan Archbishop for South Africa and central and southern Africa, [[Daniel William Daniel Alexander]]. At the same time McGuire was elected [[Patriarch ]] of the denomination with the title ''Alexander I''. The church then spread to Uganda, as well.

At the time of his death on [[November 10]], 1934, the African Orthodox Church claimed over 30,000 members, fifty clergy and thirty churches located on three continents: North America, South America and Africa.  ===Summary===The movement for ecclesiastical independence started by McGuire in 1921 can be viewed from two perspectives.  First, it was an expression of Black cultural independence in the United States and Africa. It was an effort to promote widespread religious unity under Black leadership. The AOC's inclusion within the apostolic succession was hoped to give it legitimacy in the eyes of both the Black community and the Christian world. This legitimacy, however, did not lead to the growth that McGuire had hoped. Although the AOC increased in size during its first decade, it was primarily through the forceful personality of its leader rather than because of the principle of apostolic succession. After his death the AOC splintered and weakened. In South Africa there was growth, but not at the rate anticipated by Daniel William Alexander, whose most fruitful efforts were the spread of the AOC to Uganda and Kenya, now under the administrative umbrella of the Orthodox [[Church of Alexandria|Patriarchate of Alexandria]]. Second, in its attempt to bring together Blacks of the diaspora and Africa into a common movement, the AOC was a manifestation of Pan-Africanism. Spiritual and emotional needs left unattended in their respective countries, propelled Blacks in the United States and South Africa to affiliate and assert their autonomy in an area where the White establishments saw no threat. Discrimination, racism and second-class citizenship engendered this effort at ecclesiastical independence and racial cooperation on both sides of the Atlantic.<ref name=Natsoulas/>

==External LinlsLinks==

* [[Makarios (Tillyrides) of Kenya]]. ''[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitutescribd.orgcom/articlesdoc/church_history15192175/makarios_tillyrides_east_africa.htm Constitution-of-the-African-Orthodox-Church The Origin African Orthodox Church: Its Declaration of Orthodoxy in East AfricaFaith: Constitutions and Canons].'' '''Orthodox Research Institute14 pp.'''

[[Category:People|McGuire]]