The Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas is a predominantly

African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

Holiness-

Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement

Christian denomination A Christian denomination is a distinct religious body within Christianity that comprises all church congregations of the same kind, identifiable by traits such as a name, particular history, organization, leadership, theological doctrine, worsh ...

based in the United States. Originating when the African American members of the integrated Fire-Baptized Holiness Church withdrew to form their own organization, the church was founded at Greer, South Carolina in 1908.

History

The church was founded by Benjamin Hardin Irwin and Bishop William Edward Fuller Sr. (1875–1958). The Fire-Baptized Holiness Association originated in

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

in 1895 under the leadership of Benjamin H. Irwin of

Lincoln, Nebraska Lincoln is the capital city of the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Lancaster County. The city covers with a population of 292,657 in 2021. It is the second-most populous city in Nebraska and the 73rd-largest in the United Sta ...

. Irwin expanded this into a national organization as the Fire-Baptized Holiness Church at

Anderson, South Carolina Anderson is a city in and the county seat of Anderson County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 28,106 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, and the city was the center of an urbanized area of 75,702. It is one of the prin ...

in August 1898. At age 23, William E. Fuller Sr., a member of the African-American New Hope Methodist Church, attended the founding of that body in 1898. Blacks and whites were admitted with equality. Fuller returned to New Hope from the 1898 meeting, resigned his offices, turned in his license, and cast his lot with the Fire-Baptized Holiness. After Irwin left the church in 1900, Joseph Hillery King became the general overseer. Fuller served as Assistant General Overseer to King in 1905. Acting on what he thought was a trend toward segregation, Fuller led about 500 members to organize the Colored Fire Baptized Holiness Church in 1908 in Greer, South Carolina. ''The True Witness'' periodical was established in 1909. On June 8, 1926 the name Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas was adopted. The predominantly Anglo-American division of the Fire-Baptized Holiness Church merged with the Pentecostal Holiness Church on January 30, 1911 in

Falcon, North Carolina Falcon is a town in Cumberland and Sampson counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 258 at the 2010 census. History Falcon Tabernacle was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Geography Falcon is lo ...

, to form what is now known as the

International Pentecostal Holiness Church The International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC) or simply Pentecostal Holiness Church (PHC) is a Holiness-Pentecostal Christian denomination founded in 1911 with the merger of two older denominations. Historically centered in the Southeaster ...

, though prior to this in 1898, the Southeastern Kansas Fire Baptized Holiness Association separated from the denomination over differences in doctrine and is known today as the

Bible Holiness Church The Fire-Baptized Holiness Church was a holiness Christian denomination in North America and much of the denomination was involved in the early formation of Pentecostalism, the advent of which caused schism in the church; it continues today in the ...

Structure and beliefs

The church government of the organization is

episcopal Episcopal may refer to: *Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church *Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese *Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name ** Episcopal Church (United State ...

. Bishops are the highest officials of the church, and preside over divisions called ''dioceses''. The sacraments of the church are

baptism Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost inv ...

and the

Lord's Supper The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instituted ...

. Feet washing,

matrimony Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

, and funerals are considered ordinances. Women can be licensed and ordained to preach and serve as pastors. The church headquarters and school are located in

Greenville, South Carolina Greenville (; locally ) is a city in and the seat of Greenville County, South Carolina, United States. With a population of 70,720 at the 2020 census, it is the sixth-largest city in the state. Greenville is located approximately halfway be ...

. In 2003, the Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God had about 160 congregations, mostly on the east coast of the United States, but also including one church each in Canada, England, the Virgin Islands, and 15 congregations in Jamaica.

References

*''Handbook of Denominations in the United States (8th ed.)'', by Frank S. Mead and Samuel S. Hill

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Fire Baptized Holiness Church Of God Of The Americas Pentecostal denominations Pentecostalism in the United States Historically African-American Christian denominations Church of God denominations Christian new religious movements Holiness denominations Organizations based in South Carolina Greenville, South Carolina