Original Church of God or Sanctified Church
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The Original Church of God or Sanctified Church is an association of
holiness Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...
Christian churches headquartered in Nashville,
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
. The members and clergy of the churches are predominantly
African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ensl ...
. The official name of the body is The Original Church of God or Sanctified Church, General Body.


History

The church's roots are in the holiness movement. In the 1890s a group of
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only ( believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compe ...
ministers, led by Charles Price Jones and
Charles Harrison Mason Bishop Charles Harrison Mason Sr. (September 8, 1866 – November 17, 1961) was an American Holiness–Pentecostal pastor and minister. He was the founder and first Senior Bishop of the Church of God in Christ, based in Memphis, Tennessee. It d ...
, were dismissed by the Baptist Church for preaching entire sanctification. After a number of unaffiliated revivals, a church was formed in
Jackson Jackson may refer to: People and fictional characters * Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Qu ...
,
Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
, by Jones, Mason, and others. Originally called the "Church of God", it was soon renamed the "Church of God in Christ" and had affiliated churches in a number of cities. During this time an elder of the church, Charles W. Gray formed a number of Church of God in Christ churches in and around Nashville. The Church of God in Christ split in 1907 over the issue of
pentecostalism Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement
, with both factions continuing to use the name "Church of God in Christ" until 1915 when the pentecostal faction, led by Mason, incorporated under that name, Church of God in Christ. The non-pentecostal faction led by Jones began using the name
Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A. The Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A. is a Holiness body of Christians headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi. In 2010, there were 14,000 members in 154 churches. History The Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A. shares a common early history wi ...
, and incorporated under that name in 1920. At the time of the 1907 schism, Gray's churches also split from the Church of God in Christ. Though they were also non-pentecostal and were doctrinally identical to Jones' faction, they were independent from Jones' body and were congregational in organization. Gray's churches were known by the name "Church of God (Sanctified Church)". In 1927 the Church of God (Sanctified Church) incorporated under the name "Church of God, or Sanctified Church" (subsequently changed to "Church of God Sanctified, Incorporated") and created a board of elders as its governing body. The new board approved the ordination of women, which Gray opposed,Dupree, Sherry S.
''African-American Holiness Pentecostal Movement: An Annotated Bibliography'', Routledge, September 13, 2013, p. 254
 and in that same year Gray and a group of members broke away to form a new body, the "Original Church of God or Sanctified Church." Both bodies still exist today. Gray remained the leader of the church until his death in 1945, followed by William Crosby until 1952, and T.R. Jeffries.


Churches and membership

The body includes about 63 churches. As of the 1970s it had about 5,000 members.


See also

* Original Church of God (Pulaski, Tennessee)


References

{{reflist


External links


Official Site
African-American history in Nashville, Tennessee African-American churches in Tennessee Holiness denominations Historically African-American Christian denominations Christian organizations established in 1927 Christian denominations established in the 20th century Church of God denominations Pentecostal denominations in North America Pentecostalism in the United States