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→African Orthodox Church
On [[September 2]] 1921, in the ''Church of the Good Shepherd'' in New York City, McGuire 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 Orthodox Church very likely may have been due to McGuire's association with the Very Reverend Father [[Raphael Morgan]]. Furthermore, "the The Orthodox branch of Christianity, divided 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-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 United States with the establishment. The other division, Oriental Orthodoxy, had its membership in 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 affiliation with a branch of Christianity not known for racism or colonialism."<ref name=Natsoulas>Theodore Natsoulas. ''Patriarch McGuire and the Spread of the African Orthodox Church to Africa.'' '''Journal of Religion in Africa''', Vol. 12, Fasc. 2 (1981), pp.81-104.</ref><ref group="note">Article one of the 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 shall be THE AFRICAN ORTHODOX CHURCH. Its faith as declared, is Orthodox, in conformity with the Orthodox Churches of the East from which its Episcopate is derived. While it admits to membership and other 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."<br>
(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>