| Pillar of Fire International | |
|---|---|
| Orientation | Methodist |
| Theology | Wesleyan-Arminian |
| General superintendent | Joseph Gross |
| Headquarters | Zarephath, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Founder | Alma Bridwell White |
| Origin | 1901 Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Branched from | Methodist Episcopal Church |
| Places of worship | 76[1] |
| Hospitals | Zarephath Health Center |
| Primary schools | Alma Heights Christian Schools, Belleview Christian School, Eden Grove Academy, Sycamore Grove School |
| Tax status | 501(c)(3)[2] |
| Tertiary institutions | Belleview College, Pillar College |
| Official website | www |
| Part of a series on |
| Methodism |
|---|
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The Pillar of Fire International, also known as the Pillar of Fire Church, is a Methodist Christian denomination with headquarters in Zarephath, New Jersey.[3] The Pillar of Fire Church affirms the Methodist Articles of Religion and as of 1988, had 76 congregations around the world, including the United States, as well as "Great Britain, India, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, the Philippines, Spain, and former Yugoslavia".[1]
The denomination runs radio stations, a printing press, and educational institutions including a seminary.[1]
In the early 20th century, Pillar of Fire was known for its support for women's rights;[1] in the same century, it was known for supporting the Ku Klux Klan and its racist platform.[4][5] In 1997 and 2009, Pillar of Fire repudiated the denomination's former association with racism and requested forgiveness from God for formerly holding this position.[5][6][7] In the present day, worshippers at the mother church in Zarephath are "young, old, white, black, Asian, Hispanic".[5]
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- ^ a b c d Kurian, George Thomas; Lamport, Mark A. (10 November 2016). Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 1808. ISBN 978-1-4422-4432-0.
- ^ "Pillar of Fire". "Tax Exempt Organization Search". Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
- ^ "Pillar of Fire International". Pillar of Fire International. Archived from the original on June 23, 2017. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
- ^ Lock, Norman (7 June 2020). American Follies. Bellevue Literary Press. ISBN 978-1-942658-49-8.
As for the second exception, Alma Bridwell White, founder and bishop of the Pillar of Fire Church in Zarephath, New Jersey, was a zealot of the Klan during th 1920s and 1930s.
- ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference
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