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Abstract

Marcus Garvey left substantial documentation regarding his beliefs about the nature of God, humanity, and salvation and the role of religion, positioning him as a theologian of considerable merit. Yet Garvey's contributions to the religious discourse have been widely ignored in academic circles, even though his theological ideas found tangible expression in his programs and institutions founded and in movements espousing solidarity to Garvey's race first agenda. One such movement is the Shrine of the Black Madonna of the Pan African Orthodox Christian Church (PAOCC). Founded in 1953 by the late Reverend Albert B. Cleage Jr., considered by many to be the father of Black liberation theology, the PAOCC embodies many of Garvey's beliefs. In this article, the author explores the similarities and differences in Garvey's and Cleage's theologies and their organizational expressions via the Universal Negro Improvement Association and the African Orthodox Church, and the PAOCC, respectively.

Keywords

Marcus Garvey religion comparative analysis Albert B. Cleage Jr.Pan-Africanist theology Christianity African religion

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Princes Shall Come out of Egypt

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