African Theological Archministry

{{short description|Charitable and spiritual nonprofit organization}}

{{Infobox organization

| name = African Theological Archministry

| abbreviation = A.T.A.

| image = African Theological Archministry logo.png

| caption =

| type = 501c(3) NPO

| status = Active

| headquarters = Oyotunji, South Carolina, U.S.

| language = English

| leader_title = Chief Executive Officer

| leader_name = Oba Adejuyigbe Adefunmi II

| leader_title2 = Executive Director

| leader_name2 = Olofundeyi Olaitan{{cite news |title=The Spirits That Protect Key West |url=http://thebluepaper.com/the-spirits-that-protect-key-west/ |publisher=The Blue Paper {{!}} Meetings Coverage and Press Releases | work = www.oyotunji.org | date = 22 December 1970}}

| affiliations = Oyotunji African Village (O.A.V.)

| established = {{start date and age|1970|03|01|df=years}}

| revenue = less than $50,000

| footnotes =

| website = {{URL|http://www.oyotunji.org}}

}}

The African Theological Archministry (ATA) is a charitable and spiritual 501(c)3 nonprofit organization chartered in the state of South Carolina in 1980. It spawned as a cultural, historical and spiritual movement in New York in the 1970s from the "Sango Temple", a branch of the ancient spiritual traditions of the ancient Isese of the Yoruba and Vodun of the Fon that was founded by Oba Efuntola Oseijeman Adefunmi I, born Walter Eugene King in Detroit, MI.{{cite web|last1=Deolu|title=Must See! The Village in America where the Yoruba culture is being practiced.|url=http://www.informationng.com/2015/09/see-the-village-in-america-where-the-yoruba-culture-is-being-practiced-photos.html|website=Information Nigeria|accessdate=8 January 2018|date=September 11, 2015}}

In 1970, King was crowned "Oba" in West Africa and took the regal name "Oba Efuntola Adelabu Adefunmi I". He then moved the congregation of practitioners that had grown around him to South Carolina, where they subsequently founded the Oyotunji community.{{cite book|last1=Matthews|first1=Carol|title=New Religions|date=2009|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=978-1438106458|page=91|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=stQQJlV9FT8C|accessdate=8 January 2018}} The group has grown over the years, having nineteen affiliated centers in the United States in 1988.{{cite book|last1=Murphy|first1=Larry|last2=Melton|first2=J. Gordon|last3=Ward|first3=Gary|title=Encyclopedia of African American Religions|date=November 20, 2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1135513382|page=26|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fxsmAgAAQBAJ|accessdate=8 January 2018}}