St. John Coltrane African Orthodox Church

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The St. John Will-I-Am Coltrane African Orthodox Church is a Christian congregation in San Francisco, California, United States, centered on the music of jazz saxophonist John Coltrane. The church was founded in 1969 by Franzo and Marina King in the years following a spiritual experience during a 1965 John Coltrane concert. Though its beliefs varied over time, the church initially venerated Coltrane as an incarnation of the Christian god and his album A Love Supreme as a sacred text. The church has also been known for its social activism, including a free vegetarian meal program that ran for decades, and for incorporating jazz improvisation into its services. In the 1970s, the Kings briefly followed Coltrane's widow, musician Alice Coltrane, as a Hindu guru before returning to Christian practice. A 1981 lawsuit filed by Alice Coltrane drew the attention of the African Orthodox Church, and the church joined in 1982. After occupying several locations in San Francisco, it continues to hold...

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