Jamaican Religion

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Jamaican Religion Examined From 1834 To Present Date

The St. James version of the Holy Bible is the cornerstone of Jamaican religion. It was first introduced to the slave population in about 1770 when two black preachers formerly slaves were sent to Jamaica to preach the gospel to the slaves in captivity. These two preachers were both free men. George Lisle and Moses Baker are the true architects of Jamaican religion as they brought the gospel to both young and old in the country. Soon the slave population latched on to the concept of all men were created equal, a troubling thought to the while planter class; a dilemma that was exacerbated when by 1820 began creeping in by the droves and used the bible to convince many slaves that slavery was wrong. However many Jamaican and Caribbean slaves did not entirely buy into the Christian Jamaican religion and stuck with the African traditional religion of gods, demi-gods and evil spirits. This led to other actively worshipped types of religion, such as Obeah, Voodoo and Shango among others that were kept alive by African slaves not long removed from there homeland. The Baptist preachers made the analogy of the Jamaican slaves to the oppressed people of Egypt called the Israelites, and that soon and very soon a Messiah would save them. This gave the slaves born into captivity having never known freedom even more trusting in the Jamaican religion being taught by the Baptist ministers.

After the abolition of slavery in 1834 the Jamaican religion played an integral role in the setting up of communities as this was used as a lynch pin to create a society of order. This led to an influx of new denominations, the Anglican Church of England, Baptists Ministry, Seventh Day Adventists Church, the Methodists Preachers, the United Church of Christ and the more dramatic Pentecostal Church filtered into main stream society in Jamaica. It was not until the early 1900’s that Roman Catholicism was found in the Jamaican religious society and this was mainly amongst Chinese, Lebanese and East Indian indentured laborers brought to Jamaica to fill the open positions on the sugar plantations. These indentured laborers added to the mix by bringing new Jamaican religions to the fore in Hinduism and Muslim or Islam. Like the Jamaican culture, Jamaican religion is steeped in a blend of different religions. The main being Christianity and African religious practices. Both lend to credence to each other while the former rejects the latter the latter Jamaican religion uses the teachings of the former. Its seems a bit confusing at times but the Revivalist Zionist Church otherwise known as the poco church has based some of its teachings on the Holy Bible, while the same time firm in the belief of using black magic for good and evil purposes. This is the origin of Obeah in Jamaican religion. Obeah is the use of certain spells, charms and incantations to summon both good and evil spirits of the dead to do biddings of the living. This practice is strictly prohibited in the Jamaican religion base of Christianity, and most members of this church are regarded as workers of iniquity. This is really the true Jamaican religion despite all intents to say otherwise.

Characterized by jumping pocomania, dancing kumina, using evil spirits yet in al this praising God and the holy trinity makes such a dynamic blend true of Jamaican culture and Jamaican religion. Moravian, Wesleyan, Baptist and other mainstream Christian sects stifled the African - Jamaican religion during slavery; however this was only for a time as within 100 years of emancipation the true roots of Jamaican religion began to emerge. This led to a total rejection of accepting a white messiah and turned to seek a new black messiah and one was found in the young Emperor of Abyssinia Ras Tafari who was later crowned Haile Selassie I, which when translated is “Power of the Trinity". The new Jamaican religion was fueled by Garveyism at the time and a strong black pride, this coincided with labor union movements seeking better wages and living conditions for Jamaican people. The tumultuous 1930’s saw the birth of a new Jamaican religion, a new level of black awareness and the genesis of the Jamaican independence movement finally culminating in 1962. Jamaica remains is the home of Jamaican religion Rastafarianism, the movement has its roots in Jamaica and really is not even practiced that widely in Ethiopia where the incumbent Ethiopian Prince (Ras) Tafari who Rastafarians believe to be the messiah is said to be from the lineage of King David, King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Behind Ras Tafari was his prophet Marcus Garvey and his quest for repatriation. It was Garvey who had prophesied that a ruler would come from Ethiopia and seize control, and this is how Selassie gained his credence.

Garvey's followers proclaimed him to be a prophet, as he had spoken of an Ethiopian leader who would take control and who would be the messiah. Selassie became their credence. Jamaica religion has been used in the past and even in present day for political advancement and gain. In fact Jamaica has the most churches per square foot than anywhere else in the world; such a startling fact that sets the tone that Jamaican religion plays a fundamental role in society, culture and political life. In March 2007, the Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller elect cited that a Pastor Phinn had ordained that she was going to win the August 2007 general elections; this sent ripples through the community and is still a talking point to present.