THE PURPOSE of this series is to clarify the misconceptions that many Jamaicans have about Revivalism, a Jamaican folk religion that emerged from the Great Revival of 1860/1861. Revivalism is a confluence of African spirituality and European...
A REVIVAL worship session is a very active and energetic occasion. It is replete with loud supplications, ardent prayers, fervent preaching, fiery exaltation, personal testimonies, soulful singing, hypnotic drumming, spirited dancing (trumping,...
A HUMAN being is conceived when a sperm fertilises an egg, whether in or outside of a woman’s womb. It is not possible outside of these two situations, except if the woman is the Virgin Mary. Her baby, Jesus, it is written, was conceived...
THE CHRISTIANS say Jesus, the Messiah, sent by God, was crucified, ascended to Heaven, but will be coming back to redeem this world where bloodshed by violent means occurs daily. The Jews are still waiting for that messiah; they call him Moshiach....
FROM THURSDAY, December 7 to Friday, December 15, Jews around the world will observe Chanukah, one of the most important religious holidays in Judaism. It is inspired by the ‘miracle of the Maccabees’ and the ‘miracle of the oil’, collectively...
AT THE centre of all major religions is the unshakable belief in a divine – an omnipotent, omnificent, omnipresent entity that redeems its believers and offers them hope. And in some cases, as in Christianity, it is coming back to take them to a...
MEMBERS OF the Anglican, Moravian and Baptist churches were owners of enslaved Africans who were subjected to their every whim and fancy. They believed nothing was wrong with chattel slavery, and even used scriptures to support it. Not only were...
THE ETHIOPIAN Orthodox Tewahedo Church believes in one God, the Lord, the Father Almighty, maker of the heavens and Earth, and of all things tangible and intangible. He is one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father, who was with him...
A PLETHORA of sources say that The Ethiopian Orthodox Church (EOC) was established in the fourth century by St Frumentius and his brother, Aedesius. St Athanasius of Alexandria consecrated St Frementius as the first Bishop of Ethiopia during the...
THE ETHIOPIAN Orthodox Church (EOC) in Jamaica is not a popular denomination. It has a few branches in the country and is oft referred to as the “Rasta Church”. Yet, its origin goes way back to several centuries, making it much older than the...
Baptist Reverend Thomas Burchell arrived in Jamaica from England in 1822 and quickly developed a deep hatred for slavery. He was instrumental in convincing the Baptist Missionary Society (BMS) and other social organisations to lobby the British...
THE BAPTIST William Knibb arrived in Jamaica from England in 1825 at a time when missionaries were strongly advised not to interfere with the status quo. Civil and political matters were not their business. He had come as a teacher to Kingston to...
SLAVERY-DAY MAGISTRATES, some of whom were planters themselves, were full of rancor against the Christian missionaries who opposed and campaigned against slavery. The bitterness, festering for decades, came to a head after the 1831 Sam Sharpe...
IN THE years leading up to the Sam Sharpe Rebellion of 1831 and right after, pro-slavery conformists, including members of the Anglican Church, and anti-slavery agitators, including Christian missionaries, clashed all over Jamaica, with the former...
SHOULD RELIGIOUS people be involved in profit-making businesses? Of course not, some people would argue. There are elements of business that go against religious principles and which might compromise ethical behaviour and practices. Yet, others...
“Years ago, our founders (Glen and Hyacinth Smith) witnessed the immense struggles faced by men, women, children, and the aged in underserved communities, particularly in the beautiful island of Jamaica. They were deeply moved … They knew that...
LLOYD A. COOKE is well known in missionary circles, being a missionary himself, and is regarded a font of knowledge, especially when it comes on to the history of missionary work in Jamaica. He is a well-respected religion historian/researcher and...
THE BRETHREN Church/Assembly started in 1708 in Schwarzenau, Germany, from where it roots extended to other parts of Europe, including England. Yet, the persecution that the Brethrenfaced was growing and times were economically hard, and in 1719,...
The Brethren is a Christian denomination that has major branches, none of which is as widespread as the other established denominations. And, it is fair to say that the Brethren Church is little understood locally, so Family and Religion sought to...
Pastor Ja’Vaughn Taylor is one of those church leaders who believes the Church should contribute to the social and personal development of young people. But, before any significant intervention can be accomplished, there must be resources and...
From February 22 to 26, the Jamaica Baptist Union held its 173rd general assembly. On the opening day, Dr Scott Thumma, professor of sociology of religion at Hartford International University, gave the assembly lecture titled, ‘Changing World –...
From February 22 to 26, the Jamaica Baptist Union held its 173rd general assembly. On the opening day, Dr Scott Thumma, professor of sociology of religion at Hartford International University gave the assembly lecture titled ‘Changing World –...
The Christian religion is replete with denominations, each of which has different perspectives on how to achieve salvation, though all Christians worship Jesus, ‘the Son of the living God’, who determines who go to Heaven or to Hell to spend...
December 25 is celebrated as the birthday of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who was born in Bethlehem of Judea. All over the world it is observed by devout Christians and others who are not so committed to the principles of Christianity, which espouses...
The Revival religion in Jamaica evolved out of the Great Revival of 1860-61. It has two branches – ‘60’ and ‘61’ – the latter of which is regarded the holier of the two because of certain practices. But, in every respect, both branches are a...
