Religion in Jamaica- Revivalists in Watt town
Revivalism is an authentic Afro-Christian religious folk form that evolved during the eighteenth to nineteenth century.
Initially, it was the native Baptist Christians who joined forces with the Moravians, and other non-conformist churches to
become the forerunners of the movement. However, Jamaica was said to have experienced a religious movement called the Great
Revival in 1861, which saw the incorporation of much more African retention in the movement. Revivalism is divided into two
groups, Zion and Pocomania. Pocomania is more African in form while Zion is more Christian oriented. These two groups have
very clear differences, particularly with their functionaries and the role that they play. In Pocomania for example, the leader
is always a man knows as the Shepherd while in Zion, the leader can be either a man or a woman. The Man is referred to as “Captain”
while the woman is called the “Mother/Madda”. There is also a difference in their music and the form of spiritual possession
In revivalism those possessed with the spirits are generally linked with a personal spirit.
In most case, if not all, it is the spirit who selects the individual and becomes personally
attached as a personal guardian and adviser to the possessed. The revivalist spiritual world
is categorized into three realms:
- Heavenly spirits
- Earth - bound spirits
- Ground spirits
Rastafarianism
Jamaica’s Rastafarian movement can be traced back to the 1930s to when Ras Tafari Makonnen was crowned as Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia,
and assumed the titles, “King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah.” It was proclaimed by some that Haile
Selassie I was the retuned Messiah. Adherents to this philosophy were called Rastafarians and their beliefs were further strengthened by
biblical predictions that Princes would come out of Ethiopia and by Marcus Garvey’s statement in the Blackman of November 8, 1930 that
“We have no doubt that the time has now come.”
Jamaica’s Rastafarian movement can be traced back to the 1930s to when Ras Tafari Makonnen was crowned as Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia,
and assumed the titles, “King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah.” It was proclaimed by some that Haile
Selassie I was the retuned Messiah. Adherents to this philosophy were called Rastafarians and their beliefs were further strengthened by
biblical predictions that Princes would come out of Ethiopia and by Marcus Garvey’s statement in the Blackman of November 8, 1930 that
“We have no doubt that the time has now come.”
Christianity in Jamaica
Christianity was introduced by Spanish settlers who arrived in Jamaica in 1509. Thus, Roman Catholicism was the first Christian denomination to be established. Protestant missions were very active, especially the Baptists, and played a key role in the abolition of slavery. Christianity is Jamaica's most common religious practice.