Religion in Barbados

Religion in Barbados is predominantly Christian. Religious freedom is established by law and generally enforced in practice, although some minority religious groups have complaints about government practices that interfere with their beliefs.

St. Peter's Parish Church, Saint Peter, Barbados

Religious affiliations 1970 and 2010

The reference work Religions of the World provides the following data for Barbados:[1]

ReligionFollowers in 1970Followers in 2010% of Population 2010
Christians235,000284,00095.5
- Protestants50,600100,00033.7
- Anglicans90,00085,60028.8
- Independents8,90016,0005.4
Agnostics2,4005,1001.7
Bahai's1,3003,6001.2
Muslims4002,3000.8
Hindus1009800.3
Atheists07000.2
New religionists504800.2
Buddhists01200.0
Spiritists0600.0
Jews30400.0
Ethnoreligionists0300.0
Total Population239,000297,000100.0

Although Roman Catholics are inexplicably missing from the above chart, the same reference book gives their percentage as 4 percent in 1980 and 4.2 percent in 2000.[2]

The Rastafarian Movement was introduced to Barbados in 1975.[3]

Religious freedom

The constitution of Barbados provides for the freedom of religion and prohibits discrimination based on creed.[4]

There is a law against "blasphemous libel" but it is unenforced.[4]

Religious groups are allowed to establish private schools and provide religious instruction, with some support from the government.

Religious groups are not required to register with the government, but may do so for tax purposes.[4]

Rastafarians are unable to perform some religious rituals due to the illegality of cannabis. Representatives of the community have also objected to mandatory vaccinations for schoolchildren, and reported that Rastafarians face disproportionate scrutiny at security checkpoints, as well as facing some social discrimination.[4]

Muslims in Barbados have objected to being forced to pose without head coverings for identification and passport photographs. According to the government, these measures are purely for security reasons.[4]

See also

References
  1. Melton, J. Gordon; Baumann, Martin (2010). Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices (2nd ed.). ABC-CLIO. p. 300. ISBN 1598842048. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  2. Melton, J. Gordon; Baumann, Martin (2010). Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices (2nd ed.). ABC-CLIO. p. 301. ISBN 1598842048. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  3. Melton, J.G.; Baumann, M. (2010). Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices. ABC-CLIO. p. 304. ISBN 9781598842043. Retrieved 2015-05-13.
  4. International Religious Freedom Report 2017 Barbados, US Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.


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