Obeah, Christ and Rastaman: Jamaica and its Religion($37.59Value)

Description

An early study of the Jamaican religious landscape historically and in the postcolonial present. In Obeah, Christ and Rastaman, Ivor Morrish sets out to chronicle the religious history of the Jamaican people. Drawing from a rich, complicated history, Morrish lays out the religious tapestry of Jamaica from its native origins, up through the slave trade and the introduction of Christianity, ending in the nineteenth century with the emergence of traditions that would later become associated with Rastafarianism. Morrish discusses Jamaica's colonial past and culture post-slavery, dispelling myths around African savagery and barbarism that were still persistent around the time of the book's original publication. He also explores the socio-political roots of Rastafarianism and its rise amongst the disenfranchised. Also included is a brief discussion of the immigrant experience of Jamaicans in England, showing how a deeply spiritual people deal with the secular materialism of their former imperial capital. Obeah, Christ and Rastaman is an intriguing artefact of early Afro-Caribbean Studies from a religious perspective. Morrish treats his subject matter with respect and dignity, facing the subjugation of the Jamaican people head on and considering their possible paths to salvation. Ivor Morrish was educated at Bristol, London and Oxford Universities. He is a graduate in philosophy and economics, in theology, and in classical Hebrew and Greek, and he holds the academic diploma of London University in philosophy, psychology and sociology. He has taught and lectured in a wide range of subjects, particularly in the fields of religious and social studies, and was a principal lecturer in education at La Sainte Union College of Higher Education. The founder editor of the Unwin Education Series, Ivor Morrish is himself the author of five books on various themes in the field of education, including one entitled The Background of Immigrant Children. His wide experience of travel in the USA, West Indies, Australia, New Guinea, Africa and Europe has helped to develop his interest in and knowledge of both comparative education and comparative religion. He is currently writing on topics in religious philosophy and mysticism.