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Rastafarians
(638 words)

1. Background

The Rastafarian movement is a new religion from Jamaica, with adherents also in Britain, the United States, and Africa. Its name comes from Ras (Prince) Tafari (family name), the name of Haile Selassie (lit. “might of the Trinity,” 1892–1975) of Ethiopia before he was crowned emperor in Addis Ababa in 1930, an event followed closely by the press in Jamaica. In 1928 he had assumed the title negus (king) and was hailed as a descendant of King Solomon and as the Lion of Judah and King of Kings.

Earlier the renowned Jamaican …

Cite this page
Greschat, Hans-Jürgen, “Rastafarians”, in: Encyclopedia of Christianity Online. Consulted online on 28 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2211-2685_eco_R.7>
First published online: 2011
First print edition: ISBN: 9789004169678, 20080512



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