Religion in Guyana

St. George's Anglican Cathedral, Georgetown, Guyana

Among the Christian denominations active in Guyana in the 1990s, the Anglican Church claimed the largest membership: about 125,000 adherents as of 1986 though this had declined to about 40,000 in 2012.[1] Anglicanism was the state religion of British Guiana until independence.

The Roman Catholic Church had a membership of about 94,000 in 1985 which declined to about 53,000 in 2012.[1] The majority of Roman Catholics lived in Georgetown, and the Portuguese were the most active members, although all the ethnic groups were represented.

The Presbyterian Church was the third largest denomination, with nearly 39,000 members in 1980.

Several other Christian churches had significant memberships in 1980, including the Methodists, Pentecostals, and Seventh-day Adventists, each of which had about 20,000 members. There were smaller numbers of Baptists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Congregationalists, Nazarenes, Moravians, Ethiopian Orthodox, and other mainstream Christians. Other sects in Guyana included the Rastafari movement which looks to Ethiopia for religious inspiration, and the Hallelujah Church, which combines Christian beliefs with Amerindian traditions. There were also at least 60,000 people describing themselves as Christian who had no formal church affiliation.[4]

Many rural villages and areas without churches have small gatherings with a group leader, sometimes unofficially called a "pastor" without affiliation to a specific or official Christian church, though most tend to be Baptist or Evangelical in nature. These groups would have "services", bible teachings and discussions at a neighbor's house or a provided empty location. Through organization, a village or a couple of villages might also provide Sunday School for children with a village member donating the space, many times the "bottom house", the empty space under a Guyanese house used for multiple purposes.

Central Vaidik Mandir in Georgetown

The number of Guyanese practising Hinduism has been decreasing for many decades now, with 213,282 (28.4%) reported in 2002 against 253,065 (35.0%) in 1991.[5]

The majority of the East Indian immigrants were Hindu, and their dominant Status differences were attached and rituals varied . The hindus worshipped the classic pantheon of Vishnu and Shiva. Hinduism remains the predominant religion of the Indo-Guyanese, although it has been considerably modified.[4] Hinduism stresses the festivities accompanying religious rites. Festivals may last several days and are usually held in times of crisis or prosperity. Because the sponsor of a festival provides a tent and feeds a large number of guests, orthodox Hindu rituals require considerable outlays of money. A Hindu family has difficulty fulfilling ritual obligations unless it has accumulated a surplus of cash.[4]

Since the late 1940s, reform movements have caught the attention of many Guyanese Hindus. The most important, the Arya Samaj movement (Aryan Society), was founded in India in 1875; the first Arya Samaj missionary arrived in Guyana in 1910. The movement preaches monotheism and opposition to the use of images in worship as well as many traditional Hindu rituals.[4]

Guyana's Muslims can be organized into orthodox and reform movements. The Sunnatul Jamaat is the orthodox Sunni Islamic movement. The largest Islamic organization in the country is the Guyana United Sadr Islamic Anjuman. The Ahmadiyya sect of Islam, was founded in India in the late nineteenth century; its first missionary to Guyana arrived in 1908. The movement has had considerable success, even including some Afro-Guyanese among its converts. In contrast to the situation found on the Indian subcontinent, Muslims and Hindus experience little friction in Guyana. These two religious communities have a tacit agreement not to proselytize each other's members. In smaller villages, Hindus and Muslims come together to participate in each other's ceremonies.[4] The Muslims are split into Shias, Sufis, Sunnis and Ahmadiyyas.

Until the 1970s, Hindu and Muslim holidays were not officially recognized. A number of non-Christian religious days are now public holidays. Hindu holidays include Holi, the spring festival, and Divali, the festival of lights. Muslim holidays include Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, the sacred month of fasting; Eid al-Adha, the feast of sacrifice; and Mawlid, the birthday of Muhammad. The dates for these holidays vary. An East Indian heritage day is celebrated and on May 5, an Amerindian festival is held on Republic Day, in February.[4]

The Baháʼí Faith is a relatively recent addition to the list of world religions represented in Guyana with the first local body (Local Spiritual Assembly) being established in Georgetown in 1955. National recognition came in 1976 when the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of Guyana was incorporated by Act of Parliament. This body represents all Baháʼís in Guyana.

The 2002 Census enumerated 500 Baháʼís.[5]

The Baháʼí community, while relatively small, is well known for its emphasis on unity, non-involvement in politics and its work in issues such as literacy and youth issues.[6][7]

In terms of religious practices and teachings, the Guyana Baháʼí community closely follows those of Baháʼí communities in other countries.

Jews first came to Guyana in the 1660s, when Jewish settlers arrived in what was then the Dutch colony of Essequibo.[8] Janet Jagan, an American-born Jewish woman, served as prime minister from March 17, 1997, to December 19, 1997, and as president of Guyana from December 19, 1997, to August 11, 1999.[9]

A number of folk beliefs continue to be practiced in Guyana. Obeah, a folk religion of African origin, incorporates beliefs and practices of all the immigrant groups. Obeah practitioners may be Afro-Guyanese or Indo-Guyanese, and members of all the ethnic groups consult them for help with problems concerning health, work, domestic life, and romance. Some villagers wear charms or use other folk practices to protect themselves from harm.[4]

Comfa is an Afro-Guyanese religion.

Traditional Amerindian religious beliefs vary, but shamans play a significant role in all of them. The shaman is believed to communicate with the world of spirits in order to detect sorcery and combat evil. The shaman is also a healer and an adviser, the representative of the village to the spiritual world and sometimes its political leader as well. Missionary activity to the Amerindians has been intense. As a result, the traditional beliefs and practices of all the Amerindian groups have been modified; some have even disappeared.[4]

The House of Israel was established by an American fugitive, David Hill, also known as Rabbi Edward Washington, who arrived in Guyana in 1972. In the 1970s, the group claimed a membership of 8,000. The House of Israel had a daily radio program in which it preached that Africans were the original Hebrews. Opponents of the government claimed that the House of Israel constituted a private army for Guyana's ruling party, the People's National Congress (PNC). During an anti-government demonstration, a House of Israel member murdered a Roman Catholic priest because he was on the staff of a religious opposition newspaper, the Catholic Standard. The House of Israel also engaged in strikebreaking activities and disruptions of public meetings. Critics of the government alleged that House of Israel members acted with impunity during the government of Linden Forbes Burnham. However, under Hugh Desmond Hoyte, Burnham's successor, Rabbi Washington and key associates were arrested on a long-standing manslaughter charge and imprisoned.[4]

Entrance to Jonestown, a settlement founded by the Peoples Temple cult in 1974

Guyana acquired international notoriety in November 1978 following a mass murder-suicide at Jonestown, the commune of the People's Temple of Christ, led by the Reverend Jim Jones, of Oakland, California. Allegations of atrocities by commune leaders and charges that the commune was holding people against their will led United States Congressman Leo Ryan to go to Jonestown to investigate. Fearing the exposure from Ryan's report, Jones had the congressman murdered. He then coerced and cajoled over 900 members of the commune to commit murder and suicide.[4]