Religion in Liberia
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Religion in Liberia
It is estimated that as much as 85 percent of the population of Liberia practices either Christianity or Christianity combined with elements of traditional indigenous religious beliefs.[1] Approximately 1.5 percent exclusively practices traditional indigenous religious beliefs.[1] An estimated 12 percent of the population practices Islam.[1] A small percentage is Bahá'í, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, or atheist.[1]
Christian denominations include the Lutheran, Baptist, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, United Methodist, African Methodist Episcopal (AME) and AME Zion denominations, and a variety of Pentecostal churches.[1] Some of the Pentecostal movements are affiliated with churches outside the country, while others are independent.[1] There are also members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) and Seventh-day Adventists. Christians live throughout the country.[1]
The Muslim population is mainly found among the Mandingo and Vai ethnic groups.[1] Vai live predominantly in the west, but Mandingo reside throughout the country.[1] Ethnic groups in all regions participate in the traditional religious practices of the Poro and Sande secret societies.[1]
The Bahá'í Faith in Liberia begins with the entrance of the first member of the religion in 1952[2] By the end of 1963 there were five assemblies[3] and Liberian Bahá'ís elected their first National Spiritual Assembly in 1975.[4] The community was somewhat disrupted by the First Liberian Civil War[5] but re-established their National Spiritual Assembly in 1998.[6] Almost 9,500 Bahá'ís are believed to have been in Liberia in 2006.[7]
A large number of foreign missionary groups work openly and freely in the country.[1] The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice.[1] Despite frequent interaction among religious groups, some tensions remain.[1] Some societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practice occur.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n International Religious Freedom Report 2007: Liberia. United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (September 14, 2007). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ L. Holman, Donna (2006-08-04). "Focus on spirituality". The Times and Democrat, Orangeburg, SC. http://www.timesanddemocrat.com/articles/2006/08/04/features/doc44d2abea30af7391207142.txt.
- ^ Compiled by Hands of the Cause Residing in the Holy Land. "The Bahá'í Faith: 1844-1963: Information Statistical and Comparative, Including the Achievements of the Ten Year International Bahá'í Teaching & Consolidation Plan 1953-1963". pp. 50, 99–100. http://bahai-library.com/handscause_statistics_1953-63&chapter=1.
- ^ Locke, Hugh C. (1983). "In Memoriam". Bahá'í World, Vol. XVIII: 1979-1983. pp. 778–9, 624, 626, 629. http://bahai-library.com/books/bw18/773-800.html.
- ^ Hansen, Holly. "Overview of Bahá'í Social and Economic Development". Bahá'í World, 1992-93. pp. 229–245. http://info.bahai.org/article-1-8-1-6.html.
- ^ Universal House of Justice (April, 2000). "Ridvan 1998". Published Documents from the Universal House of Justice. Bahá'í Library Online. http://bahai-library.com/uhj_ridvan_1998. Retrieved 2008-11-15.
- ^ "Republic of Liberia". Operation World. Paternoster Lifestyle. 2006. http://www.operationworld.org/country/libe/owtext.html. Retrieved 2008-11-15.
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