Officers of the Ethiopia Africa International Congress, with headquarters at 10 Miles, Bull Bay. St. Andrew Centre with Shepherd's Staff is the leader, Prince Emmanuel Charles Edwards, self-styled, 'King of the Black Christ'. RASTAFARIANS LAST month held a big, historic conference in Jamaica and walked away affirming their cherished beliefs. But the issue of their needing to change their cherished beliefs arises logically in the thinking of evangelicals who are rejoicing at recent news of the repentance of the American Christian sect, Worldwide Church of God (MIND & SPIRIT, July 15, 29). The reverse position of that American cult raises the hope of orthodox Christians everywhere that other cults would follow. In Jamaica, that hope relates to the most prominent Christian cult locally, and internationally, Rastafarianism.
Rastas qualify as a cult of Christianity, principally because of the belief that Haile Selassie I, the late great Emperor of Ethiopia is the Biblical Jesus, either descended or reincarnated. Unfortunately, from the perspective of orthodox Christians, this single belief vitiates all the other good things that might be said for Rastafarianism. On this single issue the position of the Christian Church is non-negotiable. Much credit must be given the Rasta movement for keeping before the nation, for more than a half century, the need for greater African patriotism, greater Black dignity and greater 'consciousness' of speech and dress to honour ethnic roots and personality.
But there is not much sympathy on the part of orthodox Christians for Rastafarian blasphemy concerning Jesus Christ. Orthodox Christians understand Rastas to have originated and perpetuated theological falsehood, mixed with historical myth, claimed as divine truth. Academic leaders of the society who have examined the movement have established beyond dispute that the claim of Hail Selassie's deity is the supreme beliefs of those who are true Rastafarians. From the available literature, the claim is made loud and clear of the superiority of this belief to all other Rastafarian belief. Here then, is the wellspring for the best possible understanding of Rastafarianism theologically, philosophically, sociologically, and ideologically. In 1960, following on the heels of disturbances in western sections of the city's capital, a sponsored Report on Rastafarianism was produced by three of the brightest sparks of the Caribbean's academic community thou anthro-
pologist M. G. Smith, historian Roy Augier, and Oxford Man of Letters, Rex Nettleford. In that Report the authors said: "All brethren agree that the Emperor Haile Selassie is the living God, the returned Messiah, and the representative of God the Father". Professor Barry Chevannes of the Sociology Department of the University of the West Indies (Mona), in his doctoral dissertation on Rastafarianism, affirmed that belief: "The most important belief of the Rastafari is that Haile Selassie, the late Emperor of Ethiopia, is God".
RASTAFARI
Other scholars have done similarly, too numerous to mention, but the work of one who might be added without gilding the lily appeared in the year 2000 issue of the academically prestigious Caribbean Quarterly. The focus of the monograph was Rastafari.
In that issue, a graduate of Syracuse University, Winston (Ras Ishoni) Williams, in his article entitled: The Seven Principles of Rastafari, stated in clear and strong terms, that Haile Selassie I, referred to also as His Imperial Majesty (H.I.M.), is God, and that this is the supreme belief of Rastafarians:
Some believe that H.I.M is the Christ returned, and some believe that H.I.M. is a new messiah, or simply a prophet. But the stronger belief among the elder Rasta, as well as the youth, is that H.I.M is God (p. 17)
Selassie's deity then, is a claim that came centuries after the Jesus of Nazareth identified in the historic Creeds of the Church. So the need arose to provide a plausible historical explanation. Ethiopian officials assisted the process by proclaiming as historical fact that Haile Selassie I descended from Israel's King Solomon. Article II of the 1955 revised constitution of Ethiopia reads:
The imperial dignity shall remain perpetually attached to the line of Haile Selassie I, descendant of King Sahle Selassie, whose line descends without interruption from the dynasty of Menelik I, son of the Queen of Ethiopia, the Queen of Sheba, and King Solomon of Jerusalem.
But not a thread of credible evidence supports the assertion of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba having a child. The Bible makes no such mention. Also, no such reference is to be found in respected non-Biblical sources, such as Antiquities by Josephus, or the Jewish Talmud, or Midrashim. Neither does the Qu'ran make mention of Solomon and Sheba having a sexual encounter.
CLAIMS
The principal source of the Rastafarian claims would seem to be the Kebra Nagast (Glory of the Kings), which are writings designed to stir patriotism through sagas and cycles of legends. But can this source be trusted for historical reliability? Among the egregious errors of the Kebra Nagast is the confusing of the Queen of Sheba who lived in the 10th century B.C., and who did visit King Solomon, with another reference to Sheba, in the first century.
The error came about by mistaking Candace, Queen of Ethiopia, mentioned in the first century A.D in the Book of Acts 8: 26-27, with the Queen of Sheba who lived 10 centuries before, mentioned in the Old Testament.
The reason for the error, linguistic scholars maintain, is due to a misreading of the Old Testanent Biblical passages in the Septuagint or Greek version , and the burning desire of Ethiopian nationalists to find some reason for exalting the monarchy of Ethiopia. Their efforts to make the Old Testament link with Israel's King Solomon have resulted in even greater exegetical 'spoofs' with regard to the Hebrew language, says noted Jamaican Christian Apologist, and Biblical linguist, Rev. Clinton Chisholm. Yet, the historical invention is what local Rastafarians have used to fuel their fanciful exegetical ('Isegetical') work. But the Christian Church, from the early centuries, has had to contend with this double heresy of source and sovereignty concerning the authenticity of the Bible and the deity of Jesus.
Certainly, the Church needs to let Rastafarians know that their most cherished belief is heretical. There can be no equivocation and confusion on the part of the Church as some Caribbean theologians have done. For example, Sam Murrell and Lewin Williams, who concede the fact of Rasta myth concerning the duty of Christ, nevertheless argue that such is permissible. In the book, Chanting Down Babylon, these two Church scholars co-authored an essay in which they contended that because myth making is typical of much of many religions. Rastafarianism is free to do likewise, for such truths do not have to be justified to anyone else. They say such truths have their own "internal validity' since they are "true and valid to the devotees"
No! If the Christian Gospel is to retain it's pristine purity, sincere followers of Jesus of Nazareth ought to make a clear stand and call upon Rastas to repent their herasy concerning Jesus.
- Billy Hall at billsophia@hotmail.com.
