Rastafarianism: An Ethiopian Answer

Alas, I used to have a video posted at this link but unfortunately I lost it when making the transition to a new server.  This is not a terrible loss, for there are many other places one can now go for the historical details.  At any rate, here was the punchline:

No, I do not think Haile Selassie is the Messiah. In fact, neither did he. But yes, Christians who thought slavery was permissible are to some degree responsible for leading people to that unfortunate conclusion. Then there is this marvelous summary of Rastafari by sholar Clinton Chisholm, which commends the best of the movement while calling them to some healthy self-examination:

"The Rastafarian movement has leveled many necessary and commendable chants of indictment at Babylon over the years. As the movement continues its trek to Zion, it must examine the evidence undergirding its fundamental tenets, lest its attractive sociocultural edifice begins to reveal the cracks that result from a faulty historical-theological foundation."

This excerpt from a recorded speech by the Emperor at the World Congress on Evangelism in Berlin makes for some pretty hefty proof that Haile Selassie did not understand himself to be God:

"The love shown in Christ by our God to mankind should constrain all of us who are followers and disciples of Christ to do all in our power to see to it that the Message of Salvation is carried to those of our fellows for whom Christ our Saviour was sacrificed but who have not had the benefit of hearing the Good News."

And my basic thesis:

As a white, outside observer who professes a Western, Chalcedonian Christianity and resides in what Rastas would term "Babylon," I personally may not be in the best position to draw the Rastafari back into the Christian fold. But fortunately there are black, inside observers who profess a distinctly African, non-Chalcedonian Christianity and reside in what Rastas term "Zion" who are in just such a position: The Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

The Ethiopian Orthodox mission in Jamaica has in fact been quite successful. Believe it or not, the most famous Rastafarian of all was baptized into the E.O.C. seven months before his death, as was his widow, Rita Marley, shortly thereafter.