Baptist Community continues to carve out a space in T&T's society: PM Rowley

Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago congratulated the baptist community on Baptist Liberation Day on Monday.

Prime Minister Keith Rowley stated that it is a glorious day as members of the Shourter Bapistis community presents in their homes in small groups.

"As an indigenous spirituality which includes a mixture of African and Christian beliefs, the faith though prohibited from 1917 to 1951, continues to flourish," added PM Rowley.

Sharing historic background, PM Rowley stated that the Baptist community's first effort at becoming a unified faith was begun by Archbishop Elton George Griffith, who created the West Indian Evangelical Spiritual Baptist Faith in 1940.

It was also Archbishop Griffith who struggled for more than three decades for the withdrawal of the "Shouter Prohibition Ordinance".

He also added that over the several decades, the Baptist community overcame various struggles, growing into what is now an organisation that in many ways stand alongside the centuries-old, traditional religions.

"Its society has been defined as progressive, cohesive and developing not just in Trinidad and Tobago but in the Caribbean region, North America and even as far as Europe," added Dr Rowley.

Furthermore, he stated that it is important that in Trinidad and Tobago there are many residents who are happy to be counted among the Spiritual/Shouter Baptist’s congregation.

Besides this, Prime Minister stated the population of Baptist Community can maintain that it proceeds to create a space in Trinidad and Tobago’s community and is making important strides abroad.

"This year’s celebration marks the 25th year that the country is celebrating the Spiritual/Shouter Baptist Liberation Day as a public holiday," added PM Rowley.

He stated Baptist Community was once scorned and abused and endured because of the abiding faith of its membership.

"It is a community that now reaches as a known national stakeholder, and whose works are part of the uplifting cultural expressions of our nation," added PM Rowley.