Dr. Eleasah Louis discusses the phenomenon of Black British de-churched individuals leaving mainstream Christianity for “Black Bible Religions” such as Rastafari, Nation of Islam, Holy Qubtic Church, and Black Hebrew Israelites. She highlights the importance of engaging questions around identity, slavery, and colonialism with dignity, and creating educational spaces to address gaps in discipleship and theology. This phenomenon challenges churches to reflect on their approach to historical and social issues.
This interview explores how churches engage with justice, racism, and cultural diversity, emphasising the authority of scripture, empowering Christians to navigate challenges, and critically addressing deconstruction. It highlights the importance of understanding lived experiences, balancing biblical truth with social realities, and equipping individuals to love God and others authentically.
This introductory lesson defines black Bible religions as spiritual communities of African and Caribbean descent centred on the Hebrew-Christian scriptures. It introduces Ethiopianism, a framework born from slavery-era readings of the Bible, to explain how movements like Rastafari and Hebrew Israelites emerged. These movements address identity, liberation, and spirituality while challenging mainstream Christianity.
This video examines the beliefs of Rastafari, a black Bible religion rooted in Ethiopianism and African spirituality. It explores diverse beliefs within the movement, including some who see Haile Selassie as the Messiah and others who focus on their connection to Jah (Jehovah). The video highlights Rastafari’s biblical reinterpretations and response to colonial oppression.
This video examines the beliefs of the Nation of Islam (N.O.I.), a Black Bible Religion emphasising the recovery of black people’s “lost religion and identity” through Islam. It explores the N.O.I.’s teachings on black people as the “original man,” their reinterpretation of the Bible and Quran, and their focus on self-sufficiency, self-determination, and empowerment.
This video explores the beliefs of Hebrew Israelites, who claim to be the true Israelites of the Bible. It discusses their identity as descendants of the Hebrews, their reinterpretation of scripture through rereading and revelation, and how they centralise black people in God’s redemptive plan, emphasising empowerment and ethnocentrism.
The Holy Qubtic Church believes African religious heritage predates mainstream Christianity, claiming the Bible stems from ancient African texts. They teach that reconnecting with ancestral spirituality helps black people thrive by restoring identity and dignity lost through colonialism. Salvation, they believe, comes through higher consciousness and rediscovering African spiritual truths.
The course, Black Bible Religions and the Christian Faith, explores why Black British individuals are leaving mainstream Christianity for movements like Rastafari, Nation of Islam, Holy Qubtic Church, and Black Hebrew Israelites. Dr. Eleasah Louis examines their identities, biblical interpretations, and views on salvation. Rooted in responses to colonialism, slavery, and identity struggles, these movements challenge mainstream Christianity to address gaps in discipleship, theology, and cultural engagement. Through lessons and interviews, the course highlights Ethiopianism, cultural empowerment, and lived experiences while urging churches to critically engage with justice, racism, and deconstruction in diverse spiritual contexts.
Dr. Eleasah Louis is a scholar and thought leader in Christian theology, decolonisation, and Black religion in Britain. Her recent PhD, Black, British, and De-Churched, critically examines conservative Bible reading groups and Afroasiatic diasporic religious movements in London. As the producer of Black Consciousness and Christian Faith, a compelling five-session programme, Dr. Louis explores the theological and cultural challenges presented by movements like the Nation of Islam, The Holy Qubtic Church, Rastafari, and Hebrew Israelites, engaging with their implications for mainstream Christianity. With expertise spanning comparative religion, history, apologetics, archaeology, and sociology, she contributes widely through lectures, publications, and panel discussions.
Discover how Black Bible Religions address identity, faith, and justice. Through this series, explore deep questions, challenge assumptions, and gain insights to engage meaningfully with historical, spiritual, and social issues today.