Religion in the Bahamas is dominated by various Christian denominations and reflects the country's diversity. [2]
There is no state religion in the Bahamas, and there is generally free practice of religious beliefs; since the English colonization, most Bahamians adhere to diverse Protestant denominations with Baptist churches/ Evangelicals, Pentecostalism, Adventism and Methodism being at the forefront. [3]
According to the last census in 2010, over 80% of the population identified as Christian; major Protestant denominations included Baptists (35%), Anglicans (14%), Pentecostals (9%), Seventh-day Adventists (4%), and Methodists (4%), while 12% were Roman Catholic. [3]
Other religious groups included, Greek Orthodox, Jewish, Baháʼí, Jehovah's Witness, Muslim, Rastafarian and Obeah (a form of African shamanism). [3] In the past, members of the small resident Guyanese and Indian populations practiced Hinduism and other South Asian religions. [2]
In 2010, 90% of the population of the Bahamas professesed a religion, [3] and anecdotal evidence suggests that most attend services regularly.
In the past, although many unaffiliated Protestant congregations are almost exclusively black, most mainstream churches are integrated racially. [2]
The constitution of the Bahamas provides for the freedom of religion and prohibits discrimination based on belief. The country has no state religion, although the preamble to its constitution mentions " Christian values". [3]
Obeah is illegal in the Bahamas, punishable by a jail sentence. This law, however, is traditionally unenforced. Similarly, laws prohibiting the publication of blasphemy (with exceptions for opinions "expressed in good faith and in decent language") are also unenforced. [3]
In 2022, there were reports of difficulties for Rastafarians regarding use of marijuana for religious reasons and traditional hairstyles in schools. [3]