Religion in Barbados is predominantly Christian. Religious freedom is established by law and generally enforced in practice, although some minority religious groups have complaints about government practices that interfere with their beliefs.
The reference work Religions of the World provides the following data for Barbados:[1]
| Religion | Followers in 1970 | Followers in 2010 | % of Population 2010 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christians | 235,000 | 284,000 | 95.5 | |
| - Protestants | 50,600 | 100,000 | 33.7 | |
| - Anglicans | 90,000 | 85,600 | 28.8 | |
| - Others | 8,900 | 16,000 | 32.1 | |
| Agnostics | 2,400 | 5,100 | 1.7 | |
| Bahá’ís | 1,300 | 3,600 | 1.2 | |
| Muslims | 400 | 2,300 | 0.8 | |
| Hindus | 100 | 980 | 0.3 | |
| Atheists | 0 | 700 | 0.2 | |
| New religionists | 50 | 480 | 0.2 | |
| Buddhists | 0 | 120 | 0.0 | |
| Spiritists | 0 | 60 | 0.0 | |
| Jews | 30 | 40 | 0.0 | |
| Ethnoreligionists | 0 | 30 | 0.0 | |
| Total Population | 239,000 | 297,000 | 100.0 |
Although Catholics are missing from the above chart, the same reference book gives their percentage as 4 percent in 1980 and 4.2 percent in 2000.[2]
The Rastafarian Movement was introduced to Barbados in 1975.[3]
The constitution of Barbados provides for the freedom of religion and prohibits discrimination based on creed;[4] there is a law against "blasphemous libel" but it is unenforced.
Religious groups are allowed to establish private schools and provide religious instruction, with some support from the government; education in Christian values is taught in primary schools, with several religions being taught at secondary level (students may opt out).
Representatives of the Rastafari community have objected to mandatory vaccinations for schoolchildren.