Spiritual Baptist
The Spiritual Baptist (or Shouter Baptist) faith is a Afro-Caribbean syncretic religion which combines elements of traditional West African religions with Christianity. The Spiritual Baptist faith is based in Trinidad and Tobago. Despite the African influences, Spiritual Baptists consider themselves to be Christians. The religion is believed to have developed under the influence of American ex-slaves who were recruited to fight for the British during the War of 1812 in exchange for promises of freedom. These freed slaves were settled in remote areas of Trinidad after the end of the war.
This religion, contains both elements of Protestant Christianity and many African rituals and beliefs. Caribbean wise, this religion is unique to Trinidad and Tobago alone. It is a well known fact to all, that with the exception of the Orisha worshippers, all of the other religions cultivated and melded together in Trinidad and Tobago, were brought here by either European colonisers or Indian and Chinese Indentured Labourers.
The name Shouter derives from the fact that when the Baptists "catch the Spirit" and clap and shout, they make a heralded noise that either draws or repulses those around them, especially during religious meetings or open air services, with the general public being witnesses. However, Shouter is seen as a derogatory term, by many modern day Baptists on the island, seeing as it was first originally imposed upon them by the mainstream at that time British colonial government.