Tutoatasi Toalima

PhD Student in Religious Studies

Philip Fountain and Geoff Troughton

Religious Freedom in Samoa

This research seeks to identify the relationship between religion and politics in Samoa. The interactions of the two entities in history, past and present, might highlight Samoa's state of religious freedom. Specific issues such as the eradication of religious worship and sacraments during Covid-19 lockdowns, and tax exemption of 'ministers of religion' puts religious freedom a matter needed high scrutiny in Samoa. In doing so, a cultural research framework is proposed identifying religious freedom from a contemporary and cultural approaches. As a framework, the contemporary and cultural approaches are weaved into a hermeneutic perspective to offer a self-understanding of how religious freedom operates in Samoa. This research will enable us to know whether Samoa a Christian or a religiously free nation.