Joseph Owens

Who is Joseph Owens?

Joseph Owens, S.J. is a Roman Catholic priest, social worker, and educator who has worked for many years in the Caribbean and Central America. He is the author of Dread, The Rastafarians of Jamaica, written from 1970 to 1972 while working and living with members of the Rastafari movement in Kingston, Jamaica, during which period he discussed theological and philosophical issues with them in order to write a book examining their beliefs in relation to Judaism, Christianity and the Bible. In the book he attempts to allow the Rasta to explain their doctrines in their own words, examining all key doctrines in different chapters. The book is a rich and unique source of material about Rastafarian beliefs in the developmental stage of the religion.

Owens studied philosophy at Boston College, United States and divinity at Weston College School of Theology, Cambridge, Mass. Owens has worked for many years in the Jesuit colleges of Central America in Managua, Nicaragua. He is the translator of the recently published work The Gospel of Faith and Justice by Antonio Gonzalez.