Religion in Latin America; the Age of Discovery and...

Religion played a big role in shaping the values, attitudes, and conduct of the Spanish during the Age of Discovery and Conquest (1492-1579). The colonial church provided control and a standard of conduct and living for the new world. In fact, the colonial church had even more power in Spanish America then it did in Spain. Why this is important though, is because it limited the possibility of rebellion and opposition. As long as the church was in place, there was Spanish order, and as long as there was Spanish order, the colonization process could continue to run smoothly and prosper. Nurtured by the crown, the colonial church thrived. Its main priorities were to convert the Indians, and to theoretically justify the Iberian presence in†¦show more content†¦The conversion process did not go on without a hitch though, throughout the new world missionaries had many obstacles to overcome. The first problem they ran into was the vast number of native languages they encountered. A nother is the scattered geographical locations of many tribes, because there wasn’t an easy pattern to follow, Christianity and conversion could not spread as rapidly as they would’ve liked it to. A third way in which the conversion was more difficult than intended, was when they came across native religions that shared some of the same beliefs, although it helped that some basic ideologies were already in place, it was much harder for Christianity to be seen as new and unique. Unlike the original settlers, evangelicals who traveled to convert did not show the same respect for the indigenous g-ds; the Christian g-d was to stand alone. The native religions were destructed very systematically; natives who practiced their religions instead of converting were also prosecuted, and many times by the priests themselves. In these areas of evangelical settlers who would conquest throughout Latin America, laws were even put in place to ensure the practicing of Christianity. As d eclared by Prudence, the law dictated that â€Å"Natives, whatever their private beliefs, publicly comply with their conqueror’s religion† (Burkholder Johnson 109). So much for separation of church and state- in the Age of Discovery and Conquest,