Some religions consider evangelization or missionary activity to be an important part of devotion to God.
Christianity and Islam are both considered to be âmissionary religions.â Even in the new world, both Aztecs and
Incas required their conquered subjects to worship their conquerorâs deities, although the subject people were
allowed to add them to their own native pantheons.
If we assume that it was eventually inevitable that Europeans and Amerindians would eventually come into
contact in some fashion, it is likely that in any scenario, they would have experience religious conflict. Write an
essay evaluating the efforts of Catholic missionaries (Franciscans, Dominicans, Jesuits, etc.) to spread the faith
among the conquered Amerindian peoples. Keep in mind examples of mercy and justice, as well as cruelty and
exploitation by Spanish priests. Using examples from the readings, primary documents and films in this course,
develop an argument criticizing or defending the overall missionary endeavor in its efforts to convert native
Americans to the âtrue faithâ and to protect them from oppression and exploitation by Spanish colonists and
conquistadores.
Did Catholic missionaries mitigate the horrors of disease, slavery and conquest? Or did they exacerbate the
destruction? Keep in mind Justo González’ idea of the two faces of Christianity in Latin America. Make use of
2/14/2021 Writers Hub – Freelance Writing
https://www.writershub.org/writer/orders/705435#instructions 5/6
counter-examples.
Do NOT make an argument based on twenty-first century values. Make your argument based on the given nature
of the fifteenth and sixteenth century worldviews, historical context and economic realities. Make a sincere
effort to avoid anachronisms.
Review the first three chapters of the textbook dealing with the âconquestâ and evangelization of the Americas.
Consider pro- and con- examples from Black Robe and The Mission.
Read the primary source document from Penyak and Petry âPenyak PART III Conversionâ as preparation for
writing this essay Penyak PART III Conversion primary source readings-1.pdf
Review the J. González text, chapter 2: âThe Arrival of Christianity.â
PROMPT: Analyze and discuss the material that has been assigned, and address the following statement:
âDespite some examples of harsh or cruel missionary activity, many, if not most Catholic missionaries sincerely
had the best interests of the Amerindians at heart.â Discuss if you agree or disagree with the statement.
ALTERNATE PROMPT: Analyze and discuss the material that has been assigned, and address the following
statement: âDespite possible good intentions of some Catholic missionaries, most missionary work enhanced the
oppression and suffering of Amerindians.â Discuss if you agree or disagree with the statement.
Sample Solution
The incorporation of new cultures, specifically Greek culture, into the Roman Empire is yet another way that Roman expansion falls into a grey area. On one hand Roman culture willingly took much from the Greeks such as the model for their gods and theater. On the other, there was a significant push back against this merger as many element of Roman culture and ideals did not mesh well with the Greek culture and other places that now fell under Roman rule. One example of this pushback was towards the religious cults that were coming to Rome, specifically that of the Dionysus cult, to which the senate responded by implementation legal restrictions on these groups. Cato the Elder was one of the most outspoken in the opposition of Greek culture. Cato very much idealized the idea of traditional Roman values, and the image of the Roman farmer soldier. This is displayed in the writing of Plutarch who writes, âHere he was, the greatest Roman of his time, who had subdued the most belligerent tribes, and driven Pyrrhus out of Italy. Yet, he tilled this tiny plot of land himself and lived in this simple cottage â even after his three triumphs!â (Plutarch 334) As a prominent public figure, he had influence over the way the public perceived the world around them. His viewpoints idealized the Roman characteristics of the farmer soldier, of conservatism and masculine virtue. He perceived the Greeks to be men of words and philosophy rather than of military service and mighty acts as Plutarch says (350). These are just some of the ways in which ideologically Rome conflicted with cultures under their rule. Each of these factors led to a rather complex web of both benefits and downfalls for Rome. In many cases Rome expanded as a way of defending itself and partook in the resulting benefits. Rome saw many positive effects such as acquiring profitable lands, expanding the reach of its power, and improving the quality of life for many of its citizens. Yet, in spite of these benefits the pressure to stretch governmental power, the resulting violence of war, and influence of newly incorporated cultures complicated and in many ways had a negative impact on Rome. This conflict between good and bad defines Roman expansion, in the grey area that cannot be simply defined as good or bad.>
The incorporation of new cultures, specifically Greek culture, into the Roman Empire is yet another way that Roman expansion falls into a grey area. On one hand Roman culture willingly took much from the Greeks such as the model for their gods and theater. On the other, there was a significant push back against this merger as many element of Roman culture and ideals did not mesh well with the Greek culture and other places that now fell under Roman rule. One example of this pushback was towards the religious cults that were coming to Rome, specifically that of the Dionysus cult, to which the senate responded by implementation legal restrictions on these groups. Cato the Elder was one of the most outspoken in the opposition of Greek culture. Cato very much idealized the idea of traditional Roman values, and the image of the Roman farmer soldier. This is displayed in the writing of Plutarch who writes, âHere he was, the greatest Roman of his time, who had subdued the most belligerent tribes, and driven Pyrrhus out of Italy. Yet, he tilled this tiny plot of land himself and lived in this simple cottage â even after his three triumphs!â (Plutarch 334) As a prominent public figure, he had influence over the way the public perceived the world around them. His viewpoints idealized the Roman characteristics of the farmer soldier, of conservatism and masculine virtue. He perceived the Greeks to be men of words and philosophy rather than of military service and mighty acts as Plutarch says (350). These are just some of the ways in which ideologically Rome conflicted with cultures under their rule. Each of these factors led to a rather complex web of both benefits and downfalls for Rome. In many cases Rome expanded as a way of defending itself and partook in the resulting benefits. Rome saw many positive effects such as acquiring profitable lands, expanding the reach of its power, and improving the quality of life for many of its citizens. Yet, in spite of these benefits the pressure to stretch governmental power, the resulting violence of war, and influence of newly incorporated cultures complicated and in many ways had a negative impact on Rome. This conflict between good and bad defines Roman expansion, in the grey area that cannot be simply defined as good or bad.>
