Was Catholic Conversion In Colonial Latin America Successful, And To What Extent? Evangelism in Colonial Latin America played a pivotal role in the European conquest of indigenous populations inhabiting the newly discovered land and perpetuated an intense ‘battle’ that would determine which religion would prosper. Although European colonizers who lived during this period may have believed they accomplished extensive proselytization of the targeted population, evidence provided by first-hand documents disprove this notion. The challenges in communication and linguistics, along with the indigenous and African populations' unwavering refusal to submit and desire to preserve their endemic culture, effectively combated the spread of Catholic influence.
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Ramirez questions, “how does one explain the concepts of ‘devil’ or ‘soul’ to a person who has no words to convey such ideas?” (Ramirez, 46). Native religions void of Catholic influence had no understanding of who the devil is or his evil, nor the notion that they had souls that could or needed to be saved. To understand new concepts, one must have the ability to associate new words with things they already understand. Peruvian natives and priests could not create definitions together; therefore evangelism in the Peruvian region ultimately failed. Ramirez reiterates this claim by sharing an anecdote about a priest who asks a native man “how many gods the Christians worshiped”. The native replied: “three” – Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” (Ramirez, 47). This short dialogue demonstrates the native population's confusion and misunderstanding of the Catholic religion, showcasing the failures in the execution of widespread evangelism. The Catholic priests charged with proselytizing Latin America continued to fall short of achieving their goals. As a result, a shift in evangelistic methods and strategy
Ramirez questions, “how does one explain the concepts of ‘devil’ or ‘soul’ to a person who has no words to convey such ideas?” (Ramirez, 46). Native religions void of Catholic influence had no understanding of who the devil is or his evil, nor the notion that they had souls that could or needed to be saved. To understand new concepts, one must have the ability to associate new words with things they already understand. Peruvian natives and priests could not create definitions together; therefore evangelism in the Peruvian region ultimately failed. Ramirez reiterates this claim by sharing an anecdote about a priest who asks a native man “how many gods the Christians worshiped”. The native replied: “three” – Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” (Ramirez, 47). This short dialogue demonstrates the native population's confusion and misunderstanding of the Catholic religion, showcasing the failures in the execution of widespread evangelism. The Catholic priests charged with proselytizing Latin America continued to fall short of achieving their goals. As a result, a shift in evangelistic methods and strategy