How did Christianity spread through South America?

Eastern Orthodox Christianity was brought to South America by groups of immigrants from several different regions, mainly Eastern Europe and the Middle East. This traditional branch of Eastern Christianity has also spread beyond the boundaries of immigrant communities.

Why did natives convert to Christianity?

They took from the indigenous people the tools to survive and cast aside all others. If they converted to Christianity they would be saved and much more, they would be civilized.

Why do most people in Latin America practice Christianity?

Why do most people in Latin America practice Christianity? During the colonial period, the Catholic Church sent missionaries to convert native peoples to Christianity. This often occurred by force. As the countries of Latin America gained their independence, their cultures carried on these traditions.

How did Christianity arrive in Latin America?

The Age of Discovery began with the voyage of Christopher Columbus c. 1492. It is characterised by European colonization of missionary activity. Pope Alexander VI, in the papal bull Inter caetera, awarded colonial rights over most of the newly discovered lands to Spain and Portugal.

How did Christianity changed Latin America 1500 1800?

Although the widespread exposure that Latin Americans had to Christianity during the 1500-1800 helped create syncretic religions like Vodun and helped create better labor conditions, native latin americans held strongly to their traditional beliefs and sometimes resisted the introduction of Christianity.

What was Latin America before Christianity?

Before the Spanish arrived, tremendous religious diversity marked the region, but animistic, polytheistic, and ancestor worship systems predominated.

How did the Spanish try to convert the natives?

Interactions with Native Americans: Spanish colonizers attempted to integrate Native Americans into Spanish culture by marrying them and converting them to Catholicism. Although some Native Americans adopted aspects of Spanish culture, others decided to rebel.

How did the Spanish convert the natives to Catholicism?

Under encomienda, Spanish colonists were granted a certain amount of land and the labor of the people who lived on it. The system was later transported to Spanish settlements on the mainland. Supposedly, the colonists would pay the native people for their labor and convert them to Christianity.

What is South America’s culture?

The culture of South America today stems from a diverse set of cultural traditions, dating back to those of pre-Columbian civilisations and indigenous tribes, which have mixed with those of African slaves as well as Asian and European immigrants. This vibrant and unique cultural mix is reflected… More…

When did Catholicism reach South America?

The Catholic Church’s presence in Latin America traces back to Spanish colonization. Following Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the region in 1492, Spain claimed much of the Americas.

How did Catholicism spread to Latin America?

Approximately 40 \% of all Catholics live in Latin America. Iberians introduced Roman Catholicism to “Latin America” when Spain and Portugal conquered and colonized their respective New World empires after 1500.

What is the main religion in the southern United States?

Eastern and northern Texas are heavily Protestant, while the southern and western parts of the state are predominantly Catholic.

What is the history of Christianity in Latin America?

CHRISTIANITY: CHRISTIANITY IN LATIN AMERICA. The discovery of Santo Domingo in 1492 marks the beginning of Latin American church history. There were no priests among the one hundred men aboard the Pinta, the Niña, and the Santa Maria; nevertheless, the seamen were Spanish Christians.

How many Christians are there in South America?

According to Pew Research Center 83.43\% of the South American population is Christian, although less than half of them are devout. In many South American countries Catholicism is the most professed Christian denomination. In Paraguay, Peru, Colombia and Argentina more than three-quarters of the population is Catholic.

How did Eastern Orthodox Christianity spread to South America?

Eastern Orthodox Christianity was brought to South America by groups of immigrants from several different regions, mainly Eastern Europe and the Middle East. This traditional branch of Eastern Christianity has also spread beyond the boundaries of immigrant communities.

Where did the Spanish colonize North and South America?

Spain was the first European country to colonize what today is North and South America, and the Spanish approach to the region came from several directions. One was from the Caribbean area, primarily Cuba and Puerto Rico, into Florida.