Latin American Christianity Colorful, Complex, Conflicted
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
CHRISTIAN HISTORY IssueIssue 130130 Latin American Christianity Colorful, complex, conflicted $5.00 US $7.00 CAN ChristianHistoryMagazine.org “I THE KING . I THE QUEEN” This 1493 letter signed by Ferdinand and Isabella, “Yo el Rey” and “Yo La Reina,” appoints an agent to act on their behalf in the colonies. empires without a written language. Both Nahuatl (the Aztec language) and Quechua (the Inca language) were first put into writing for mission- aries to use in preaching and catechizing, but use of them was later suppressed. NEW APOSTLES? Between 1493 and 1820, Spain sent 15,000 mis- sionaries to the Americas, fully funding most of them. Among the first was a group of 12 Franciscans that arrived in Mexico in 1524, chosen to equal the number of the apostles. Frequently Franciscans con- ducted mass baptisms, at one point claiming to have Did you know? baptized over five million indigenous people. MISTAKEN IDENTITY, APOSTOLIC NUMBER, THE DEEP THOUGHT TENTH MUSE, AND CALVIN’S HOPE The first non-European printing press was estab- lished in Mexico City in 1539 by printer Juan Pablos. The first book printed was Breve y mas com- pendiosa doctrina Christiana en lengua Mexi- cana y Castellana by Bishop Juan de Zumár- TH CENTURY) / MUSEO NACIONAL DEL VIRREINATO, TEPOTZOTLAN, MEXICO BRIDGEMAN IMAGE raga, which explained basic doctrine in 18 both Spanish and Nahuatl. It was based on a work by Constantino Ponce de la Fuente of Seville, later condemned by the Inquisi- tion as a Lutheran. Carmelite nun Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1648–1695; see p. 44) was one of Latin America’s most renowned thinkers. She wrote secular and religious plays and poetry—in Latin, Nahuatl, and Spanish. Some called her “The Tenth Muse” and “The Mexican Phoenix.” TH CENTURY) / BIBLIOTECA NACIONAL, MADRID, SPAIN BRIDGEMAN IMAGES THE ROLE OF CASTE 16 The Spanish developed a caste (casta) sys- tem over time. Peninsulares were those born in Spain; criollos were Spaniards or other Europeans born in the “New World”; indios were the indigenous people; (VELLUM), DURAN, DIEGO ( NOT THE INDIES mestizos were of mixed indigenous and European Columbus did not sail to prove the world is round— ancestry; mulatos were mixed African and Euro- 1579 this was already widely accepted by the educated pean; negros were sub-Saharan African; cholos had European elite—but he did believe that he had indigenous and mestizo backgrounds; and pardos reached the Indies and so called those he met there had European, African, and indigenous ancestry. “Indians.” He was actually in the modern-day Laws governed the taxes, occupations, and mar- ) WATCHING A COMET, Bahamas. riages of each casta; the priesthood was reserved for More than 350 indigenous groups lived in Latin those of “pure” (European) blood. America when Columbus arrived (see map, p. 16). 1466–1520 We know the most about the Maya, the Aztec, and PORTENT OF DOOM? Above: Montezuma II, Aztec the Inca. The Mayan language had a written form, emperor at the time of the Spanish conquest, watches a SYSTEM OF HIERARCHICAL RACE CLASSIFICATION CREATED BY ESPANOLES IN HISPANIC AMERICA (OIL ON CANVAS), MEXICAN SCHOOL, ( FERDINAND AND ISABELLA SIGNATURE—WIKIMEDIA MONTEZUMA II ( CASTA but the the Aztec and the Inca administered their comet in a 16th-c. chronicle. JUAN DIEGO STATUE—WIKIMEDIA INTI WORSHIP—CRONISTA MARTÍN DE MURÚA / WIKIMEDIA C H A HELPFUL GLOSSARY Here are some terms you’ll find in this issue that may be unfamiliar to you. Feel free to flip back here if you can’t remember the definitions! Base communities: Groups of Christians who meet for discus- sion and Bible study; associated in 1960s Latin America with lib- eration theology Cofradías: Catholic brotherhoods (confraternities) that provided their members support and an opportunity to exercise devotion Conquistador: A Spanish or Portu- guese conqueror of Latin America Crown: The usual term for the Spanish or Portuguese monarchs Encomienda: A grant from the Spanish crown that gave the grant holder the use of the labor of a certain number of indigenous people Hacienda: A Spanish estate Huacas: Objects or locations considered sacred in traditional Inca religion TH CENTURY) / MUSEO NACIONAL DEL VIRREINATO, TEPOTZOTLAN, MEXICO BRIDGEMAN IMAGE Iberian: Pertaining to both Spain and Portugal, which are 18 located together on the Iberian peninsula Liberation theology: A twentieth–century movement developed and spread by Latin American theologians emphasizing political and social as well as spiritual FIND YOUR PLACE Above: This 18th-c. painting illus- needs of the poor trates the different castas. Juan Diego’s vision of the Vir- Mesoamerica: The region from central Mexico down gin of Guadalupe was controversial in part because Juan through Costa Rica; called Central America today (above right) was an indio. Maroons: Africans who were free or had escaped slavery who built settlements away from the dominant civiliza- tion where they could live in peace FROM CALVIN TO THE PENTECOSTALS New Spain: Spain’s colonies located in what are today the The first Protestant missionaries arrived in Latin southwestern United States, Mexico, and much of Central America (see map, p. 16) TH CENTURY) / BIBLIOTECA NACIONAL, MADRID, SPAIN BRIDGEMAN IMAGES America in 1556—and they were sent by John Calvin! 16 Pastors and seminarians from Geneva came to serve Patronato real: A privilege from the spiritual needs of a group of French citizens who the pope allowing the Spanish had settled in Brazil, but the mission was a failure. crown to appoint bishops and British, French, and Dutch Protestants continued to priests in all Spanish colonies settle in Latin America in small numbers, but major Pre-Columbian: Culture, art, immigration was not encouraged until the nineteenth religion, and history in the (VELLUM), DURAN, DIEGO ( century. Protestant clergy and church workers were, Americas before the arrival of 1579 at first, ordered only to serve their own immigrant Columbus people and not to try to convert Latin American Santería: One of the most famous Catholics. Latin American religions com- The first Protestant groups to grow strongly in Latin bining Catholic and traditional America in the nineteenth century were Waldensians, African religious practices C H ) WATCHING A COMET, Lutherans, Methodists, and Mennonites. Growing out of the work of Methodist missionary Willis Hoover 1466–1520 (see p. 47), Iglesia Metodista Pentecostal became the first independent Pentecostal church established in Latin SUN’S UP This 17th-c. illustration SYSTEM OF HIERARCHICAL RACE CLASSIFICATION CREATED BY ESPANOLES IN HISPANIC AMERICA (OIL ON CANVAS), MEXICAN SCHOOL, ( America in 1909. Over 100 Pentecostal denominations shows 15th-c. Inca ruler Pachacu- FERDINAND AND ISABELLA SIGNATURE—WIKIMEDIA MONTEZUMA II ( CASTA JUAN DIEGO STATUE—WIKIMEDIA INTI WORSHIP—CRONISTA MARTÍN DE MURÚA / WIKIMEDIA exist in Latin America today. ti worshiping the sun god. I 1 Works that Inspire Inform & Illuminate Works that Inspire, Inform & Illuminate ◆ SYMBOL OR ◆ THE WORD SUBSTANCE? ◆ ETERNITY IN THE A Meditation on the Prologue Peter Kree MIDST OF TIME to St. John’s Gospel n this engaging ctional conversa- Wilfrid Stinissen, O.C.D. Adrienne von Speyr Ition, Kree gives credible voices to aring us to see time with new eyes, er writing a four-volume series of C. S. Lewis, Billy Graham and J. R. R. DStinissen’s insight that eternity is Ameditations on St. John’s Gospel, Tolkien as they discuss one of the most written in the depths of our hearts helps the mystic von Speyr presents her contentious questions in the history of us to live in time in a way that leads us re ections on the Prologue to St. John's Christianity: Is Jesus symbolically or deeper into God’s joy. We should rejoice Gospel. Her insights embrace the whole substantially present in the Eucharist? that everything around us is great and Christian revelation and life; the Church ese widely respected modern Chris- mysterious and that we can live in eter- and the Sacraments, Faith, Love, Hope, tian witnesses represent three important nal wonder. He shows us how to see time attitudes towards revelation, accep- theological traditions. Graham, a Baptist from di erent perspectives and to discov- tance and rejection of the Word. is minister, represents evangelical Protes- er how rich and multifaceted it is. Above work is spiritual meditation of the tantism; Lewis, an Oxford professor, all, he demonstrates how we can make use highest quality by an extraordinarily gi - was a member of the Church of England. of the tremendous possibilities that time ed woman. And Tolkien, also an Oxford don, was o ers to us. WORP . Sewn So cover, $16.95 author of e Lord of the Rings, and a EMTP . Sewn So cover, $16.95 Roman Catholic. “Adrienne von Speyr is a theological genius! SSP . Sewn So cover, $16.95 “ e important truths taught here are Her insights into the Prologue of John’s well served by the simple beauty with which Gospel are edifying and fascinating. Her “In this wonderful book, Kree allows us he explains them. e ultimate understand- mystical insights are on par with the greatest to listen to an imaginary conversation ing must be revealed by Christ, who entered scripture scholars.” between Lewis, Tolkien, and Graham on chronology from eternity and graciously —Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC, Author, the thorny topic of the Eucharist. eir gave us clues.” 10 Wonders of the Rosary imaginary presence enlightens our minds —Fr. George Rutler, Author, Calm in Chaos: on the Real Presence.” Catholic Wisdom for Anxious Times “If the reader emerges without having —Joseph Pearce, Author, Catholic been crushed by this work, he will nd Literary Giants “Fr. Stinissen’s many references to Scripture, himself strengthened and exhilarated by his wide-ranging use of saintly thought, a new experience of Christian sensibility." “In our contentious cultural climate, and his love for St.