Download 2) The Beginnings of American Christianity

Theo 425 American Christianity – Session 2: The Beginnings of American Christianity
Rev. Jacquelyn E. Winston, Ph.D.
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Reading assignment: Continental Influences of Catholic Christianity - Noll 7-8, 11-17b, 26-29;
Course Reader 1-3 – (Franciscans in New Mexico 31-33).
I.
II.
Christianity in the Americas
A.
Before Puritans – Episcopalians, Holland’s Reformed Church in New Amsterdam
(NY), Quakers in Pennsylvania, Catholic priests from Spain.
B.
Colonization driven by competition among European countries, desire for raw
materials and trade – led to slavery.
C.
American missions – collaboration between Church & state
The Paradoxical Catholic Mission to the Americas
A.
Columbus – desired to spread gospel to Indians, wanted profits from his trip to be
used for evangelism (Noll 12-13).
1. His men raped and slaughtered Indians in Hispaniola
2. Indians of Hispaniola went from millions in 1492 to being wiped out 60 yrs later
B.
Pope Alexander VI (1493) – papal bull settling territorial issues between Spain &
Portugal. His purpose: To gain lands to spread Catholic faith (13).
C.
Charles V of Spain, (HRE) in 1529 sponsored expedition to convert Florida Indians
D.
Bartolome de Las Casas of Hispaniola suggesting using slaves from Africa instead of
Indians for labor force. Missionary strategy: Evangelical conquest – presentation of
gospel while preserving dignity of Indians.
E.
Dominican Francisco de Vitoria – moral guidelines for Spanish treatment of Indians
F.
First hymnbook in America – 1556 in Mexico City (Ordinary of the Mass) (Noll 14)
G.
Brutal treatment of Indians by Spaniards, but protests by led to papal bull by Paul III
in 1537 affirming Indians were people and could become Christians.
H.
New Mexico – 35,000 Christian Indians with 25 missionary stations by 1630 (14).
1. According to the letter of Brother Juan de Escalona (CR1-3) – Don Juan de Onate
exploited Indians, harming spread of gospel.
2. Task for spreading gospel given to Spanish kings by Catholic Church.
Theo 425 American Christianity – Session 2: The Beginnings of American Christianity
Rev. Jacquelyn E. Winston, Ph.D.
I.
Francisco Junipero Serra (1713-1784) in California – baptized 100,000 Indians, taught
them settled agriculture & spiritual disciplines, but also treated them like children
including forcing return of baptized Indians who tried to leave and use of corporal
punishment (Noll 15). Results of Serra’s approach (Noll 16-17):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
J.
III.
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Indians viewed as workers rather than potential converts
Civil govt controlled church finances & appointments
Indian converts tended to be shallow in faith
Native resentment & revolts
Syncretism between indigenous religions with thin overlay of Catholicism
Attitudes toward evangelism of indigenous people
1. Ethnocentrism
2. Commercial priority
3. Less than human by some
4. Paternalistic
5. Tied to cultural views (Spanish imperialism) – shared superiority of culture as
well as faith
Roman Catholics in Maryland – under Calvert family of England (1634) (Noll 26)
A.
Calverts’ goal – to provide haven for English Catholics & to make money
B.
Jesuit priest Andrew White preached to Native Americans but was reprimanded by
Calverts for endangering colony by stirring up Protestants because he preached to
European colonists (27). White prepared Christian literature in native language
C.
Lord Baltimore, Cecil Calvert issued “Act concerning Religion” in 1649 – first act of
toleration of religion – goal was to protect Catholic interests from Puritans (28).
D.
Early Roman Catholicism in the colonies:
1. Established among families (e.g. Calverts)
2. Roman Catholic missions established in 16th & 17th c. before Protestants.
3. Lessons to be learned from early American Roman Catholicism:
a)
Dangers of church-state entanglements and imperial influences on
evangelism to Native Americans;
b)
Guidelines for cross-cultural evangelism and Christian education
For Further Reading:
Gaustad, Edwin S. and Mark A. Noll, ed. A Documentary History of Religion in America, Third Edition. 2
vol. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing, 2003, 31-33.
Noll, Mark. A History of Christianity in the United States and Canada. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans
Publishing Company, 1992, 7-21.