More handpicked essays just for you.
Role of catholic church in latin america
Role or influence of church in latin america
Role of catholic church in latin america
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Catholicism’s influence in Guatemalan Government
Guatemala has been greatly influenced by the Catholic religion. They received Catholicism from their past Spanish rulers. Catholicism has greatly influenced the politics and ideologies of Guatemala through leaders, government and military enforcement. Research shows that Guatemala has been greatly influenced by Catholicism and Mayan belief. Due to Guatemala’s roots in Catholicism, the Mayan culture and its people were oppressed in Guatemala by their Catholic driven leaders. The Maya believed that all living organisms are connected through a universal force. The Catholic religion hindered the indigenous people from preserving their ancestral Mayan religion. Consequently,
…show more content…
Catholicism was respected to the point where Guatemala’s government made its religious leaders have the ability to make and establish laws. My point is to outline the ways Catholicism changed Guatemalan society and its people. Guatemalan society has been altered by religious political leaders, Catholic sermons, and religious leaders, these factors lead Guatemala's government to oppress the Maya’s beliefs. Guatemala’s government has been influenced by Catholic sermons, political leaders and figures of the Catholic church according to Douglass Sullivan-Gonzalez. In his essay “A Chosen People: Religious Discourse”, Gonzalez first Discusses how sermons have impacted Guatemala through words and Christian beliefs. The Clergy used sermons to demonstrate how nations that obeyed the “ divine law” would be saved, nations who disobeyed were at war they received punishment for not following the “divine law” (Sullivan-Gonzalez 19). The divine laws are rules that Christians followed according to the Bible. In sermons, Clergy describes what life would be for Guatemala’s if they did not respect the “divine laws” set by the Catholic church. Sermons affected Guatemalan society by making its people protect the church and keep sacraments in order to become a chosen nation like Israel. Not only were the people of Guatemala influenced by Catholic sermons, but they now gave power and authority to the church through the obedience of religious practice. In short, through sermons, the church had protection and rights, but it also changed the way Guatemalans would think about the nation. Guatemalans were now obsessed with the idea of becoming a nation chosen by God. The nation of Israel is the chosen nation of God according to the Bible. This nation was chosen by God, therefore, making it a holy land. Guatemalans wanted Guatemala to become a nation as holy and perfect as Israel. Guatemala’s obsession with becoming a holy nation is to prevent a civil war from occurring in the country (Sullivan-Gonzalez 19). Tensions within Guatemala’s government were increasing due to the change in the countries leaders and politics. My point is not that Guatemala would become a holy nation, but that Guatemala through following the similar regulations that made Israel a chosen nation would change the way its citizens thought and lived. Not only did Catholic sermons influence the citizens of Guatemala but they also influenced their political leaders. A famous Catholic general was Rafael Carrera. Rafael Carrera was not only Catholic but he was an advocate for Catholicism in Guatemala.
In 1959, Rafael Carrera made Guatemala’s national religion- Catholic, Carrera challenged the nation's politics, he was motivated by his religious concerns and forcibly controlled the power structure inherited from colonial times (Sullivan Gonzalez 17).Carrera protested in favor of the church and state to remain equal within the government system. However, the church lost power in 1879, it was deprived of property, and prohibited from discussing political issues (Cruz 351). The church had privileges that most citizens of Guatemala did not have. The church was allowed to make local laws and to enforce the Catholic religion on the residents of their towns. In another study “Mayan and Catholic Spiritual Traditions” published in 2006 by Wendy Tyndale Guatemalan Mayans in San Marcos “are Catholic but with their vision of the universe, interwoven with their Christian beliefs (315)”. The Maya would resist the power of the Catholic church and combine its Mayan beliefs with the Catholic beliefs. This attempt would save the Mayan traditional beliefs. In other words, Guatemalan Mayans had to adapt their way of life in order to preserve their Mayan Beliefs. Catholicism was changing life in Guatemala, Mayan religion was being culturalized by Christianity. Due to the Catholic religion, Guatemala would soon change its laws based on the Catholic religion. Catholicism was not only combined with other cultures but it was also combined with Guatemalan holidays, like its independence
day. Catholicism was incorporated into other important events, like Guatemala’s independence day. During independence day celebrations “religious and political leaders gathered together for mass and a sermon reflecting independence”(Sullivan-Gonzalez 20). Sermons were delivered on special events like independence days. This honored both the country and the religion. When the Liberal administration in Guatemala took control of the government, anniversary speeches were delivered by secular political leaders, this leads to prayers and sermons to dominate print, the Liberal party prevented religious matters from appearing in print in 1871 (Sullivan-Gonzalez 20). In the 1850’s and 1860’s, religious leaders took control over the interpretation of anniversary celebrations. Jose Aycinena a Clergyman, influenced Guatemala from 1837 to 1864 (Sullivan-Gonzalez 20). Catholicism changed Guatemalans, it changed their opinions on how they lived, citizen’s lives were now encouraged to revolve around Christian ideas and practices. Guatemala’s focus on the Catholic religion did not only influence the government and its people, but it also affected the indigenous populations of Guatemala, the Mayans. In the 1830’s Liberals spoke against the monarchy and the Catholic church, they denounced the idea of equality that the church and the monarchy represented.Their equality was to make the indigenous people of Guatemala become Spanish speaking only people (Sullivan-Gonzalez 21). Equality was not the same for Guatemalan Mayans they were undesirable citizens thought to be barbaric due to their traditional Mayan practices. The Mayan communities suffered injustices from the government because of their religious beliefs. In the beginning of Guatemala’s growth as a nation, there was a lack of equality in Guatemala, the Mayans shifted the religious views of Guatemala. Bruce J. Calder states “the Maya involved themselves in a movement for socioeconomic and political change which swept Guatemala . . . Despite the severe repression of both the movement change and the Mayan, generally in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s”( 93 ). The Mayans had to change their government in order to be recognized as complete citizens. Bruce J. Calder and Virginia Garrard-Burnett both agree that the repression of the Maya encouraged the pro-Mayan movement. In “ 1993, the Mayan movement became a full-blown political and social crusade by and for the Mayan people to assert their own cultural and political rights” (Garrard-Burnett 129). Both authors support the claim that the oppression of the indigenous people of Guatemala was due to the cultures repression from the government. The government was highly influenced by the Catholic religion. The Mayans of Guatemala would not surrender to the Catholic authorities. This would lead to fights between the military and indigenous people. Guatemala’s government had a goal to convert the Mayan people into Spanish speaking people. This Spanish identity would become their ticket into a respectable society. The indigenous people resisted any attempts from the Catholic church, that would convert them into Spanish speaking Catholics. However, due to the forceful tactics of the Catholic church and government, the Mayan had to combine its beliefs with Christian beliefs. In the work “Mayan and Catholic Spiritual Beliefs” a trend that was prominent in other works was the Mayan culture and Catholic religion sharing similar ideas (Tyndale 316). The ideas they shared were a “strong sense of community (Tyndale 316)”. Both the Maya and the Catholics believed in a sense of brotherhood. This unity is what brought these two religions together. The Catholic religion did not only oppress the Mayan people, but it made them combine their two religions together. The combination of the two religions preserved their traditional beliefs. Due to the Catholic religion, Mayan Guatemalans lost part of their culture due to government and societal oppression. This oppression was from political leaders, Catholic Clergy and Guatemalan Catholics. This oppression influenced the Maya to combine their cultural beliefs with Christian beliefs in order to protect their traditions. I agree that Christian beliefs changed the people of Guatemala, but they also inspired them to live their lives differently through religious practices and incorporate sermons into their lives. The sermons delivered have influenced people to think more about their lives and how they could correct their errors. This one religion connected politicians, priests, and common citizens together. However, Guatemala was not the only country influenced by Catholicism. Guatemala’s past ruler Spain was also highly influenced by Christianity. I believe to understand Guatemalan society, further investigation must be done in Spain’s history and cultural influences. Writing this essay has made me realize that religion does not only motivate people, but it can also change the way people perceive the world. I also realized how vulnerable people are and how knowledge is empowering. History makes a nation-but religion motivates, inspires and shapes a nation. Works Cited J. Calder, Bruce . “ Interwoven Histories.” Resurgent Voices in Latin America: Indigenous Peoples, Political Mobilization, and Religious Change, edited by Edward L. Clearly, Timothy J. Steigenga, Rutgers University Press, 2004, pp. 93-94 Cruz, Joel Morales. “Guatemala.” The Histories of the Latin American Church: A Handbook, Augsburg Fortress, Publishers, Minneapolis, 2014, pp. 341–366. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt9m0t2k.22. Garrard-Burnett, Virginia. “God was Already Here When Columbus Arrived.” Resurgent Voices In Latin America: Indigenous Peoples, Political Mobilization, and Religious Change, edited by Edward L. Clearly, Timothy J. Steigenga, Rutgers University Press, 2004, pp. 125-129 . Sullivan-González, Douglass. “‘A Chosen People’: Religious Discourse and the Making of the Republic of Guatemala, 1821-1871.” The Americas, vol. 54, no. 1, 1997, pp. 17–38. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1007501. Tyndale, Wendy . “Mayan and Catholic Spiritual Traditions.” Mountain Research and Development, vol. 26, no. 4, 2006 , pp. 315-318 . ProQuest, https://search.proquest.com/docview/211235825/fulltextPDF/8312EA742D4B4048PQ/13?accountid=104557 . Accessed 20 October 2017
... god. Religious meeting were held in secrecy in the homes of members of the church, mainly female members of the church. Amalia risked her freedom by holding a meeting in her home. (p232) Both the Ladinos and the Indians believed that they were being punished by their gods for the sufferings they experienced. The Mayans believed that they were being punished by their gods for the suffering their people were experiencing at the hands of the Europeans. “They came, who were destined to come; haughty and hard of manner and strong of voice, such were the instruments of our chiding”. (Castellanos, year, p 56) The religious rites and customs practised by the indigenous people were constructed by Europeans as “lies and deceptions which the devil had invented” (Tignor et al 2002, p97) They were to worship only the Christian God instead of bowing to their many idols.
Mexican civilization is very much affected due its contact. with France, New Orleans of the USA.”Design, style and gastronomy are expressions that show the vibe of Yucatan, sentiment relevance more than its personal kingdom.”(4).
From the time of its colonization at the hands of Spanish Conquistadors in the early 1500’s, Guatemala has suffered under the oppression of dictator after dictator. These dictators, who ruled only with the support of the military and only in their own interests, created a form of serfdom; by 1944, two percent of the people owned 70 percent of the usable land.
Many civilizations have similar qualities as other civilizations, but they also have their differences. Some of these differences include: Religion, Geography, and Government. These three things were a big part of any civilization. Two civilizations had many different things and many similar things. These civilizations are The Maya and The Romans. The Romans had a very unique and interesting culture, The Maya were also very interesting and different. Even though they were unique in their own way, they also had many similar qualities.
the Church maintained its relationship with the now-Creole elite at the expense of its relationship with other indigenous, mestizo and African sectors of the population. It closely aligned itself with the Conservative rather than Liberal parties in many countries which resulted in the severance of Church-state relationships in Ecuador, Brazil, Cuba, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panamá, Chile and Mexico. By the 1930s the Church found itself in the position of losing influence with the Latin American population. Maintaining its links to the conservative party and landowning elites of Latin America. The syncretism of religion in Latin America is the result of when combining beliefs which then changes the idea or the main thought of religion or belief system. This will usually result with the leader or leaders of the principle religion to become upset but not so much for the people who practice it. For example, “After independence was won from Spain, the creole elite split into conservatives and liberals. One of the issues of contention was the status of the Catholic Church. The liberals wanted religious toleration and secularization of some of the church's
The Mayan interpretation of the cosmos included a plethora of gods: some benevolent, others malignant; some unattainable, others close at hand. Defining past, present and future, it concerned itself with death, the afterlife and reincarnation. Itzamna was a Mayan god that represented the earth and sky. This god was there to produce vegitables. The Aztec beliefs were very similar to that of the Mayan civilization. Both societies were very similar in their belief of gods, sacrificing, and wars. The ritual of human sacrifice was infulenced by the Toltec tradition. Praying, sacrifice, speaking in metaphors were all forms of speaking with dieties. The calendar was very accurate, more accurate then the calendars that we follow now. Europeans thought that Mesoamerican people were wild people because they were cannibals, believed in many gods, and "enjoyed sex".
The consistent interaction between Mesoamerican civilizations within the region created a cultural diffusion that allowed Mesoamericans to share a great degree of their cultural practices and knowledge with each other. Church and State are one of the same. They considered the gods to be the everyday rulers of their daily lives and depended on their priests and rulers to ensure that the gods were appeased and didn't destroy the earth or extinguish the essential life sustaining Sun. The Maya religion required a highly complicated method of worship that demanded bloodletting and sacrificial rituals that were often fulfilled by the kings and queens. These efforts were necessary because it was believed to "feed" the gods.
Guatemala’s staple food is the beloved tamales plus the have a wide variety of exotic fruits and vegetables. Because of its Mayan influence, the dress that is worn is brightly colored and varies among the different regions of Guatemala. This makes it very easy to spot a person’s home town. The people of Guatemala are very proud of their ancestry, and they show it in everyday life. Guatemala is truly an astounding country that is a glimpse into the past while it moves to the
When Spaniards first set foot on Mesoamerican shores in the early sixteenth century, they encountered not the godless mass of natives they believed they found, but a people whose rich spiritual traditions shaped and sustained them for thousands of years. These diverse spiritual practices legitimized nearly every aspect of Mesoamerican daily life, from science and architecture to art and politics (Carmack 295), in many of the same ways Catholicism did in Spain. The collision of these cultures in the Great Encounter and the resulting Spanish colonial state mixed not solely two different peoples—Indian and Spanish—but thousands of variants: elites and slaves, peasant farmers and traders, priests and traders, organized and local spiritual customs, all with different degrees of diversity in their respective religious practices. This diversity set the stage for the syncretic religious traditions that emerged in Mayan society and remain a vital part of that culture today.
Religion in Latin America has always been tied closely to Catholicism because of the influence of Europeans who came to settle South America, bringing along their Catholic foundation. With the early formations of governments in Latin America, church and state were closely linked. The church had significant influence over what happened in the political realm of the countries’ relations. The case was no different for Colombia. The Catholic church has played a significant role in the history of Colombia, assuming an esteemed status in the country and exercising control over different areas of the government and public affairs, but as time passed its role in power has taken a slight downturn.
Religious officials and their roles in Mayan society reflect on how seriously the Mayans took religion and how organized it was. Ceremonies, such as sacrifices, are evidence of how the Mayans honored their gods and how they believed the world worked. All are important to understanding the Mayan religion. Works Cited Chase, Diane Z. and Arlen F. Chase. Changes in Maya Religious Worldview.
The first Catholic priests came to South America with the conquistadors and through social and political force superimposed 16th century Catholicism upon conquered peoples and in subsequent generations upon slaves arriving in the New World. Catholicism has, likewise, frequently absorbed, rather than confronted, popular folk religious beliefs. The resulting religion is often overtly Catholic but covertly pagan. Behind the Catholic facade, the foundations and building structure reflect varying folk religious traditions. (2)
The Dark Ages were a time of great loss in regards to the lack of any grand achievement being made in Europe. After the fall of Rome, it was as if European society paused, and resumed during the Renaissance. This was not true for the Mayans, however. While the Europeans were squandering trying to subsist through the fall of the Roman Empire, the Mayans were building great pyramids, making substantial discoveries in astronomy and mathematics, their culture was rich. The Maya stood out for its sophisticated culture and society, which is eventually overshadowed by Europe’s monumental resurgence during the Renaissance period. It’s salient that the Maya never had a time period in which their culture was lost, despite the mysterious abandonment of
Maya civilization was based mainly on agriculture and religion. Maya every day life revolved around an innumerable number of earth Gods. The most important God was chief, ruler of all Gods. The Mayans prayed to these God’s particularly about their crops. For example, they prayed to the Rain God to nourish their crops. They practiced their religion during ceremonies conducted by priests. They also practiced confession and even fasted before important ceremonies (Gann and Thompson 1931 118-138). The Mayans also b...