"The 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christopher Columbus in America has given rise to a host of celebrations and events in both Europe and America. At the same time, an increasing outcry is being heard from the native Americans who have borne the brunt of five hundred years of Christian "civilization."" "The Church in Latin America has been involved in both the process of conquest and the process of resistance to an extent unmatched on any other continent. The debates initiated by Bartolome de Las Casas about the dignity and personhood of the Indians are as relevant today as they were in the sixteenth century. As Enrique Dussel writes in his General Introduction: "Every historical event is unrepeatable, unique ... Every account supposes an 'interpretation,' whether conscious or not, willed or involuntary. So every history of the Church supposes a certain way of handling essential facts ... In Latin America we are trying to produce a history of the Church on the basis of a particular experience we have of the institutional community founded by Jesus Christ." The mission of the Church is essentially that of its founder: "to bring good news to the poor," and this is a basic criterion of the contributors to this volume." "Produced under the aegis of CEHILA, the Commission for the Study of Church History in Latin America, this work draws on the experience of many of the contributors in their research for CEHILA's eleven-volume General History of the Church in Latin America, in the process of publication in Spanish. This volume is designed to be read by those with little or no knowledge of this fascinating, often appalling, often inspiring, chapter of church history." "This is scientific history, written by leading scholars from all areas of Latin America. But it is also history "from the underside of history." Without distorting events, it presents the story of the conquered peoples and the increasingly impoverished majorities." "The first of three parts provides a chronological survey on a continent-wide scale: the second a regional survey; the third covers some special subjects. The volume concludes with a comprehensive account of sources and bibliography which will prove invaluable to students for years to come."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

This comprehensive history of the church in Latin America, with its emphasis on theology, will help historians and theologians to better understand the formation and continuity of the Latin American tradition.

"Irreplaceable as a reference to where Catholic theology is at any given moment, Concilium maps the state of the most pressing questions with solid contributions from leading theologians and cutting edge voices. Each volume addresses major issues in dialogue with wider public discourses, regularly engaging perspectives from the religions of the world. For volumes of substance, breadth and insight, Concilium provides a most impressive response to the most important issues in theology today." Jeannine Hill Fletcher, Fordham University

The Church in Colonial Latin America is a collection of essays that include classic articles and pieces based on more modern research. Containing essays that explore the Catholic Church's active social and political influence, this volume provides the background necessary for students to grasp the importance of the Catholic Church in Latin America. This text also presents a comprehensive, analytic, and descriptive history of the Church and its development during the colonial period. From the evangelization of the New World by Spanish missionaries to the active influence of the Catholic Church on Latin American culture, this book offers a complete picture of the Church in colonial Latin America. The Church in Colonial Latin America is ideal for courses in the colonial period in Latin American history, as well as courses in religion, church history, and missionary history.