Christianity
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to
observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even
to the end of the age."1 A simple directive spoken by God himself through Jesus
Christ in the Sermon at the Mount, this Great Commission has impacted a
countless number of lives throughout the years. The command given by Jesus at
that time was actually to act as a continuance of His ministry after his death.
Apparently this command continued to be fulfilled even far beyond His ascension
into heaven. The commandment sparked the beginning of Christianity and
throughout the years, its cultures, religions and beliefs poured out upon the
continents, including the New World. The intent of this report is to show the
transfer of Christianity from the Old World to the Americas; it is to outline
its beginnings and show its impact on the Indian people.
The Catholic Church during the Middle Ages played an all encompassing
role over the lives of the people and the government. As the Dark Ages came to a
close the ideas of the Renaissance started to take hold, and the church's power
gradually began to dwindle. The monarchies of Europe also began to grow
replacing the church's power. Monarchies, at the close of the Middle Ages and
the dawn of the Renaissance, did not so much seek the guidance of the church as
much as it sought their approval. However, the Church during the Age of
Discovery was still a major influence. The discovery of the New World and its
previously unknown inhabitants presented new proble ...