AHC: New religion in Latin America
- Thread starter Crying
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Either have Spain/Portugal be Protestant of some form, or just have England colonise South America instead.
The Catholic Church was heavily interlinked with the Spanish imperial system in Latin America, and as a result of that there were anticlerical tendencies in post-independence politics. Perhaps if Spain hadn't been crippled by Trafalgar and the Penisular War, and they'd therefore been able to bloodily suppress Latin American revolts through much of the 19th century, we'd see a radicalization of those anticlerical tendencies? There might be an opportunity there.
In the Andes there was a millenarian religious movements in the second half of the XVI century: Taki Unkuy. If somehow a rebellion was succesfull (by then there was still a small independent Incan succesor state in the core of the Andes), and the Spanish had been expelled, it might have become the main religion in the Andes.
There were probably other movements in other regions. but the conditions that existed in Colonial Spanish America conspired against their chances of success.
There were probably other movements in other regions. but the conditions that existed in Colonial Spanish America conspired against their chances of success.
Sorry I'm late here. But what if, the Catholics of Latin America became more intertwined with their Pre-Latin natives. That way you would have Aztecian, Mayan, Incan etc. form of Catholicism.
To explain it better, instead of Jesus replacing the old gods, he merely becomes one of the Gods or is taken as a god that already exists. There by, Catholicism is actually seen as only having part of the message and the native Americans see it as a weak religion.
To have this work you would also have to have the Spanish be nicer to the native tribes and empires.
Probably a long shot but just a thought.
To explain it better, instead of Jesus replacing the old gods, he merely becomes one of the Gods or is taken as a god that already exists. There by, Catholicism is actually seen as only having part of the message and the native Americans see it as a weak religion.
To have this work you would also have to have the Spanish be nicer to the native tribes and empires.
Probably a long shot but just a thought.
That doesn't even sound like you could call it Christianity. The church already gave a huge leeway with religious syncreticism in Latin America, where the old Aztec, Inca, whatever gods had their attributes transferred to saints (some of which are indigenous Latin American saints). I believe the Trinity were also taken as gods which already existed by these forms of folk Christianity.
I don't see how that's acceptable to the Catholic Spaniards, since at that point you'd have to remove the Spaniards for such a religion to not be suppressed.
Exactly.
Best example is Juan Santos Atahualpa, who effectively blended Christianity into Native American spitiruality and lead a rebellion to reinstate the Incan Empire.
Protip: When leading an Inca resurgence movement, don't name yourself after a defeated Inca.
Maybe Christian and Judaistic elements are merged with local Gods, spiritual and cultural elements into a new Monotheistic religion that expands.Could be influenced by traditions of African freedmen, too.
I assume you mean Santería? Because that's more syncretism of catholic traditions with native/african ones, and a deeper focus on saints and other figures outside the Trinity. Some Christian mysticism too, from what I understand.
This is already OTL: in fact, I'm surprised that many posters already offrered answers as hypotheticals when they actually happened. Umbanda and Macumba are among the largest, but they are not the only ones. All across Latin America there are syncretist traditions, from the Maya to the Inca through many other peoples; in Perú and Bolivia indigenous people are becoming more open on the worship of Pachamama and the old Andean gods. Even in Argentina there is much syncretism: popular saints like Gauchito Gil, to small cults like San La Muerte, and in rural areas you can clearly hear how Christian belief has been shaped by Native and African traditions (Mandinga as the Devil, Tatá Dios as God, the Guaraní are virtually all Catholic, but they identify Tupã, their old main god with the Christian one.) The few surviving native ethnic groups in Argentina (like the Qom) are evangelical Christian, but their interpretation of the Gospel is filled with native references.
The problem with new religions in Latin America is that they will remain small cults at the fringes or syncretized native beliefs always skirting heresy because of the power of the Church in Colonial times, and even with the adoption of secular states. While the power varies from country to country, it is still a strong force that will not easily tolerate dissent, much less organized religions. To have an organized religion that breaks with Catholic/Christian dogma and is openly adopted by millions, you need it to be in a nation that has overthrown the weight of the Church. Even a revivalist Inca empire is difficult, since even the surviving Inca elites paid lip service to the Church to legitimize their power. But as they felt more confident in their independence, and the common people began to be more open in their worship of native gods and customs, there could be a point that they couldn't be considered Catholic anymore; perhaps not fully pagan, but a Christian derived religion like Mormonism.
Another option is for Black Africans to be more sucessful in creating their own states in Brazil. Quilombos (free black towns, sometimes having their own government and as large as cities) already existed. If they managed to stay independent, the religious consequences would be interesting.
Currently Brazil might have one of the largest religious diversities in the world, and certainly the largest in Latin America. There have been all sorts of religious denominations born there, from evangelical churches to the African traditions already mentioned to the Cult of Reason. It's not inconcieable that one of them could reach world religion status, but I'm not sure how to accomplish that.
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I don't have the book at hand but from I remember have read in Card's novel Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus .
Were created and preached a Christianity 'version' adapted (created) for Mesoamerica's religion traditions and belief system.
The above, lets aside the authors' ASB handwavium, would be the solution..of course if you choose the ASB way.
Were created and preached a Christianity 'version' adapted (created) for Mesoamerica's religion traditions and belief system.
The above, lets aside the authors' ASB handwavium, would be the solution..of course if you choose the ASB way.