The History of Religion and the Study of Religion in Mexico

The study of the history of religion(s), as such, has never existed in Mexico as a distinct discipline. Aside from the fact that from early on there have been theological studies in confessional centers, the study of religion has remained a component of other disciplines like His tory, Art History, Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, or Philoso phy. The history of the study of religions in Mexico coincides with the political history of the country. Therefore, it is important to recall that in 1521 the aboriginal peoples who had achieved a high level of civilization were conquered by the Spanish and converted by force to Roman Catholicism. Spain had very recently fought its last battle against the Muslims, the Jews had been expelled from their territory or forced to conversion, and the Reform Movement was in its climax in the rest of Europe. With the help of the Inquisition, which began in 1480, Spain had initiated a fight against all non-Catholics. One of the excuses for the conquest of the Indians was their con version to the true faith. The fight of the Catholic monarchs against idolatries and heresies was transplanted to Spanish America and it included anyone suspected of being Protestant or of having converted to Judaism or Islam. Consequently, Jews, Muslims and Protestants were not permitted to enter the colonies. Nevertheless some Crypto-Jews did manage to enter the New Spain and even played important roles provided they were not caught by the Inqui sition, which had been introduced to the New Spain in 1567. The evangelistic work was very active and a process of fusion between Catholicism and the various forms of regional pre-Hispanic religions started very soon, resulting in varying degrees of syncretism. But generally the Catholic church controlled the social life of the people. Only 26 years after the Conquest of the capital city of the Aztecs, the Catholic hierarchy was firmly established. Cathedrals and

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