REL 231 - History of the Christian Church
Course Notes
Week 10 - The Age of Exploration
Chapter 10 can be rather depressing to read - so many explorers traveling all over the world, but the Church not building self-sustaining Christian communities.
There were several reasons for this lack of success.
- First was the fighting between denominations which was taking place in Europe - much energy was spent persecuting other Christians, instead of taking Christianity to the rest of the world.
- Secondly, the cultural insensitivity of most of the missionaries - Christianity was generally equated with adopting a European life-style. This was naturally resented and resisted by the potential converts.
- Thirdly, exploration was done primarily with the aims of finding gold, or extending control over territory, or to make a profit in the spice, silk, or exotic trades, or even to spread the slave trade.
Copyright © 1999 Shirley J. Rollinson, all Rights Reserved
