Posted: September 3rd, 2022

The Contrast of French and Spanish Missionaries

The Contrast of French and Spanish Missionaries
Although both French and Spanish missionaries aimed at spreading Christianity, their styles of evangelism were different. Spanish missionaries used aggression and force to get new converts, while the French embraced negotiations and sincere communications. The French method was more successful.
Colonialism allowed the missionaries to spread Christianity. They believed that spreading the Christian creed would earn them eternal salvation. The Spanish were funded by monarchs to spread the gospel. They aimed at preserving the Catholic faith. They found New Mexico as a perfect place to evangelize.
At the Pueblo Indians village, they preached to the Indians. To gain authority and superiority, the Spanish introduced practices such as kissing the priest’s feet as a form of greeting. The introduction of behavior modification in marriage and sexual behavior led to the resistance of Indians. The Spanish perceived restriction of conduct as a way of winning their souls.
On the other hand, the French did not use brutal tactics to convert Indians to Christianity; they approached Indians with knowledge of their language and culture. The Indians accepted their style of evangelism. They welcomed them with songs to their homes and villages. Initially, it was hard to interpret the biblical myths because they were not conversant with their language. They used body language and non-verbal expressions to spread their faith.
The Indians perceived them as respectful, and the French missionaries became part of their social fabric. Besides, preaching the gospel, the French missionaries also allowed Indians to study so that they could assist them in their missions. They did not use behavior modification evangelism style like the Spanish.
Unlike the French, the Spanish missionaries attempted to convert the Native Americans to Christianity. The French missionaries learned the customs and practices of the American people, but the Spanish did not. The French lived harmoniously with the Native Americans. Although the Spanish missionaries used force to gain control, both the Spanish and French evangelism styles managed to synchronize Christianity with native cultures and beliefs.
Joan Wester Anderson was right when he said that communication and sincerity make evangelism more efficient. The French missionaries were able to win more souls because they used negotiations. The use of force by the Spanish missionaries led to a negative impact as the Indians revolted. Although all the French and Spanish missionaries managed to spread Christianity, the French missionaries were more successful because they showed affection.

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