March 7

Influence of The Church in Columbia

The role of the church was of utmost importance in Columbia, with mass attendance being high. Patrons who attended mass mostly consisted of women, as church attendance was considered when judging a woman’s virtue. Religion was not questioned and it was almost an unspoken rule to follow catholicism. More than 85% of the population attended masses. One was identified as a social being by these “turning points” in their religions i.e. Baptism, marriage. The Catholic faith was felt to be a part of a person’s cultural heritage passed on like language and became an integral part of a person’s being. Those in the middle and upper class had close relations to religious figures.

The lower classes were believed to be more religious as compared to the urban city dwellers, however, their Catholicism differed greatly. Fusion of Catholic practices and beliefs with indigenous, African, and sixteenth-century Spanish ones was widespread in the countryside. Most from the Rural side felt determined to fulfill their religious duties in hopes to protect themselves from supernatural punishments or to gain blessings from a Saint. One’s Saint was considered more helpful and present than God.

Religious celebrations were seen not only important to the believer, but they were also considered important social events that would bring the community together. Critics in the church however contended that religion was not something that brought character to a person.Critics of the Church, however, believed that such celebrations distracted from serious deficiencies in the exercise of that faith.

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Posted March 7, 2018 by zuhaasiddiqi in category HL Literature

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