The Last Supper in Cuzco: Indigenizing Christianity in the Andes

A discussion of syncretism in Spanish colonial Cuzco in the eighteenth century.

7 Aug 2023 — 3 min read

The Source

During the Early Modern era (c.1450 - c.1750), new global connections rapidly increased cultural exchange. As cultural traditions spread, there was an increase in syncretic practices. Even though students have grown up with syncretism (think about Christmas trees), it can be one of the more challenging concepts to teach. How do we show the blend of two different cultural or religious traditions? And how do we do it in a way that centers Indigenous Americans? As the Spanish colonized the Americas in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, they promoted the spread of Catholicism. While many Indigenous Americans converted, they often followed beliefs and practices associated with Indigenous belief systems. There were also ways of weaving aspects of their indigenous culture into Christian and European traditions.

Afroeurasian Exchange Networks and the Spread of Religions before 1450

Extensive trade networks crisscrossed Afroeurasia before 1500. These networks facilitated more than the movement of goods; cultural traditions and technologies also spread through the networks. We can easily see this through the spread of the four most popular universal religions. The Source