As moral as Christianity poses itself to be, its role in endorsing colonial endeavours pushed, and still pushes, for the erasure of Indigenous culture. Christian settlements and their acquisition of political power led to the demonisation of native religions and languages in place for their “civilised” practices. Christianity’s central power continues to be more concentrated in the West, and minorities who have historically been subjects of colonisation are left to deal with scars upon their identities.
Unholy reigns
Christianity was integral to the development of many European colonial projects throughout history, particularly as a form of colonial re-education and political machinery. A notable record of this case is the residential schools in Canada, where Indigenous children were forcibly separated from their families to assimilate into European life and convert to Christianity. This was endorsed and even theologically justified by multiple Christian churches at the time.
According to a case study by Harvard Divinity School, these schools were designed to eliminate the identity of Canada’s indigenous communities with heavy punishment for any expression of their culture, from language to religion. Regarded as a “cultural genocide” by the Chief Justice of Canada’s Supreme Court, the program led to the near extinction of their languages and cultural practices.
Africa, on the other hand, was one of the first targets of Christian missionary work amidst European colonial endeavours to appropriate the land and “civilise” the continent. This played a huge role in the marginalisation of African indigenous languages and traditions.
University of South Africa Professor Thinandavha Derrick Mashau described how the faith was not taught in the native languages. Although one can argue that Christian civilisation introduced modern medical practices to improve health, it also ignores how colonialism devastated the public health of African communities, as well as the dismissal of traditional healing practices.
The Philippines, which was to become the largest Christian nation in Asia, also underwent Christian colonisation through the Spanish and European invasions. In terms of language, Church orders did utilise local language to teach Christian doctrine. However, since Spanish was the predominant language of the colonial governance, mass transferability was inevitable; until today, Spanish vocabulary occupies the modern Filipino language.
Moreover, the conversion and later subjugation of indigenous communities meant the suppression of native belief systems like animism. As multiple tribes attempted to resist external control, their cultural values were largely demonised and dismissed as inferior pagan beliefs.
Power uncentered
These cases, among many others, show the misuse and unbalanced power of Christianity, as well as how it was utilised to fulfil colonial missions. Although these conquests are often framed as distant history, and despite official apologies from Christian churches, their consequences remain deeply seared into the identities of the generations that followed.
The affected communities now live with modified, damaged parts of their culture and language, while simultaneously working with it in trying to claim back their stolen agencies and voices.
In African theological studies, there is a growing practice of teaching Christianity in Afrikaans while also acknowledging the beliefs and resilience of their ancestors. Additionally, they tell their history in consideration to how it affected their culture, such as describing what happened to the continent as “colonisation” rather than “civilisation.”
There is also the emergence of hybrid religious cultures, which are adaptations of foreign cultures into local contexts. This is how the Philippines was able to reimagine its Christian practices by integrating them into the histories of various communities and displaying the importance of faith in difficult times.
In this light, this helps with healing not just from the past but also from the passed-down perception that the colonised are mere products. Histories of Christian colonisation, across both scholarly perspectives and collective memory, must be told not only to ensure accountability but to ensure human beings are treated with justice and dignity—the very essence of Christianity before it partnered with ambitions of conquest.