Nas fronteiras da cristandade: as missões como baluartes dos impérios europeus na Africa Centroocidental. // In the frontiers of christianity: missions as bastions of european empires in Central West Africa.

Abstract

As missões representavam para a cristandade o mesmo que os exércitos para os reis. Constituíam o suporte necessário, no campo espiritual, às conquistas e às terras que eram somente aliados políticos e comerciais dos reis europeus. Era através das missões que a Santa Sé conseguia expandir a palavra de Cristo dentro e fora do velho continente. No reino do Congo, os missionários católicos tiveram que lidar com as chamadas “idolatrias” africanas, ora com o confronto aberto, ora com o silêncio e com a aceitação. Na primeira metade do século XVII, tiveram que lidar com diversas ameaças, entre elas, o calvinismo trazido pelos holandeses que ancoravam nos portos do Congo.

The missions accounted for Christianity the same as the armies for the kings. They constitute the necessary support, in the spiritual field, to the achievements and to the lands that were only political and trading allies of European kings. It was through the missions that the Holy See could expand the word of Christ within and outside the old continent. In the kingdom of Congo, the Catholic missionaries had to deal with what they call african "idolatry", sometimes with open confrontation, either with silence and acceptance. In the first half of the seventeenth century, they had to deal with several threats, including Calvinism brought by the Dutch that anchored in ports of Congo.