Ma`rifat Adyan

Latin America is the most populous Christian region globally. The 15th century saw the arrival of the conquerors in the Latin American region. Political, social, and religious imperatives created the need for a relationship with Latin American Christianity. Developing and deepening this relationship and creating interaction requires a detailed understanding of the culture, civilization, and religion of that area. On the other hand, contemporary Christianity has been shaped along the lines of colonial Christianity; for this reason, understanding contemporary Latin American Christianity requires examining its colonial roots. The Catholic Church underwent phases of evangelization, consolidation, and decline. The third phase (decline, 1700–1808) is critical, as it led to the Church’s loss of political dominance, the rise of secular governance, and Protestant incursions. This study analyzes the external factors behind the Church’s decline, including the weakening of papal authority and diminishing influence of the catholic church in Spain, and internal factors such as Church violence in dealing with opponents and church disputes in Latin America. Using a descriptive-analytical method and written sources, this library research highlights how these factors eroded Catholic hegemony in Latin America.