For centuries, colonialism was carried out with the full endorsement of the Church. The history of colonialism is fraught with exploitation, violence, and oppression, and the Church played a significant role in authorizing it. This practice was justified through the doctrine of “the discovery of new lands,” which gave Europeans the right to conquer and take control of non-Christian territories.

The Church also legitimized the enslavement of African peoples, which was central to the growth of colonial economies in the New World. It was believed that converting enslaved individuals to Christianity would redeem them of their sins and that their enslavement was an act of charity and kindness.

Furthermore, the Church’s involvement in colonialism went beyond theological grounds. Churches contributed financially to the expansion of colonial empires, funded missionary work in colonized lands, and actively participated in cultural subjugation. In colonialism an extension of the Church’s mission to evangelize and spread Christianity.

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The Church’s endorsement of colonialism and its brutal practices towards indigenous peoples and peoples of African descent have left a deep scar on the history of Christianity. It is only in recent years that the Church has acknowledged this history and begun to repair the relationship with those who suffered as a result of its participation in these brutal practices.