Early, John D. The Maya and Catholicism: An Encounter of Worldviews. Gainesville, FL: Univ. of Florida Press, 2006.
Baptism. The intervention of saints. The celebration of mass. These rituals and practices sound distinctly Roman Catholic. However, in The Maya and Catholicism, John D. Early illustrates how and why these practice and rituals are embedded in the religious system of the Maya, despite them rejecting the notion of Jesus Christ as savior. Spanish missionaries from the sixteenth to eighteenth century tried to create one culture of Christians, but Early explains that limited understanding (mainly from language difficulties) caused the Mayans to interpret elements of Catholicism in their own way while integrating it into their own preexisting religious system. Even in modern Mayan culture, Mayans demand that non-Mayan Catholic priests perform Catholic rituals that are virtually the same as those performed by Shamans. This review will explore the major thesis and ideas presented by John D. Early in The Maya and Catholicism, along with other significant aspects of the work like organization and readability. A conclusion will address Early's work in terms of its contribution to my base of knowledge and understanding of the subject.
Why and how significant elements of Catholic ritual and rites became embedded in Mayan religious systems is Early's major focus/ Early's thesis to explain this phenomenon is that Spanish conquerors seemed to have gods that were more powerful than those of the Mayans, and priests seemed to be the most knowledgeable about these gods. As Early theorizes: "The Spaniards initial defeat of the Maya showed the Maya that the Spanish gods were more powerful protectors of their own gods" (114). Because of this, Early argues that because of their ability and knowledge of Catholicism, including accurate prayers and rituals, Catholic priests ultimately became indispensable to May...