Religion in New World

This section of the video explores the intersection of religion and literature, focusing on
the works of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, a Mexican nun and writer. The video discusses a
letter written by Sor Juana in response to a bishop who criticized her for pursuing
scholarly pursuits instead of focusing solely on her religious life. Sor Juana argues for
the importance of women being able to pursue both secular and sacred studies. The
video also mentions a poem by Sor Juana that defends the validity of poetry and
critiques the hypocrisy of her detractors. The speaker concludes by inviting the viewer to
interpret the poem for themselves.

 00:00:00 In this section of the video, the focus is on the role of religion during
the European colonization of the New World. While some explorers and
conquistadors were not initially interested in converting the indigenous people,
missionary opportunities soon became apparent. Bartolome de las Casas, a
famous early missionary, found himself at odds with fellow countrymen who were
exploiting the native workforce. Despite tensions between colonizers and
missionaries, the latter achieved significant success in terms of conversions.
Native Americans themselves played a major role in spreading Roman
Catholicism, as seen in the case of Juan Diego, who had a vision of Mary in
Mexico in 1531, leading to the popular tradition of the Virgin of Guadalupe. This
chapter of history allows for a better understanding of today's world, particularly
with the election of Pope Francis, the first Latin American Pope.
 00:05:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the influence of Catholicism in
Latin America, particularly in Mexico and Brazil, which have the highest
populations of Roman Catholics in the world. This can be attributed to the fact
that Spain and Portugal, two staunchly Catholic countries, were the major
colonizers in the region and were not affected by the Protestant Reformation. The
speaker also mentions the golden age of missionary activity during the 16th and
17th centuries, where Jesuit missionaries played a significant role in introducing
the gospel to new territories, such as Japan, India, and China. These missionaries
made efforts to adapt to the local cultures and languages, presenting the gospel
in ways that would resonate with the native peoples. The speaker also briefly
introduces Sor Juana, a significant figure in American literature as the first
American writer studied in the humanities program, and provides background
information on her illegitimate birth and Spanish ancestry.
 00:10:00 In this section, the speaker provides some background information on a
letter written by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, a Mexican nun and writer. The letter
was a response to a Mexican Bishop who had published one of her works without
her permission and under a false name. The bishop's critique of Sor Juana's letter
 argued that she should focus more on her religious life rather than scholarly
pursuits. In her defense, Sor Juana argues that women should be able to pursue
both secular and sacred studies. The speaker also mentions that at the end of the
reading, there is a poem by Sor Juana that defends the validity of poetry. The
discussion forum questions for the week ask about the main point of the poem
and its relevance in 21st-century American life. The speaker provides a hint from
the first stanza of the poem, suggesting that it critiques men who hypocritically
blame women for something they themselves are responsible for.
 00:15:00 In this section, the speaker discusses a poem that serves as an
argument against the hypocrisy of the poet's detractors. The poet, who was
encouraged to write as a woman but faced criticism for doing so, accuses her
detractors of hypocrisy. Additionally, the speaker mentions that the poet's birth
circumstances and her untimely death while ministering to plague victims
indicate her seriousness and dedication to her religious vocation. The speaker
concludes by expressing curiosity about the listener's interpretation of the poem.