The Christian church gave a very pushy introduction of itself to the indigenous peoples of Latin America.

“Who can doubt that gunpowder shot off against the heathen is incense for the Lord?”-Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo y Valdes.

As colonialism continued some in the church advocated for less harsh treatment of the natives.

Bartolomé de las Casas, “protector of the indians”, advocated before Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, on behalf and the natives. He also speculated that rather than use native people as slaves, Africans could be used as forced labor (though he later expressed opposition to all forms of slavery.)