User:Ashleeyy/Christianity and Vodou

Lead
Christian-Vodou relations describe the relationship between Christianity and certain African diaspora religions, including Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo, and have been marked by syncretism and conflicts, especially in Haiti, but less so in Louisiana and elsewhere.

Rewritten lead: Christian-Vodoo can be seen as a syncretism of different cultures and religions. Primarily focused on the Haitian Vodoo, and Catholic Christianity, the two have been in a way merging together since around the 18th century, when a large majority of Haiti was part of the Atlantic slave trade. Catholic Christianity

Roman Catholicism
Roman Catholicism is one of the three existing diversions of Christianity. The Roman Catholic Christianity religion that revolves around the belief of a single God and his three characteristics, known as the Holy Trinity. This Holy Trinity is made up of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The community is led by the pope and the Holy See which act similarly as a government of the religion. They dictate what fits the standards, morals, and religious views of the community. The Roman Catholic religion derives from history incorporating Jesus Christ and his Apostles. Some of their basics beliefs/practices are following the sacraments, such as baptizing a child after birth, praying before a meal, praying the Rosary, etc. In Haitian history, it managed to make. its appearance in the 15th century, when Christopher Columbus set foot on the island of Hispaniola.

Haitian Voodoo
Haitian culture has a great variety of religions and spirituality within itself, but one of the greatest combination of practices within itself has been the syncretism of Catholicism and African religious practices. The creation of Voodoo was not a positive one created out of hope and optimism, but instead out of anguish and survival. During the 18th century, when slavery was at its peak, African slaves were trapped in an endless cycle of despair. Due to this, Voodoo came to light as a sort of rebellion towards the ideology of having slaves, which eventually would lead to a slave revolt in 1791. According to Digital Chicago History, the importance of Voodoo itself began with the Haitian Revolution which was sparked by a Voodoo ceremony; known as the Bois Caiman Ceremony.

The Merging of Both Worlds
Roman Catholicism had been around since the early 30s of the Common Era, but was not known in Haiti until around the 15th century. During the 15th century, Christopher Columbus landed around San Salvador, where some of his people were left to proclaim their religious efforts; but unfortunately were obliterated by illness and others by slavery. Through the African Slave Trade, a large quantity of slaves were brought to the island of San Salvador to continue the labor of the past people associated with Christopher Columbus. Through this trade, many slaves were introduced to Christianity. In 1493, the Spanish colonization of the Americas, also known as Spanish rule, began spreading their religious beliefs on the island. The main religion was Catholicism Christianity, so the majority of the island of San Salvador would practice Catholicism Christianity. This eventually spread throughout time and with slaves that were traded over the years. It wasn't until 1697 where the French colonized a Western portion of the island of Hispaniola, where San Dominguez was included, now known as Haiti, that the Catholic religion was declared official to the island. Although the Catholic religion remained the official religion of Haiti, Haitian slaves especially began to incorporate their own cultural and spiritual practices into the Catholic religion. Under several laws established around 1685, Catholic practices amongst African slaves(such as baptism and teachings of doctrines) were enforced. Due to risks of practicing their own beliefs, Haitian slaves began to practice their own beliefs under the cover of the Catholic ones. These practices were derived from their religion, known as Voodoo. They would practice small changes such place their own saint's identities under the similar saints found in the Catholic religion. Haitian believe in Lwa/loa/loi which are recognized as spirits in Haitian Voodoo. They would similarity compare their spirits to the Catholic saint's characteristics and attributes. Even though Christianity was constantly being forced onto Haitian people, Voodoo continued to grow beneath Christian practices/symbolism.