Apostles of Empire: The Jesuits and New France

Apostles of Empire is a revisionist history of the French Jesuit mission to Indigenous North Americans in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, focusing on their transatlantic enterprise and secular concerns. It highlights how the Jesuits preached Catholic doctrines, adapted them to Indigenous cultures, and cultivated trade and military partnerships to build up a French and Catholic empire.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 376 pages
Publication date: 01 January 2022
Publisher: University of Nebraska Press

Apostles of Empire is a groundbreaking revisionist history of the French Jesuit mission to Indigenous North Americans in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Spanning from 1611 to 1764, a total of 320 Jesuits were dispatched from France to North America to serve as missionaries. The majority of these missionaries were stationed in colonial New France, a vast expanse encompassing eastern Canada and the Great Lakes region. This territory was home to a diverse array of Native American populations, each with their unique customs, languages, and beliefs.

While the Jesuits were unwavering in their commitment to spreading Catholic doctrines and rituals, they also devoted significant energy to more worldly concerns. These included the transatlantic expansion of the absolutist-era Bourbon state and the importation of the culture of elite, urban French society.

In her book, Apostles of Empire, Bronwen McShea delves into these secular dimensions of the mission's history through candid portraits of Jesuits engaged in a range of activities. We witness them not only preaching and catechizing in terms borrowed from Indigenous idioms but also cultivating trade and military partnerships between the French and various Indian tribes. McShea demonstrates how the Jesuits' robust conceptions of secular spheres of Christian action informed their efforts from both sides of the Atlantic to establish a French and Catholic empire in North America through Indigenous cooperation.

The Jesuit mission to Indigenous North America was a complex and multifaceted endeavor that involved not only religious conversion but also cultural exchange and political maneuvering. The missionaries sought to bridge the gap between two vastly different worlds, bringing Christianity to the Native Americans while also learning from their cultures and adapting their practices to suit the local context.

One of the key achievements of the Jesuits was their ability to establish a network of schools and colleges throughout North America. These institutions not only provided education to the Indigenous population but also served as centers of learning and cultural preservation. The Jesuits were particularly skilled in languages and literature, and they translated many religious texts and works of philosophy into Indigenous languages, making them more accessible and relevant to the local communities.

In addition to their educational efforts, the Jesuits were also involved in missionary work among the Native American communities. They worked tirelessly to convert indigenous people to Christianity, often using persuasive techniques and cultural assimilation to achieve their goals. However, they also recognized the importance of preserving indigenous cultures and traditions, and they worked to incorporate these into their teachings and practices.

The Jesuit mission to Indigenous North America had a lasting impact on both the Indigenous and the French populations. The missionaries brought Christianity to the Native Americans, which had a profound effect on their spiritual and cultural practices. They also facilitated trade and commerce between the French and the Native Americans, which led to the development of new economic opportunities and cultural exchange.

However, the Jesuit mission was not without its challenges. The missionaries faced opposition and resistance from some Native American communities, who saw their religious beliefs and practices as a threat to their traditional ways of life. They also faced political and economic challenges from the French government, which sought to control and exploit the Indigenous peoples for its own gain.

Despite these challenges, the Jesuit mission to Indigenous North America was a remarkable achievement that had a profound impact on the history of both the Indigenous and the French peoples. The missionaries' dedication to their mission and their willingness to adapt to the local context made them true pioneers in the field of cross-cultural communication and understanding.

In conclusion, Apostles of Empire is a groundbreaking revisionist history of the French Jesuit mission to Indigenous North Americans in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Through candid portraits of Jesuits engaged in a range of activities, Bronwen McShea delves into the secular dimensions of the mission's history, highlighting the missionaries' efforts to spread Catholic doctrines and rituals while also pursuing worldly concerns such as the transatlantic expansion of the Bourbon state and the importation of French culture. The Jesuit mission to Indigenous North America was a complex and multifaceted endeavor that involved religious conversion, cultural exchange, and political maneuvering. The missionaries' ability to establish schools and colleges, translate religious texts, and work tirelessly to convert indigenous people to Christianity while also preserving indigenous cultures and traditions had a lasting impact on both the Indigenous and the French populations. Despite facing opposition and resistance, the Jesuit mission was a remarkable achievement that paved the way for future cross-cultural interactions and understanding.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781496229083