What Motivated the West's Interest in Asia and What Impact Did That Eventually Have?
WHAT MOTIVATED THE WEST'S INTEREST IN ASIA AND WHAT IMPACT DID THAT EVENTUALLY HAVE?
(1979 WORDS)
Missionaries in Asia and Their Impact on Education
Religion was one key reason which attracted the Westerners into Asia. Because Christianity was the dominant religion in Western countries, the dispatching of missionaries into Asia was a common sight. Because they came in masses and moved conspicuously, they left rather astounding impacts on the host countries - educational impacts in particular. By the end of the Middle Ages, Europe developed a strong belief in its own cultural superiority due to cultural and technological developments. This was extended to a superiority of Christianity over other beliefs because European Culture and European Christianity were one and the same. Religion constitutes a part of a country's culture. Europeans viewed all non-European cultures and therefore all non-Christians as the work of Satan. As a result, the spreading of the Gospel was seen as a task of utmost importance to the various religious societies in Western countries at that point of time. Secondly, another reason for their persistence on spreading God's words was due to the Priests. It took 12 years of training before one can be a ''fully professed Jesuit''. Priests are bounded by the vows of obedience, celibacy, poverty and personal loyalty to the Pope. As such, they are deeply embedded in their beliefs and want to spread this to the world outside. Lastly, Protestants Reformation in Europe and widespread criticisms of the Roman Catholic church in the 16th century, precipitated by the Black Death and Western Schism, affected and battered people's faith in the Church. Therefore, they need new and stronger converts to help bring back the power and influence they used to hold. The Society of Jesus, found by Ignatius Loyola in 1540, was one of the biggest missionary group even established to help restore people's faith in the Roman Catholic Church. ''
(1979 WORDS)
Missionaries in Asia and Their Impact on Education
Religion was one key reason which attracted the Westerners into Asia. Because Christianity was the dominant religion in Western countries, the dispatching of missionaries into Asia was a common sight. Because they came in masses and moved conspicuously, they left rather astounding impacts on the host countries - educational impacts in particular. By the end of the Middle Ages, Europe developed a strong belief in its own cultural superiority due to cultural and technological developments. This was extended to a superiority of Christianity over other beliefs because European Culture and European Christianity were one and the same. Religion constitutes a part of a country's culture. Europeans viewed all non-European cultures and therefore all non-Christians as the work of Satan. As a result, the spreading of the Gospel was seen as a task of utmost importance to the various religious societies in Western countries at that point of time. Secondly, another reason for their persistence on spreading God's words was due to the Priests. It took 12 years of training before one can be a ''fully professed Jesuit''. Priests are bounded by the vows of obedience, celibacy, poverty and personal loyalty to the Pope. As such, they are deeply embedded in their beliefs and want to spread this to the world outside. Lastly, Protestants Reformation in Europe and widespread criticisms of the Roman Catholic church in the 16th century, precipitated by the Black Death and Western Schism, affected and battered people's faith in the Church. Therefore, they need new and stronger converts to help bring back the power and influence they used to hold. The Society of Jesus, found by Ignatius Loyola in 1540, was one of the biggest missionary group even established to help restore people's faith in the Roman Catholic Church. ''