The Americas' First Theologies: Early Sources of Post-Contact Indigenous Religion (AAR Religion in Translation)

The __Theologia Indorum__ by Dominican friar Domingo de Vico was the first Christian theology written in the Americas. Made available in English translation for the first time, __Americas' First Theologies__ presents a selection of exemplary sections from the __Theologia Indorum__ that illustrate Friar Vico's doctrine of god, cosmogony, moral anthropology, understanding of natural law and biblical history, and constructive engagement with pre-Hispanic Maya religion. Rather than merely condemn the Maya religion, Vico appropriated local terms and images from Maya mythology and rituals that he thought could convey Christianity. His attempt at translating, if not reconfiguring, Christianity for a Maya readership required his mastery of not only numerous Mayan languages but also the highly poetic ceremonial rhetoric of many indigenous Mesoamerican peoples. This book also includes translations of two other pastoral texts (parts of a songbook and a catechism) and eight early documents by K'iche' and Kaqchikel Maya authors who engaged the __Theologia Indorum__. These texts, written in Highland Mayan languages both by fellow Dominicans and by Highland Maya elites demonstrate the wider influence of Vico's ethnographic approach shared by a particular school of Dominicans. Altogether, __The Americas' First Theologies__ provides a rich documentary case example of the translation, reception, and reaction to Christian thought in the indigenous Americas Cover -- Series -- The Americas' First Theologies -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Contents -- Foreword by Robert M. Carmack -- Acknowledgments -- Contributors -- Introduction -- 1. Domingo de Vico's "Theology 'for' or 'of' the Indians" -- Context: Vico's Theologia Indorum (1553 and 1554) -- Texts: Theologia Indorum (1553 and 1554) -- Reconstructed Table of Contents of Parts I and II -- Part I, Proemium -- Part I, Chapter 1 -- Part I, Chapter 2 -- Part I, Chapter 3 -- Part I, Chapter 4 -- Part I, Chapter 5 -- Part I, Chapter 6 -- Part I, Chapter 22 -- Part I, Chapter 25 -- Part I, Chapter 30 (Frauke Sachse, trans.) -- Part I, Chapter 47 -- Part I, Chapter 105 and Colophon -- 2. Other Dominican Lessons in Highland Mayan Languages-​Spoken and Sung -- Coplas of Friar Luis de Cáncer, O.P. -- Context by Sergio Romero -- Text: Cáncer's Coplas, 1 and 2 (Sergio Romero, trans.) -- Doctrina christiana en lengua quiché by Friar Damián Delgado, O.P. -- Context by Frauke Sachse -- Text: Delgado's Doctrina christiana en lengua quiché (Frauke Sachse, trans.) -- 3. Highland Maya Theological Production -- Popol Wuj (ca.1554-​ca.1558), folio 1 recto -- Context -- Text -- Title of Totonicapán (ca.1554), folios 1-​7 -- Context -- Text -- Xpantzay Cartulary I (ca.1552) -- Context -- Text -- Title of the Tamub' I (1580), folio 1 -- Context -- Text -- Title of Santa Clara La Laguna (1583) -- Context -- Text -- Title of the Tamub' III (1592) -- Context -- Text -- Title of the Ilokab' (ca.1592) -- Context -- Text -- Xpantzay Cartulary VI (ca.1658) -- Context -- Text -- Another Colophon -- Bibliography -- Index The Americas' First Theologies provides the first English translation of some of the earliest post-contact religious texts, including selections from the Theologia Indorum and early indigenous texts written for the Maya that were influenced by this theological treatise.