Christian Imperialism Conroy Krutz Summary

Conroy-Krutz’s Christian Imperialism scrutinizes the experiences of missionaries between 1812 and 1848. The author argues that these missionaries were Christian imperialism agents. By Christian imperialism, Conroy-Krutz implies the effort and vision to convert and civilize heathens around the world who worked in contest against all the other forms of American imperialism of the time (p.10). Further, Conroy- Krutz explains Christian imperialism to mean the understanding of international relations that proclaimed the duty of Christian nations, such as Britain and America to spread Anglo-American civilization and Protestantism and eventually suppress other indigenous religions using their commercial and colonial power. In the four decades of Christian imperialism, the missionaries assert the centrality of spreading the gospel while acting as imperialists since their activities would further the

There is a strong Anglo-American as well as global connection throughout these imperialisms. Further, just like the British imperialists, the Christian imperialism seeks governance protection from their respective countries to work within the territories such governments’ control (p.8). The Christian imperialism resembles the American imperialism as it fuels unequal power dynamics between proselytized heathens and proselytizing Americans (p.10).

Christian imperialism uses the hierarchy of heathenism to bring together ideas regarding religion, race, and culture with the world’s geopolitical realities as they sought to spread the gospel, which is reminiscent of the other forms of imperialism (p. 26). However, the Christian imperialism, unlike the British and American imperialism never sought to support commercial imperialism and was critical of the governments’ desire to gain commercially from the foreign