The Directory for Confessors, 1585: Implementing the Catholic Reformation in New Spain

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In the late sixteenth century, after the Council of Trent and the Catholic Reformation, the confessional became a key means to reinforce morals and non secular life—and, for the Catholic clergy of New Spain, a new avenue through which they might reach the consciences of Spaniards and reinforce their remedy of indigenous peoples. To this end, the bishops of the province of Mexico drafted a directorio in 1585 to guide the priesthood in fulfilling its duty in step with current ecclesiastical ideals and social realities. That document, published here in English for the first time, offers an unrivaled view of the religious, social, and economic history of colonial Mexico.

Though never widely circulated, the Directorio para confesores (Directory for Confessors) incorporates an encyclopedic description of life in Mexico three generations after the European invasion. Along with summarizing sixteenth-century Spanish concerns in the provinces, the Directory offers insight into the Catholic Church’s moral judgments on many aspects of colonial life. Translated by distinguished scholar Stafford Poole, the document embodies a remarkable knowledge of scripture and law and reflects the concerns of the Spanish crown and what was once happening in New Spain. The Directory instructs its clergy audience in the right kind methods to combat superstition a few of the Spaniards, helps them navigate the variety of business contracts used in Creole society at the time, and details the obligations of those in more than a few social stations, from viceroys to tavern keepers. It also condemns the forced labor of native people under the repartimiento system, especially in the mines.

Rendered in clear prose and illuminated with helpful introductory chapters by Poole and John F. Schwaller, extensive annotations, and a glossary of terms, this volume offers unparalleled insights into life and thought in sixteenth-century New Spain.
 

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