This is a print on demand book and is therefore non- returnable. Today Latin America is in the throes of a cultural and theological awakening that is challenging its dependence on Europe and North America. The Christians of Latin America are therefore brought face to face with the option of revolution as a means of achieving liberation from European and North American theologies. As a result, liberation theology, which had its beginnings in Latin America, is rapidly gaining popularity among nations of the Third World. Author Enrique Dussel believes that a history of the church in Latin America is essential to understanding the direction of the contemporary church. This comprehensive history, with its emphasis on theology, will thus help historians and theologians to better understand the formation and continuity of the Latin American tradition. The book is divided into four parts: "A Hermeneutical Introduction," "The Christianization of the West Indies (1492-1808)," "The Agony of Colonial Christianity (1808- 1962)," and "The Church and Latin American Liberation." Dussel's aim in these sections is not to record all the events of each period, but to demonstrate the validity of establishing limits for each time span. Therefore, this is not a "finished" history; rather, it is one method of delineating certain historical periods which can be expanded upon and completed by later historians. This book is a translation of the revised, second Spanish edition.