The Catholic Church and the Early Stages of King Leopold II’s Colonial Projects in the Congo (1876–1886)

In what follows I analyse the involvement of the Catholic Church in the early stages of King Leopold’s colonial projects in the Congo. I argue that in a moment of particular political frailty and seduced by the unique missionary opportunities that the King’s projects presented, the Holy See viewed the support for the Leopoldian projects in Africa as the only prudent decision. I demonstrate that, in Belgium, leading Catholic authorities promoted the King’s projects in the Congo under the premises of nationalism and patriotism.

Publication year:2019

Accessibility:Open