Abstract
In a rather general level this article deals with a religious scene on the American continent at the beginning of the Spanish conquest and early colonial times. It focuses on the initial conflict between Christianity and indigenous religions, and briefly on minority religions in the New World (Islam, Judaism, Hinduism).
The bulk of the article is devoted to demonstrations of Christian encounters with indigenous religion in Mexico. The author observes the religious manifestations of two Indian groups living at the opposite ends of Mexico: the North Mexican Tarahumara, among whom he carried out field ethnographic research, and the South Mexican Lacandon.
Finally, the author points out some of the more general tendencies associated with contemporary religion in Latin America: syncretism and decatholization.