Abstract
aim of this paper is to analyze the various perceptions about the methods applied to lead non-Christians to baptism, and about the meanings of conversion in Goa, starting from the controversy between the first archbishop, Gaspar de Leão (1560-1567), and the Society of Jesus. Exploring the missives exchanged between the priests in Goa and the upper spheres of the order, as well as the communication between the crown, the viceroys, and the archbishop - correspondence that circulated between Goa, Lisbon, Trent and Rome -, the conflict is envisioned in the context of Portuguese imperial aspirations, for which the Christianization enterprise was essential, and as a gear for the consolidation of episcopal authority by Gaspar de Leão. Although he was finally forced to capitulate on the jurisdictional dispute with the Jesuits, the archbishop did not fail to sustain his perception on the conversion of non-Christians, which shows the multiplicity of opinions on the issue within the ecclesiastical body during the years of his prelacy.
Keywords
Episcopate; Society of Jesus; Portuguese Empire