Culture is a catch-all term that is used to describe the various rites, traditions, and rituals attached to a specific group of people. A people's culture encompasses more than his or her religion; it encompasses everything from political beliefs to family traditions. While culture certainly encompasses more than religion, it is important to understand that religion may be the pinnacle of culture. After all, "It is in religion that the human quest for ultimate meaning and a final commotion of creation and the human heart find their themes, symbols, rites and celebration, as well, intertwining them with the other forces." (Boff, 1992). If religion is the height of culture, it should come as no surprise that people who view themselves as civilized find the need to share their religions with other peoples.
             The spread of religion seems innocuous and inherently-good, especially when viewed from the point-of-view of those spreading the religion. However, evangelization has been historically intertwined with another culture-changing practice: colonialism. Historically, the Catholic Church's view of evangelization has not only sought to promote the Christian faith, but also to convert the targeted individuals to other aspects of Western culture. The result of such evangelism is widely known and hardly need be described in this paper. However, that imperialistic point-of-view has given a negative connotation to the concept of evangelization, which is actually a very important part of the Catholic faith. Instead of viewing evangelization in a historical context, it is important to view evangelization outside of its historical taint, and examine the goal of evangelization. "The goal of evangelization, and the basis for its urgency, is to put all things under the dominion of Christ. The fulfillment of the human race, the destiny of the human race, of all creation is what is at stake. Personal salvation is a ...