The rulers of the overseas empires summoned the Society of Jesus to evangelize their new subjects in the âNew Worldâ which Spain and Portugal shared; this book is about how two different missions in China and Peru evolved in the early modern world. From a European perspective this book is about the way Christianity expanded in the early modern period craving universalism. In China Matteo Ricci was so impressed by the influence that the scholar-officials were able to exert on the Ming Emperor himself that he likened them to the philosopher-kings of Platoâs Republic. The Jesuits in China were in the hands of the scholar-officials with the Emperor at the apex who had the power to decide whether they could stay or not. Meanwhile in Peru the Society of Jesus was required to impose Tridentine Catholicism by Philip II independently of Rome a task that entailed compliance with the colonial authoritiesâ demands. This book explores how leading Jesuits Matteo Ricci (1552-1610) in China and Josà de Acosta (1540-1600) in Peru envisioned mission projects and reflected them on the catechisms they both composed with a remarkable power of endurance. It offers a reflection on how the Jesuits conceived and assessed these mission spaces in which their keen political acumen and a certain taste for power unfolded playing key roles in envisioning new doctrinal directions and reflecting them in their doctrinal texts. . Language: English