Christianization is a result of colonization, which makes it hard to evaluate on its own merits. The Church functioned as a separate arm of colonial government by providing basic infrastructure in medicine (early hospitals) and education (missionaries, universities) as well as legal policy and social culture. Many populous cities in Latin America were originally Spanish missionary outposts that grew over time.
Beyond the stability and order it brought at the local level, missionary work was a driving force behind world exploration and settlement by Europeans; this helped civilized native peoples who were arguably 3,000-5,000 years behind Europeans, laying the foundation for more rapid and influential progress centuries later (e.g. industrial revolution). As an expansive institution, the Church in Latin America was benign in nature and helped to spread ideas/technology without exploiting the natives economically.
It was a very good thing.
Beyond the stability and order it brought at the local level, missionary work was a driving force behind world exploration and settlement by Europeans; this helped civilized native peoples who were arguably 3,000-5,000 years behind Europeans, laying the foundation for more rapid and influential progress centuries later (e.g. industrial revolution). As an expansive institution, the Church in Latin America was benign in nature and helped to spread ideas/technology without exploiting the natives economically.
It was a very good thing.