Whether or not centuries of Christian proselytizing of other cultures is a good thing is a matter of debate. Certainly, Christian missionaries have brought along unambiguously good things, such as schools and medical care to impoverished communities, along with their message of salvation. However, missionary work often occurred within a larger context of cultural (and literal) imperialism, as Mathew Schmalz writes in The Conversation. For example, Latin America is almost exclusively Catholic thanks to Christian missionaries backed by colonial powers such as Spain and Portugal. However, the devastation wrought on the native populations by those conquerors cannot be overstated.

In a larger sense, writes Schmalz, there’s the question of whether or not converting someone from their own religion (or no religion) into a foreign one is even a good idea. “Converting others to Christianity raises a fundamental question about whether religious diversity is a reality to be celebrated or an obstacle to be overcome,” he writes, noting that the question is likely to take on deeper significance as the world changes.