Colonizing the New World ? What was the role of Christianity in traditional society? The role of Christianity was growing in the society. It became Rome?s official religion. The Roman Catholic Church was the great unifying religion in western Europe. Temples were made into churches. Animist practices was replaced by Christian ritual. ? What were ?encomiendas? ? They are like grants that were given to conquistadors by the crown and they can claim tribute in labor and goods from Indian communities. Later it says that the grants were divided again and that the value of this grants were greatly increased by the discovery of gold and silver deposits in Mexico and the Andes.