This document provides an overview of the history of Christianity in Southern California from the Spanish missions established by Junipero Serra in the late 18th century to the modern Jesus People movement. It discusses the founding of the 21 Spanish missions between 1769-1823 aimed at converting Native Americans to Christianity. It describes the mission system overseen by Serra and the devastating epidemics that decimated Native populations. It also mentions later Protestant movements that arose in Southern California in the 19th-20th centuries including Pentecostalism, Holiness movements, and the Jesus People movement of the 1970s.

1. From Junipero Serra to the
Jesus People:
Southern California
in the History of Christianity

2. February 15:
California as a
Mission Field on the Far Side
of the World

3. Feb. 22:
Mission San Luis Rey
and the Luiseño Indians

4. March 1:
Progressive Protestants:
The Ethnic Mission at Home

5. Occidental College in 1910
March 8
Progressive Protestants:
Christian Liberal Arts in
Southern California

6. Aimee Semple McPherson ,
Angelus Temple and Life Pacific College , founded as
Evangelistic and Missionary Training Institute
March 15:
Southern California’s Leadership in
Holiness and Pentecostal Movements

7. March 22:
Plain-Folk
Protestantism:
Pasadena,
Pepperdine,
and
Ronald Reagan

8. March 29:
The Jesus
People
Movement
In
Southern
California

9. February 15:
California as a
Mission Field
on the Far Side of the World

10. San Bruno 1683-84
Loreto 1697
La Paz (Santa Cruz 1520-30s) 1596
Eusebio Kino (1645-1711)
Juan María de Salvatierra

11. The Pious Fund of the Californias (Fondo Piadoso de las Californias)
-Begun in 1697 to fund Jesuit Missions
Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto (Founded 1697

12. José de Gálvez
Visitador of New Spain: 1764-1772
-"Occupy and fortify San Diego and
Monterey for God and the King of
Spain."

13. 1768 Franciscans take over Jesuit Mission
in California
Junípero Serra (1713-1784):
[J. Wesley: 1703-1791; B. Franklin: 1706-1799]
-”Junipero” was Francis’ “Jester for the
Lord.” Serra was beloved leader of Los
Condiscipulos (Francisco Palou, Juan
Crespi, and two others) who were students
and professors together at the University
of Raymond Lull in Palma

14. Serra:
Highly Educated,
Spiritually Focused,
Dogged Determination
Very Bureaucratic
US National Statuary Hall
Maria de Jesus de Agreda (1602-1665)
“Congregation of the Immaculate Conception”

15. Main Missions
(Many more Asistencias)
1769-1823
Mission San Diego de Alcalá (1769)
Mission San Carlos Borremeo de Carmelo (1770)
Mission San Antonio de Padua (1771)
Mission San Gabriel Arcángel (1771)
Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa (1772)
Mission San Francisco de Asís (1776)
Mission San Juan Capistrano (1776)
Mission Santa Clara de Asís (1777)
Mission San Buenaventura (1782)
Two Failures on Colorado River—not Serra’s
Mission Santa Bárbara (1786)
Mission La Purisima Concepción (1787)
Mission Santa Cruz (1791)
Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad (1791)
Mission San José de Guadalupe (1797)
Mission San Juan Bautista (1797)
Mission San Miguel Arcángel (1797)
Mission San Fernando Rey de España (1797)
Mission San Luis Rey de Francia (1798)
Mission Santa Inés (1804)
Mission San Rafael Arcángel (1817)
Mission San Francisco de Solano (1823)
The Plan:
“Foster Parent” to Indians and Indian Land
Temporary –ideally 10 years (?)
Membership: Neophytes/Baptized then Confirmed
Goal:
Self-governing Indian Pueblos
with church on plaza: Indian priests and multi-racial
congregation

16. Plan for more Missions
In Central Valley and
Channel Islands--BUT
Serious epidemics:
-1802 Pneumonia and
diptheria at SLO, Soledad, and
San Carlos. “5 or 6 dying each
day at Soledad.”
-1806 Measles kills as many as 1600
throughout the mission system.
At San Francisco mission every Indian under
ten died.
-Missions populations grow as inter-tribal
fellowships of suffering
-In 1830s there is a massive
dying in Central Valley.

17. -Matthew 10: The Commissioning of
the Twelve Disciples as Missionaries
-“Go to the Lost Sheep….”
-“If now welcomed, shake the dust off your feet.”
-“A student is not above his teacher.”
-”Do not be afraid. There is nothing concealed
that will not be disclosed.”
-”Don’t be afraid. God watches over the
sparrows and more so over you.”
-”Be afraid of the one who can destroy both
soul and body in Hell.”
-"Do not think that I came to bring peace on the
earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a
sword. “
-“Children will rebel against their parents.
Brother against brother”
-“I came to set a man against his father and
daughter against her mother, and a daughter-
in-law against her mother-in-law.”
-”He who does not take his cross and follow after
Me is not worthy of Me.”
-”He who has found his life will lose it, and he who
has lost his life for My sake will find it.”
Expect
Problems,
Tensions,
Suffering!
“The Great Dying”
-San Diego 1775
Murder of Padres
-Channel Islands 1824
-Estanislao 1829

18. Mission San Gabriel Arcángel (1771)

19. Feb. 22:
Mission San Luis Rey
and the Luiseño Indians

20. Pablo Tac 1822-1841
-Born at Mission San Luis Rey
-Along with Agapito Amamix is taken by
Fray Antonio Peyri in 1832 to College of
San Fernando in Mexico City
-Enter the Urban College in Rome on
September 24, 1834 (12 years old)
-Studying for priesthood, but both die of
small pox.
-Writes Conversión de los San Luiseños de la
Alta California while in Rome.

21. Layers of History in
San Pasqual Valley:
-Indian Rancheria
-Indian Pueblo—Mexican
-Battle Site—Mex-Am War
-Wild Animal Park
-San Pasqual Academy for
foster care of older kids.
Santa Margarita
Indian Pueblo
San Dieguito
Indian Pueblo
Three Indian
Pueblos set up
by Gov.
Figueroa

22. San Luis Rey River Topography Romona
Lake Henshaw
Wild Animal Park