Final answer:
False, The Inquisition focused on enforcing Catholic orthodoxy within Christian societies, not on missionary work to convert non-Christians, while the Jesuits were actively involved in missionary activities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the Inquisition was considered missionary work where Jesuits worked to convert non-Christians to Catholicism is false. The Inquisition was a movement started in the 1230s by Pope Gregory IX, and it was a centuries-long effort to impose religious homogeneity on Western Europe, often through harsh measures such as torture and execution. The main goal of the Inquisition was to eliminate heresy and enforce Catholic orthodoxy within Christian societies, rather than missionary work to convert non-Christians.
On the other hand, the Jesuits, a religious order founded by Ignatius of Loyola, were indeed involved in missionary activities aimed at converting non-Christians. While the Jesuits undertook the responsibility of converting non-Christians to Catholicism and acting as advisers to Catholic rulers of Europe, their work was separate from that of the Inquisition. In places such as New Spain and Japan, Jesuits sought to bridge the gap between societies through education and conversion efforts, demonstrating their commitment to missionary work.