Church, State, and Society during the Nicaraguan Revolution
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7146/dl.v10i16.113580Keywords:
Governors, Christians, Marxist, ecclesia, Popes, DictatorsAbstract
The course of the Church's history in Nicaragua had changed
from an institution led by a martyred Bishop protecting Indian
rights before Rome and the Spanish King to one largely
concerned with protecting its own interests following
Nicaragua’s independence to one that had come to terms with its
mission to save souls and to serve its people. However, many of
those who took the initiative to bring the Church toward a more
humanitarian orientation in modern times had allowed
themselves to become the tool of a revolutionary political
movement whose aim was to perpetuate its own power.
Ironically, those who truly wished to serve God and His people
found themselves oppressed by those who claimed that they
were doing the same. After a long struggle, a free election in
1990 brought to power a series of democratic governments
allowing freedom of the Church to fulfil its mission.
References
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las Casas, Bartolomé de (1974) The Devastation of the Indias: A Brief Account. The Johns Hopkins University Press: Baltimore.
Leo XIII (1891) Rerum Novarum: Rights and Duties of Capital and Labor. URL http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/leo_xiii/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_15051891_rerum-novarum_en.html
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Shepherd, Fredrick M. (1993) ‘Church and State in Honduras and Nicaragua Prior to 1979’. Sociology of Religion 54: 272-293.
Vallier, Ivan (1970) Catholicism, Social Control and Modernization in Latin America. Prentice-Hall: Englewood /cliffs NJ.
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Williams, Philip J. (1985) ‘The Catholic Hierarchy in the Nicaraguan Revolution’. Journal of Latin American Studies 17(2): 341-369.
Williams, Philip J. (1989) The Catholic Church and Politics in Nicaragua and Costa Rica. University of Pittsburgh Press: Pittsburgh.
Bahktiari, Bahman (1986) ‘Revolution and the Church in Nicaragua and El Salvador’. Journal of Church and State 28(1): 15-42.
Belli, Humberto (1984) Christians under Fire. Instituto Pueblo: San Jose NM.
Belli, Humberto (1985). Breaking Faith: The Sandinista Revolution and its Impact on Freedom and Christian Faith in Nicaragua. Crossway Books: Westchester IL.
Belli, Humberto (1988) ‘Liberation Theology and Latin American Revolutions’, in The Politics of Latin America and Liberation Theology. The Washington Institute Press: Washington DC, 199-222.
Black, George (1981) Triumph of the People. Zed Press: London.
Camara, Helder (1971) Spiral of Violence. Shed and Ward Ltd.: London.
Cardenal, Ernesto (1974) In Cuba. New Directions Publishing: New York.
Cardenal, Ernesto (1993) Cosmic Canticle. Curbstone Press: Willianic, CT.
CELAM (1969) La Iglesia en la actual transformacion de America Latina a la luz del concilio. CELAM: Bogaota.
CELAM (1979) III Conferencia general del Episcopado Latinoamericano. CELAM: Bogaota.
CELAM (2007) The Fifth General Conference of the Latin American Bishops. CELAM: Bogaota.
CEN (1972) Carta pastoral de los Obispos de Nicaragua: Sobre los principios que rigen la actividad politica de toda la Iglesia como tal, 19 de marzo de 1972. Conferencia Episcopal de Nicaragua: Managua. URL http://www.cen-nicaragua.org/documentoscen/documentos1972
CEN (1974) Declaration de la Conferencia Episcopal de Nicragua Reunida en sesion extraordinaria, 27 de mayo de 1974. Conferencia Episcopal de Nicaragua: Managua. URL http://www.cen-nicaragua.org/ documentoscen/documentos1974
CEN (1977) Mensaje de Conferencia Episcopal: Renovando la esperanza cristiana al iniciar el año 1977. Conferencia Episcopal de Nicaragua: Managua. URL http://www.cen-nicaragua.org/ documentoscen/documentos1977
CEN (1978) Carta Pastoral de la Converencia Episcopal de Nicaragua a los hombres de vuena voluntad. 2 de agosto de 1978. Conferencia Episcopal de Nicaragua: Managua. URL http://www.cen-nicaragua.org/ documentoscen/documentos1978
CEN (1979a) Mensaje al Pueblo Nicaraguense: Momento insurreccional presencia Cristiana en la Revolution, 2 de junio de 1979. Conferencia Episcopal de Nicaragua: Managua. URL http://www.cen-nicaragua.org/documentoscen/documentos1979
CEN (1979b) Carta Pastoral del Episcopado Nicaragua del compromiso Cristiano para una Nicaragua nueva el 17 de Novembre de 1979. Conferencia Episcopal de Nicaragua: Managua. URL http://www.cen-nicaragua.org/ documentoscen/documentos1979
CEN (1982) Carta Pastoral del Episcopado Nicaragüense sobre la educación Católica, 8 de dicienbre de 1982. Conferencia Episcopal de Nicaragua:
Managua. URL http://www.cen-nicaragua.org/ documentoscen/documentos1982
CEN (1983) Consideraciones Generales de la Conferencia Episcopal de Nicaragua sobre el servicio militar, 29 de agosto de 1983. Conferencia Episcopal de Nicaragua: Managua. URL http://www.cen-nicaragua.org/documentoscen/documentos1983
CEN (1987) Comunicado de la Conferecia Episcopal de Nicaragua, 24 de septiembre de 1987. Conferencia Episcopal de Nicaragua: Managua. URL http://www.cen-nicaragua.org/documentoscen/ documentos1987
CEN (1990) Comunicado della Converencia Episcopal de Nicaragua sobre la emboscada, el Día primero de enero, 1990, 3 enero de 1990. Conferencia Episcopal de Nicaragua: Managua. URL http://www.cen-nicaragua.org/ documentoscen/documentos1990
Christian, Shirley (1985) Nicaragua: Revolution in the Family. Random House: New York.
Daw, Richard W. (1983) ‘Threats to the Church's Unity’. Origins NC Documentary Service, Washington DC, no.12 (March 17, 1983): 632.
Dodson, Michael (1993) ‘Tradition and Change in the Latin American Catholic Church: A Comparison of El Salvador and Nicaragua’. Renaissance and Modern Studies 36: 122-141.
Donavan, Bill M. (1974) ‘Introduction’ in Bartolomé de las Casas’ The Devastation of the Indias: A Brief Account. The Johns Hopkins University Press: Baltimore.
Foroohar, Manzar (1989) The Catholic Church and Social Change in Nicaragua. SUNY Press: New York.
Gilbert, Dennis (1988) Sandinistas: The Party and the Revolution. Basil Blackwell Inc.: New York.
Girardi, Guilio (1989) Faith and Revolution in Nicaragua: Convergence and Contradiction. Orbis Books: Maryknoll, New York.
Gismondi, Michael (1986) ‘Transformations in the Holy: Religious Resistance and Hegemonic Struggles in Nicaraguan Revolution’. Latin American Perspectives 13(3): 13-36.
Gutiérrez, Gustavo (1973) A Theology of Liberation. Orbis Books: Maryknoll, New York.
John XXIII (1961) Mater et Magistra: On Christian and Social Progress. URL http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_xxiii/encyclicals/documents/hf_j-xxiii_enc_15051961_mater_en.html
John XXIII (1963) Pacem in Terris: On Establishing Universal Peace in Truth, Justice, Charity, and Liberity. URL http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_xxiii/encyclicals/documents/hf_j-xxiii_enc_11041963_pacem_en.html
John Paul II (1983) La Unidad de Iglesia: Homilía durante la Misa clebrada en la Plaza 19 de Julio de Managua. URL http://www.cen-nicaragua.org/documentoscen/launidaddelaiglesia.pdf
John Paul II (1996a) Discurso de su Santidad el Papa Juan Pablo II en la Cathdral Metropolitana de Managua. URL http://www.cen-
nicaragua.org/documentoscen/documentos1996/DISCURSO%20DE%20SU%20SANTIDAD%20EN%20LA%20CATEDRAL.pdf
John Paul II (1996b) Homilia de su Santidad el Papa Juan Pablo II en la Eucaristia concelebrada en Managua. URL http://www.cen-nicaragua.org/documentoscen/documentos1996/HOMILIA%20DE%20SU%20SANTIDAD%20EN%20LA%20EUCARISTIA%20CELEBRADA%20EN%20MANAGUA.pdf
Kagan, Robert (1996) A Twilight Struggle: American Power and Nicaragua, 1977-1990. The Free Press: New York.
Lenin, Vladimir (1903) Second Speech in the Discussion on the Party Rules (15 August. 1903). www.bolshevik.org/Pamphlets/LeninVanguard/LVP%202.htm
las Casas, Bartolomé de (1951) Historia de las Indias. Fondo de Cultura Economica: Mexico.
las Casas, Bartolomé de (1974) The Devastation of the Indias: A Brief Account. The Johns Hopkins University Press: Baltimore.
Leo XIII (1891) Rerum Novarum: Rights and Duties of Capital and Labor. URL http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/leo_xiii/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_15051891_rerum-novarum_en.html
Marx, Karl (1875) Critique of the Gotha Programme. /libcom.org/library/critique-of-the-gotha-program-karl-marx
Mecham, J. Lloyd (1966) Church and State in Latin America, revised edition. University of North Carolina Press: Chapel Hill.
OAS (1978) Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Nicaragua, OEA/Ser.L/V/II.45, Document 18 rev. 1. URL http://www.cidh.oas.org/countryrep/nicaragua78eng/intro.htm
OAS (2005) Pre-election Assessment and Recommendations for a Free and Transparent November 2006 Elections in Nicaragua. URL http://pdf.dec.org/pdf_docs/PNADE114.pdf
Paul III (1537) Sublimis Deus URL http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Paul03/p3subli.htm
Paul VI (1967) Populorum Progressio: On the Development of Peoples. URL http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Paul06/p6develo.htm
Pius XII (1939) Summi Pontificatus: On the Unity of Human Society. URL http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xii/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_20101939_summi-pontificatus_en.html
Pius XII (1950) Anni Sacri: Combating Atheistic Propaganda Throughout the World. URL
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xii/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_12031950_anni-sacri_it.html
Shepherd, Fredrick M. (1993) ‘Church and State in Honduras and Nicaragua Prior to 1979’. Sociology of Religion 54: 272-293.
Vallier, Ivan (1970) Catholicism, Social Control and Modernization in Latin America. Prentice-Hall: Englewood /cliffs NJ.
Vatican II (1965a) Gaudium et Spes: Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World. URL http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_cons_19651207_gaudium-et-spes_en.html
Vatican II (1965b) Apostolicam Actuositatem: Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity. URL http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651118_apostolicam-actuositatem_en.html
Williams, Philip J. (1985) ‘The Catholic Hierarchy in the Nicaraguan Revolution’. Journal of Latin American Studies 17(2): 341-369.
Williams, Philip J. (1989) The Catholic Church and Politics in Nicaragua and Costa Rica. University of Pittsburgh Press: Pittsburgh.
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Published
2009-01-01
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Wilson, J.-P. (2009). Church, State, and Society during the Nicaraguan Revolution. Diálogos Latinoamericanos, 10(16), 21. https://doi.org/10.7146/dl.v10i16.113580
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