La Cristiada: The Mexican People's War for Religious Liberty - Softcover

Jean Meyer

Softcover

ISBN 10: 075700315X ISBN 13: 9780757003158

Publisher: Square One Publishing, 2013

Synopsis

In a world filled with constant religious intolerance and strife, it is easy to overlook a little known twentieth-century religious war that was fought on the shores of North America. Taking place in Mexico in the 1920s, La Cristiada - he Cristero War - was the result of repressive anti-religious laws directed at the Catholic Church. By the time the conflict was over, it had taken the lives of over 90,000 people. Historian Dr. Jean Meyer has put together this unique book that uses words and pictures to document the savageness of the four-year war. The book examines the war's history and reveals the crucial roles played by groups in the United States that wished to encourage the carnage, as well as those that attempted to stop the conflict.

After the Mexican Revolution of 1916, the newly drafted Mexican Constitution greatly restricted the function of the Church. It halted Church control of schools. It banned monastic orders. It eliminated religious processions and outdoor masses. Itcurtailed Church ownership of property. And it forbade priests from wearing clerical garb, voting or commenting on public affairs in the press. Initially, these prohibitions were lightly enforced, but by 1926, the government had pushed these laws tothe limit and created a rebellion. As the rebellion grew, so did the viciousness of the attacks. In the United States, while the KKK pressed the Mexican Government to crush the rebels, the Knights of Columbus sought to end the struggle by peaceful means. In 1929, the American ambassador to Mexico finally helped arrange a nonviolent end to the uprising. With over 300 photographs and illustrations, this book provides a unique perspective on a terrible period in Mexico's history.

LA CRISTIADA offers a vivid and insightful view of a war long forgotten and the lasting effects it had on Mexican society. It, also, reminds us just how dangerous the consequences of government-sponsored intolerance can be.

About this title

Review:

" . . . a well-written text of a relatively unknown period of Mexican history. It should appeal to those interested in Mexico's history, religious studies, or stories of religious persecution (and triumph), as well as to readers interested in historical photography." --Michael C. Miller "Library Journal ""

" . . . a well-written text of a relatively unknown period of Mexican history. It should appeal to those interested in Mexico's history, religious studies, or stories of religious persecution (and triumph), as well as to readers interested in historical photography."

--Michael C. Miller "Library Journal "

About the Author:

Dr. Jean Meyer is a Mexican historian. Dr. Meyer obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees at the Sorbonne University in Paris. He has taught at the Sorbonne, the University of Perpignan, the University of Paris, the Colegio de México and the Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas.

About this edition

• Publisher: Square One Publishing
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 075700315X
• ISBN 13: 9780757003158
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 384