Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
The pinochet era in chile
The pinochet era in chile
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: The pinochet era in chile
In his work Torture and Eucharist, William Cavanaugh traces the Catholic Church’s responses to the use of state-sanctioned torture by the mid-twentieth century Pinochet regime in Chile. In doing so, Cavanaugh confronts various ecclesiologies concerning church-state relations and the Church’s role within civil society, lending theological support to a Eucharistic ecclesiology in the process. However, Cavanaugh is highly critical of ecclesiologies that make a distinction between the political and social planes, such as Jacque Maritain’s New Christendom model. Cavanaugh argues that by exclusively circumscribing the Church within the social, or spiritual, realm, such ecclesiologies facilitate the Church’s disappearance as a societal body and strip …show more content…
The modern state seeks its self-preservation above all else, and history reveals that governments are more than willing to exercise their monopoly on force and coercion in order to cement and defend their authority (5-6). Normally, unified social bodies such as the Church seek to counteract the dominance of the state through their public and political influence. However, when the Church simultaneously abdicates its political connections and powers and interiorizes itself within individual Catholics, it frees the state to exercise its will with little backlash: “Once the church has been individualized and eliminated as Christ’s body in the world, only the state is left to impersonate God” …show more content…
This does not, however, dismiss the reality of torture in Chile nor soften Cavanaugh’s criticisms of “distinction of planes” ecclesiologies. Church paradigms such as Maritain’s New Christendom have led Catholics in Chile and elsewhere to buy into a “devil’s bargain” wherein the Church confines itself to the social, or spiritual, realm and allows the state to dominate in the political, or temporal, realm (196). Such ecclesiologies simultaneously facilitate the Church’s disappearance as a societal body and strip the Church of any tangible ability to counteract the actions of oppressive governments. The Chilean church’s ecclesiology had real, disastrous consequences for Chileans under the Pinochet regime – consequences that perhaps could have been mitigated under a different ecclesiological
To begin with, it must be remembered that Catholic culture and Catholic faith, while mutually supportive and symbiotic, are not the same thing. Mr. Walker Percy, in his Lost in the Cosmos, explored the difference, and pointed out that, culturally, Catholics in Cleveland are much more Protestant than Presbyterians in say, Taos, New Orleans, or the South of France. Erik, Ritter von Kuehnelt-Leddihn, points out that the effects of this dichotomy upon politics, attributing the multi-party system in Catholic countries to the Catholic adherence to absolutes; he further ascribes the two-party system to the Protestant willingness to compromise. However this may be, it does point up a constant element in Catholic thought---the pursuit of the absolute.
Hilton, Ronald. “MEXICO: The Murder of Cardinal Juan Jesus Posadas Ocampo (1993).” Webmaster. N.p., 6 June 2003. Web. 15 April 2014.
Bartolomé de Las Casas presents, for its time, an astounding claim human equality before God. Defending the native people of the New World from the violence executed by Spain and the claims to authority given voice by Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda, Las Casas provides a precocious assertion of human rights and the limits on civil and church authority. In this paper I will argue that Las Casas makes a nuanced assessment of civil government, to which he gives a vital but limited authority. I further propose that Las Casas, even while holding to the traditional and scriptural authority of the church, ascribes a similarly circumscribed earthly authority. The effect of these positions is to afford to non-Christians rationality and the freedom of self-government. My assessment of Las Casas’ thought will begin with Las Casas’ view of civil authority and then move to his description of the church’s role in the world. I shall then turn to his defense of the rationality and freedom of the indigenous Americans.
In de-emphasizing the role of the Church, it’s rituals, and offices, and supplanting them with a more direct and personal approach to God and spirituality; the Protestant Reformation, through the works of Martin...
...consciously continue the application of the apostolic tradition. However, it may not be so easy for future generations not socialized into Catholicism, to make effective moral decisions. Therefore, this paper suggests that the future of ecumenism depends on whether or not the Catholic Church can continue to modernize.
Sacrifice within the social context can be transgressed into two aspects, one relating to the offender, and the other being the offended one, God. “If individuals entered a state incongruent with good relations with God, they had to undergo rites to restore them to a normative status” (Davies, 1985;155). Thus the sacrifice encompassed this social dimension. The part played by God in the social ...
One of the most significant factors in regards to the development of the Colonial Latin America was in many ways the reach of Christianity. The religion’s reach from across the Atlantic proved to be just as strong as from Europe, and consequently played a large role in the development of culture and society within Latin American colonies. Similar to Spain, the Inquisition in the New World served as a physical threat to those who were not Christians, and was essentially the chief authority in religious matters. In regards to Peru, the role of the Inquisition served as a governing body. Irene Silverblatt’s Modern Inquisitions looks at the role of Inquisitors and the ensuing persecution that would follow. While acknowledging the actions that
While sociological and legal questions inevitably impinge upon any such reflection, I am here addressing the subject as a theologian. At this level the question has to be answered primarily in terms of revelation, as it comes to us through Scripture and tradition, interpreted with the guidance of the ecclesiastical magisterium.
Religion in Latin America has always been tied closely to Catholicism because of the influence of Europeans who came to settle South America, bringing along their Catholic foundation. With the early formations of governments in Latin America, church and state were closely linked. The church had significant influence over what happened in the political realm of the countries’ relations. The case was no different for Colombia. The Catholic church has played a significant role in the history of Colombia, assuming an esteemed status in the country and exercising control over different areas of the government and public affairs, but as time passed its role in power has taken a slight downturn.
In the early 1960’s, the churches in Latin America experienced a much-needed sense of revitalization. The church eagerly sought to improve the living conditions
...is writings are imbued with the language of liberation that came from the waves of progressives of Catholicism, which emerge the theology of liberation. Its Christian engagement is explicit, combining them with a vision and Marxist comprehension of history.
Indira Gandhi once said, “One must beware of ministers who can do nothing without money, and those who want to do everything with money.” The corruption of the church is a widespread problem that occurs not only in the modern day, but also was a huge problem in the history of many different countries. “A large number of national political leaders are facing corruption charges. Church life in general is also caught up in this problem. The situation is so bad that with money power and political power almost any extent of corruption can be covered up,” (Kuruvilla, 4). The corruption of church has been a problem since the beginning of the church. The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes, His Fortunes and Adversities was written in the 1500s in Spain.
The relations between Church and State began in the 4th century with the Roman Catholic Emperor Constantine. Constantine pushed for Christianity to be the legal dominant religion among paganism and other various denominations. If it wasn’t for Constantine, it’s suggested that Christianity wouldn’t have taken off like it did. Thanks to the state sponsorship, the “pure” Christendom became an authoritarian influenced sect. In conclusion, this sets the foundation for understanding that there’s a power exchange happening. Fast forward to the 15th century, many centuries later, a point has been reached where people are revolting back to the Church’s ideals, also known as the Reformation. These revolts began in different parts of Europe, notably started by Martin Luther and John Calvin. Here, Jonathan suggests that the dynamics are changing in how society operates. The idea during this time period is encapsulated in how salvation no longer requires good faith. The basis of this belief was constructed to fight back against the corrupted Church. From here on out, this was truly the point of no return for traditional beliefs to stay as the
...By tying the church to the government, people expect the government to behave ethically, but often times, an entirely moral ruler will be overthrown. People expect rulers to act differently than themselves. A ruler cannot show any weakness, or else he will no longer be feared enough to keep him in power, and he will be overthrown. Everybody sees what a ruler seems to be, but few really know who he is. A ruler must seem determined and moral to the people, and show positive results from his leadership. The most important thing for a ruler to do is to avoid being hated or despised by the people, which could occur if a ruler took people's property. For the people, more than the form of power, their perception of power may be the most important for a ruler to maintain his position. “If a ruler wins wars and holds on to power, the means he has employed will always be judged honorable, and everyone will praise him.”(pg.55) Therefore, a ruler should look mainly to winning and to the successful protection of his country. The ways he utilizes for this will always be considered honorable and will be praised by everybody.
To speak of the development of the Roman Catholic Church, is as if to retell the entire story of creation, all the way from Genesis to present day, and even into the future; because “Ecclesia semper reformanda est” or “the Church is always reforming itself” and, “Every valley must be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low.” Therefore, it is best to look at a certain point in the life of this particular religion, which, since “the Church is always reforming itself”, is not yet complete. The life of the Church is not a dull, repetitive life; but a fascinating, sustained life; one that is similar to the history of a rightful country which is in eternal war with an undying, persistent enemy who delights in masking its abhorrent profile with anything that might block its path. And yet, the battle is not direct in any manner, rather it is in indirect dueling where the greater success lies.