For God and Liberty: Catholicism and Revolution in the Atlantic World, 1790-1861

The Age of Revolution in Spanish America was a transatlantic Catholic civil war, with Reform Catholicism being significant to the rebel literati who led decolonization efforts. Pamela Voekel's book, "For God and Liberty," reveals how the violent struggles of decolonization and the period before and after Independence are more legible in light of the fault lines within the Church.

Format: Hardback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 10 November 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

The Age of Revolution, traditionally seen as a period of secularization, has been interpreted as tracing the transition from monarchies to independent republics through democratic movements, often characterized by hostility towards Catholicism. However, Pamela Voekel challenges this narrative by centering the story on Spanish and Latin American actors, highlighting a transatlantic Catholic civil war as the driving force behind the nineteenth-century transformation in Spanish America. Through her analysis, Voekel demonstrates the significant role of Reform Catholicism in shaping the thoughts and actions of rebel literati who spearheaded decolonization efforts in Mexico and Central America. She shows how both sides of this religious divide operated within a self-conscious intercontinental network of like-minded Catholics, shaping their strategies and ideologies.

The era's crisis of sovereignty provided a political platform for a religious struggle, as the central protagonists sought to assert their religious beliefs and values in the face of colonial oppression. Drawing on a wealth of ecclesiastical archives, pamphlets, sermons, and tracts, For God and Liberty offers a fresh perspective on the violent struggles of decolonization and the period preceding and following Independence. By illuminating the fault lines within the Church, the book sheds light on the complex and interconnected factors that shaped the course of these historical events.

In conclusion, Voekel's book challenges the traditional understanding of the Age of Revolution and highlights the profound impact of religious conflict on the course of history. By focusing on the role of Catholicism in shaping the thoughts and actions of rebel literati, it provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of the nineteenth-century transformation in Spanish America and its enduring legacy.

Weight: 742g
Dimension: 241 x 161 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197610190