The Cristero Rebellion: The Mexican people between church and state, 1926-1929

Cambridge Latin American Studies #24

by Jean Meyer

The Cristero movement is an essential part of the Mexican Revolution. When in 1926 relations between Church and state, old enemies and old partners, eventually broke down, when the churches closed and the liturgy was suspended, Rome, Washington and Mexico, without ever losing their heads, embarked upon a long game of chess. These years were crucial, because they saw the setting up of the contemporary political system. The state established its omnipotence, supported by a bureaucratic apparatus and a strong privileged class. Just at the moment when the state thought that it was finally supreme, at the moment at which it decided to take control of the Church, the Cristero movement arose, a spontaneous mass movement, particularly of peasants, unique in its spread, its duration, and its popular character. For obvious reasons, the existing literature has both denied its reality and slandered it.

Genres: History, Latin American History, War, Christianity, Nonfiction

270 pages, Hardcover

First published September 9, 1976

About the author

Doctor Jean Meyer Barth is a Mexican historian and author of French origin.

Meyer earned his bachelor and master degrees at the Sorbonne University.

He was a professor at the Sorbonne, the University of Paris, the Colegio de México, the Colegio de Michoacán, and the Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas.

Reviews

[Linda Nichols]

If you are interested in Mexico and its history, this is a must-read. It's an under-explored part of the nation's history, one that to me was helpful in understanding this great country to our south, especially important to those of us who live in Texas, which shares the longest border with Mexico. When the Mexican government shut down the Catholic Church and refused to allow services or sacraments to be delivered, the peasants rose up in revolt and fought three years for their right to church services. They were led in part by some priests and bishops, and sheltered their parish priests. It was a rebellion aided by their women and even children. Though they ultimately lost the rebellion, their struggle did have some positive effects in the country and the church. I recommend this book as informative reading about Mexico.

[Kat]

Pretty interesting examination of an event that I literally had never heard of. Author displays a pretty notable disdain for the Mexican state (probably justified) and contempt for the Church in this struggle, which alternated between undermining the Cristeros, condemning them, or just pretending they didn't exist.

On the other hand, he's very sympathetic to the Cristeros. Hard to say how much of this is valid sympathy, but he certainly makes them appear more likable than the alternative.

"No prisoners were taken (by the Federal troops); civilians taken as hostages were murdered. Torture was systematic, and was used not only to obtain information but also to prolong suffering, and to oblige Catholics to renounce their faith, since death was not sufficient to persuade them to do this. To be forced to walk on the flayed soles of the feet, to be flayed, burned, have their bones broken, to be quartered alive, hung up by their thumbs, garrotted, electrocuted, scorched by blowlamps, racked, subjected to the torture of the boot and the water-torment, stretched out, dragged behind a horse - such was the fate of those who fell into the hands of the Federals."

The focus is very narrowly on the war itself, and the events (in broad strokes) leading up to it. Which is good because it's focused, but it does assume you have some familiarity with the mass of names of various politicians and public figures the author throws at you (I did not). But hey, it's interesting enough to make me want to read more about the topic.