Miguel Pro: Martyrdom, Politics, and Society in Twentieth-Century Mexico

(Hardback)

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Miguel Pro: Martyrdom and Politics in Twentieth-Century Mexico examines the complex relationship of modern martyrdom as preserved by memory and factual truth, and as retold through stories intended to impel political and religious aims. Martyr narratives depend on institutional affiliation to remain in the public memory, and are altered in order to maintain their ability to mobilize followers within changing social and political contexts. In order to examine the evolution of lasting martyr narratives, Lpez-Menndez scrutinizes the various renditions of the 1927 execution of Miguel Pro, a Jesuit priest caught in the bloody conflict between Catholics and the post-revolutionary state.

Reviews

Lopez-Menendez masterfully constructs the Pro-as-martyr narrative.... Perhaps the most notable strength of this scholarly work is the contextualization the author establishes in the debate about the martyrdom of Father Pro.... Lopez-Menendezs Miguel Pro is an engagingly written, carefully researched, and impressively diverse examination of the making of a martyr. It makes a major contribution to the fields of religious studies, sociology, and Mexican history and politics in the twentieth century. It will surely be established as a significant synthetic text and find its way into many scholarly libraries. * Catholic Historical Review *
Lpez-Menndez produces an insightful exploration that uses a compelling Mexican case to examine the ways that martyrs are made in the modern age. * Journal of Church and State *
This is by far the most conceptually sophisticated and detailed treatment to date of the martyrological meanings and political legacies of Mexicos best-known beato, Father Miguel Pro. Combining elements of history, critical theory, and religious studies, and blending conventional archival sources with deft analysis of theatrical plays, political reportage, and telenovelas, this is a fresh and insightful study that brings the study of Mexicos cristero martyrs up to date. Here is the post-modern Pro, neither historical nor canonical fact, but open-ended symbol, martyred anew with every significant convulsion of Mexicos religious and political fields. -- Matthew J. Butler, University of Texas at Austin
This book is a thoughtful meditation on the tensions between the religious and the political spheres, the function of the Catholic priest, and the gradual process of creating a Catholic saint. Lpez-Menndez focuses on the death of Father Pro, executed by government forces during Mexicos Cristero War. This work is not only meticulously researched and carefully laid out, it also speaks to the important issues of popular religious belief, state-church relations, and the role of martyrdom in Catholic theology. Powerful and learned, Miguel Pro stands as one of the best works on Mexican religion. -- Benjamin Smith, University of Warwick

Author Bio

Marisol Lpez-Menndez is professor in social and political sciences at Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City.