Diálogos Latinoamericanos ISSN: 1600-0110
[email protected] Aarhus Universitet Dinamarca Wilson, John-Paul Church, State, and Society during the Nicaraguan Revolution Diálogos Latinoamericanos, núm. 16, 2009, pp. 115-135 Aarhus Universitet Aarhus, Dinamarca Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=16212429007 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative Diálogos Latinoamericanos 16, 2009 Church, State, and Society during the Nicaraguan Revolution John-Paul Wilson16 The course of the Church's history in Nicaragua had changed from an institution led by a martyred Bishop protecting Indian rights before Rome and the Spanish King to one largely concerned with protecting its own interests following Nicaragua’s independence to one that had come to terms with its mission to save souls and to serve its people. However, many of those who took the initiative to bring the Church toward a more humanitarian orientation in modern times had allowed themselves to become the tool of a revolutionary political movement whose aim was to perpetuate its own power. Ironically, those who truly wished to serve God and His people found themselves oppressed by those who claimed that they were doing the same. After a long struggle, a free election in 1990 brought to power a series of democratic governments allowing freedom of the Church to fulfil its mission. Keywords: Governors, Popes, Dictators, Christians, Marxist, ecclesia Throughout the centuries, the Catholic Church was created to propagate the basic Christian message (evangelisation) and to provide for God's people according to their spiritual and material needs.