Contradiction and Conflict: The Popular Church in Nicaragua by Debra Sabia

Abstract

Contradiction and Conflict The Popular Church in Nicaragua. By Debra Sabia. (Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press. 1997. Pp. xi, 239. $34.95.) In July, 1979, Sandinista National Liberation Front (Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional, FSLN) led a multi-class coalition in toppling dictatorship of Somoza family in Nicaragua. The hierarchy gave qualified support for armed struggle during insurrection to unprecedented degree, and by 1980's also represented greatest church polarization in Latin America over desirability and moral legitimacy of violent political change, class struggle, and socialism. Debra Sabia's study is an attempt to understand rise, growth, and fragmentation of popular church in Nicaragua (p. 2) that is a clearly written treatment of grassroots Catholic groups before, during, and after FSLN rule (1979-1990). Background chapters discuss impact of Vatican Council II, pastoral innovation, and spread of Christian base communities (comunidades eclesiales de base, CEBs). The author then explains splits in popular church and offers a typology of Catholics that comprised it. These types include Marxists,Revolutionary, Reformist and Alienated Christians. The basic distinctions among them pertain to religious beliefs and practices, degree of ties to institutional church, and views on desirability and means of social change. The first group came to reject Catholicism completely, and was most committed to socialism, class conflict, and use of violence to bring about radical change (pp. 111-114). Revolutionary Christians had greater ambivalence about violence and close association with FSLN (pp. 132-137). Reformists were equally interested with Church's option for poor, but were less ideological and turned against FSLN after 1980-1983 (pp. 148154). Finally, Alienated Christians who once supported Catholic social change movements turned toward individualistic religion, be it Charismatic Catholicism, or conversion to Protestantism. Sabia's contributions are demonstrating how extent of leftism in Nicaraguan Catholic Church was overstated in 1980's, and through ethnographic research, describing the variegated nature of progressive Christian sector in Nicaragua (p. 11). The life histories of CEB participants destroy any notion of a monolithic, pro-FSLN, and radically violent grassroots church. In their own words lay persons describe evolution of their faith, and how insurrection against Somoza, Church-FSLN conflict, Contra War, and later developments shaped it. Poverty, female-headed households, and a majority of population that came of age after 1980 constitute major drains on membership of CEBs. Increasingly there is renewed value for many in grassroots church in Catholic liturgy and recognition by church authorities (and legitimacy and resources that go with it). Another strength of book is linking by author of four types and their potential patterns of political participation. There are some basic flaws to Sabia's research. …