Maya and Catholic Cultures in Crisis - by John D Early (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

In his most recent book, The Maya and Catholicism: An Encounter of Worldviews, John Early examined the relationship between the Maya and the Catholic Church from the sixteenth century through the colonial and early national periods. In Maya and Catholic Cultures in Crisis, he returns to delve into the changing worldviews of these two groups in the second half of the twentieth century--a period of great turmoil for both.

Drawing on his personal experiences as a graduate student, a Roman Catholic priest in the region and his extensive archival research, Early constructs detailed case histories of the Maya uprisings against the governments of Guatemala and Mexico, exploring Liberation Catholicism's integral role in these rebellions as well as in the evolutions of Maya and Catholic theologies. His meticulous and insightful study is indispensable to understanding Maya politics, society, and religion in the late twentieth century.

From the Back Cover

"Throughout this volume Early provides us with the historical, material, and political contexts for the competing worldviews he describes with insight and in rich ethnographic detail, and he never loses sight of the critical importance of religion in the daily lives of Maya peoples and their pastoral workers. This book is a lucid, fair-minded, magisterial guide to sympathetic understanding of these complex, critical issues."--Norman B. Schwartz, University of Delaware

"A landmark achievement that will no doubt be cited again and again for years to come. It is a thoroughly researched and authoritative work."--Allen J. Christenson, author of Art and Society in a Highland Maya Community

"No book offers a more comprehensive look at the clashing and overlapping worldviews and politics of the groups and institutions involved, including Western-centric vs. liberal Catholic clergy, Mayas searching for new understandings and economic strategies in the midst of the erosion of their subsistence economy, Marxist guerillas, the military, and indigenous activists. Even the most seasoned scholars of Liberation Theology and Maya culture change will find fascinating revelations in this treasure trove."--Brent Metz, coeditor of The Ch'orti' Maya Area

"While this book explains what brought about the Maya uprisings in Chiapas and Guatemala and answers questions about the role of the Catholic Church in the development of the uprisings, the heart of the book is about the Maya quest to live with dignity as Maya in the modern world."--Christine Gudorf, author of Catholic Social Teaching on Liberation Themes

In this historical account of how the Maya worldview has adapted to the changes following contact with Western colonial and national governments, John D. Early provides an in-depth look at how the Catholic Church has interacted with the Maya through the last centuries, delving into the changing worldviews of these two groups in the second half of the twentieth century--a period of great turmoil for both.

John D. Early, professor emeritus of anthropology at Florida Atlantic University, is the author of The Maya and Catholicism and coauthor of several books, including The Xilixana Yanomami of the Amazon.

Review Quotes

"Early does an admirable job synthesizing the complicated history of how Maya and Catholic worldviews have overlapped, converged, and been in tension with each other, and even those well-versed on the subject will find new information or perspectives that makes this book a welcome new source."--Anthropological Quarterly

"Early, a former Catholic priest himself, brings to his long account an insider's eye for the Catholic side of the story and for the personalities and careers of priests who struggled for decades to both reform Catholicism and find ways to empower Mayan Christians."--Choice


"Wide ranging, well informed, and even-handed."--American Anthropologist

About the Author

John D. Early, professor emeritus of anthropology at Florida Atlantic University, is the author of The Maya and Catholicism and coauthor of several books, including The Xilixana Yanomami of the Amazon.