Because of profound changes in the Church and the world, the once burning issue of separation of Church and state in Ecuador has largely vanished as a major national concern. No longer does the Church fight for privileges and temporal supremacy over the state. Rather, its interest is to alleviate, through Christ's teachings and the sacraments, the suffering of those who yearn for social justice, equality of opportunity, and a meaningful Christian life.
CHURCH AND STATE: THE ECUADORIAN CASE
The revolutionary turmoil that swept through South America early in the nineteenth century stripped Spain of her mainland American colonies and created a number of new independent states. After 300 years of domination by the Spanish monarchy, the new nations were free to form their laws in accordance with their own aspirations and political ideals. In Ecuador, the advent of independence brought two distinct philosophies of self rule into conflict. One held that adherence to the principles of Roman Catholicism was the only bulwark against anarchy. The other, inspired by the revolutionary and secular ideals emanating from North America and Europe, advocated a state committed to democracy and individual freedoms, particularly liberty of conscience.
Tracking the antagonism and collaboration between the Ecuadorian Church and state is the key to understanding Ecuador as a Catholic nation in the twentieth century, and the history of these two powerful entities in Ecuador illuminates the role of the Church in other Latin American countries. Despite claims by both Liberals and Conservatives to represent the good of the Ecuadorian people, the struggle for separation of Church and state, animated by power politics and waged at great cost, is at its core a fundamental conflict between the imperatives of tradition and of progress. Repeatedly, personal ambition and the residue of colonialism combined to thwart constitutional government, and as the l...