The prophet of Cuernavaca : Ivan Illich and the crisis of the West / Todd Hartch.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hartch, Todd, 1967- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Illich, Ivan, 1926-2002.

Illich, Ivan.

Catholic Church.

Catholics--Biography.

Catholics.

Catholic Church--Latin America--History--20th century.

Liberation theology--Latin America.

Liberation theology.

History.

Latin America.

Centro Intercultural de Documentación.

Sociology--Philosophy.

Sociology.

Genre:

Biographies.

History.

Physical Description:

xii, 235 pages ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : Oxford University Press, [2015]

Summary:

"Catholic priest and radical social critic Ivan Illich is best known for books like Deschooling Society and Medical Nemesis that skewered the dominant institutions of the West in the 1970s. Although commissioned in 1961 by American bishops to run a missionary training center in Cuernavaca, Mexico, Illich emerged as one of the major critics of the missionary movement. As he became a more controversial figure, his center evolved into CIDOC (Centro Intercultural de Documentación), an informal university that attracted a diverse group of intellectuals and seekers from around the world. They came to Illich's center to learn Spanish, to attend seminars, and to sit at the feet of Illich, whose relentless criticism of the Catholic Church and modern Western culture resonated with the revolutionary spirit of the times. His 1967 article, "The Seamy Side of Charity," a harsh attack on the American missionary effort in Latin America, and other criticisms of the Church led to a trial at the Vatican in 1968, after which he left the priesthood. Illich's writings struck at the foundations of western society, and envisioned utopian transformations in the realms of education, transportation, medicine, and economics. He was an inspiration to a generation of liberation theologians and other left-wing intellectuals. In The Prophet of Cuernavaca Todd Hartch traces the development of Illich's ideas from his work as a priest through his later secular period, offering one of the first book-length historical treatments of his thought in English"-- Provided by publisher.

"Priest and social critic Ivan Illich, who skewered the institutions of the West in the 1970s, first came to prominence as a critic of Catholic missions. This book examines Illich's years in Cuernavaca, Mexico, where he ran a think tank and wrote his most important works, including Deschooling Society"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Machine generated contents note:

Abbreviations

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1. Wrong Man for the Job

2. The Center for Intercultural Formation

3. Battle for Influence

4. Liberating Mission

5. Crisis

6. Decline of the Missionary Initiative

7. CIDOC

8. Breaking the Spell

9. Grammar of Silence

Conclusion

Bibliography.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 173-228) and index.

ISBN:

9780190204563

0190204567

OCLC:

898273195