Introduction: 'religion from Rome, politics from home'? -- 'From civil rights to armalites' -- 'The demands of justice must be stated before the words of peace find a receptive ground, 1972-1976' -- 'The men of violence', 1976-1981 -- 'To remind Catholics that support for the IRA and SF was not compatible with membership of the Catholic Church', 1982-1990 -- 'Let history judge who was to blame', -- Conclusion: 'The church needs to do a reality check' -- APPENDIX: important figures -- Bibliography -- Index
Summary
This work provides an indispensable study of the role played by the Catholic Church during one of the most tumultuous periods of British and Irish history - the Northern Ireland Troubles - showing evidence which offers a radical new perspective on religious institutions as conflict mediators in the twentieth century