LAUSR

This paper analyzes the religious dimensions of the Mexican War of Independence, based on the reactions of clergymen that opted for a conservative stand. The characterization of this conflict as a crusade, within the flexible sense of a religious war either for or against rupture with the Spanish Monarchy, shows the capacity of religious discourses to be adapted to the circumstances, legitimize different projects, and spread an ideology within society. The paper intends to bring forth a richer interpretation of the relationships between religion, politics and the culture of war.