Chapter One, Part One of Torture and Eucharist by William T. Cavanaugh    Torture in Pinochet’s Chile did not only attack individuals. It was part of an assault on society. It aimed to create a certain perception of reality. The state wanted people to imagine enemies, which torture would create and from which the state would rescue society. Torture itself would be one of the necessary means. On Chapter One, Part One of Torture and Eucharist: Theology, Politics, and the Body of Christ, third in the... Read more

It has occurred to me to wonder about Jesus’ suffering during his trial and execution. How would it compare to the pains that many others have had forced on them? What would Jesus’ sufferings mean for you if you actually suffered more than Jesus? William T. Cavanaugh begins his Torture and Eucharist, on the Chile of the Augusto Pinochet regime, with that question.   This is the second post on William T. Cavanaugh’s book Torture and Eucharist: Theology, Politics, and the Body of... Read more

Introduction to the Theologian and his Book Torture and Eucharist   William T. Cavanaugh is a Catholic theologian whose interests, besides theology, include economics and politics. The role of the Church in the world of politics and economics is central in his thought. He has been a professor of Catholic studies at DePaul University since 1910. Before that he taught at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is director of the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology.... Read more