The controversy over religious tolerance in the Mexican Constituent Assembly of 1856-1857. Rupture or continuity?

Abstract

This article addresses the controversy surrounding religious tolerance in the Mexican Constitutional Congress of 1856-1857, providing a relevant historical context and an approach that focuses more on continuity with previous disputes than on the rupture brought about by the reform laws. It studies certain connotations of the proposed Article 15 of the Constitution, analyzes some implications of alternative wordings, explores the link between tolerance and federalism, and examines liberal reservations regarding non-Christian faiths. It weighs the positions of the moderates, which were not always opposed to and sometimes aligned with those of the purists. Finally, it examines the trajectory of Ponciano Arriaga, president of the congress, regarding tolerance, as well as the votes of future reformist figures. Thus, it proposes understanding the debate in terms of continuity rather than rupture, emphasizing the points of convergence among liberals less in terms of disagreements and more in terms of points of convergence.