Malcolm Rivera
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a law passed in July 1790 during the French Revolution, which caused the immediate subordination of the Catholic Church in France to the French government. The law was highly divisive, turning many Catholics and clerics against the Revolution. The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was passed by the Assembly with a large majority and formally sanctioned by King Louis XVI, but it provoked much opposition. The Constitution made bishops and priests elected, meaning they were now subject to the State, since their parishioners would vote on the priest and bishops as opposed to these individuals being appointed by the Church hierarchy.
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was passed on 12 July 1790 during the French Revolution
- The law sought to bring the Catholic Church in France under the control of the French government
- The law caused a schism within the French Church, creating two rival churches
- The Civil Constitution of the Clergy had four titles with different articles
- The document begins with an introduction and then focuses on dioceses, elections, payment, and living requirements
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was passed on 12 July 1790 during the French Revolution
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy had four titles with different articles. Title I focused on the dioceses and their administration, reducing their number to 83 to match the number of French departments. Title II dealt with the election of bishops and parish priests, stipulating that they would be elected by the people, like any other public officials, rather than appointed by the Church hierarchy or the king. Title III addressed the salaries of clerics, who became paid employees of the State, and Title IV outlined the living requirements for bishops, parish priests, and curates, including the obligation to reside within their dioceses.
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy also required all members of the clergy to swear an oath of loyalty to the nation and the forthcoming constitution. This proved divisive, as many clerics were hesitant to swear complete loyalty to the state, fearing it might conflict with their duties to the pope or God. In November 1790, the Assembly made it compulsory for all clergy, down to the lowest parish priests, to take the oath, and those who refused were later removed from their posts.
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was part of a broader effort to modernize the Church and align it with revolutionary values, eliminating corruption and reducing the Church's political influence. It was one of the most radical changes of the French Revolution, and it turned many Catholics and clerics against the Revolution, creating a schism within the French Church.
The USS Constitution: Civil War's Veteran Ship
You may want to see also
The law sought to bring the Catholic Church in France under the control of the French government
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a law passed on July 12, 1790, during the French Revolution. It aimed to bring the Catholic Church in France under the control of the French government and caused a schism within the French Church, dividing clerics and turning many Catholics against the Revolution. The law was passed by the Assembly with a large majority and formally sanctioned by King Louis XVI on August 24, 1790, despite his initial opposition.
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy had four titles with different articles. Title I focused on the dioceses and their administration, reducing their number from 130 or 135 to 83 to match the number of French departments. It also regulated the dioceses to make them more uniform and aligned with the administrative districts that had been recently created. Title II stipulated that bishops and parish priests were to be elected by the enfranchised citizens, like any other public officials, rather than being appointed by the Church hierarchy or the king and pope. Title III dealt with the salaries of clerics, who became salaried employees of the state, with their wages ranging from 1,200 to 6,000 livres per year. Title IV required all bishops to reside within their respective dioceses and set out the living requirements for bishops, parish priests, and curates.
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy also required all members of the clergy to swear an oath of loyalty to the nation, the law, and the king, and to support the constitution decreed by the National Assembly. This proved to be a divisive issue, as many clerics were hesitant to swear complete loyalty to the state, fearing it might conflict with their duties to the pope or to God. In November 1790, the Assembly made it compulsory for all members of the clergy to take the oath, and only seven bishops and about half of the parish priests complied. The church in France was thus split between the nonjurors (refractory priests) and the jurors (constitutional priests).
The law sought to modernise the Church and realign it with revolutionary values, reducing its political influence and eliminating corruption and abuses. It also reflected the defiance of Gallicanism towards Rome and the resolve of the Jacobins to submit the religion of the nation exclusively to state authority. The Civil Constitution caused a schism, resulting in an illegal and underground French Catholic Church loyal to the Papacy, and a "constitutional church" that was subservient to the state. This schism was not fully resolved until 1801, under Napoleon's rule with the Concordat of 1801.
The Constitution and Trial by Jury
You may want to see also
The law caused a schism within the French Church, creating two rival churches
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a law passed on 12 July 1790 during the French Revolution. It was an attempt to reorganise the Catholic Church in France and bring it under the control of the French government. The law was highly divisive and caused a schism within the French Church, creating two rival churches.
The Constitution's main features were to reduce the number of bishops from 135 to 83, to have each diocese correspond to a département, to have bishops and parish priests elected by enfranchised citizens, and to have the state pay the clergy's wages. The Constitution also required all members of the clergy to swear an oath of loyalty to the nation and the forthcoming constitution.
The schism created by the Civil Constitution of the Clergy resulted in an illegal and underground French Catholic Church loyal to the Papacy, and a "`constitutional church'" that was subservient to the State. The Constitutional Church was the sole legal church and stood for the State, while the Refractory Church, the sole orthodox church, sided with the Papacy.
The conflict between the two rival churches continued until Napoleon's rule, when it was resolved with the Concordat of 1801. The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was one of the new regime's most controversial and divisive policies, generating more dissent and opposition than any other revolutionary policy.
Stephen A. Douglas: The Lecompton Constitution Opposition
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy had four titles with different articles
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a law passed on 12 July 1790 during the French Revolution. It was an attempt to reorganise the Roman Catholic Church in France by bringing it under the control of the French government. The law was passed by the Assembly with a large majority and formally sanctioned by King Louis XVI on 24 August. However, the Civil Constitution soon provoked much opposition.
Ilhan Omar's Oath: Constitution or Personal Agenda?
You may want to see also
The document begins with an introduction and then focuses on dioceses, elections, payment, and living requirements
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a law passed on 12 July 1790 during the French Revolution. It was an attempt to reorganise the Catholic Church in France and bring it under the control of the French government. The document begins with an introduction and then focuses on dioceses, elections, payment, and living requirements.
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy has four titles with different articles. The first title of the document is an introduction that explains why the document was written. It then goes on to discuss the dioceses and how they were to be administered. This includes the reduction of the number of dioceses from 130 or 135 to 83, matching the number of French departments. Each diocese was to correspond to a département, the basic territorial administrative unit established by the Assembly.
The President's Role: Understanding No-Show Jobs and EPF
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a law passed on 12 July 1790 during the French Revolution. It was an attempt to reorganise the Catholic Church in France and bring it under the control of the French government.
The main features of the Civil Constitution of the Clergy were to reduce the number of bishops from 135 to 83, to have each diocese correspond to a département, to have enfranchised citizens elect bishops and parish priests, and to have the state pay the clergy’s wages.
No, the Civil Constitution of the Clergy was not supported by the Pope. Pope Pius VI wrote to King Louis XVI in July 1790, asking him not to sanction the Civil Constitution. He also condemned the revolution in France, particularly the decrees that annulled the church’s feudal rights.
