Omar Bennett
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 subordinate it to the State. The law had wide-reaching consequences, causing a schism within the French Church and leading to financial benefits for the revolutionary government. The revolutionary assemblies accused the refractory clergy of accepting aristocrats and foreigners as accomplices. The Civil Constitution of the Clergy also had financial implications, as it abolished the collection of tithes and confiscated church lands, which were used to back the assignats. The salaries of parish priests were fixed and paid by the state, ranging from 1,200 to 6,000 livres per year, while the salaries of bishops were significantly reduced.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date passed | 12 July 1790 |
| Purpose | To reorganise and regulate the Catholic Church in France, reducing its power and making it subordinate to the state |
| Number of bishops | Reduced from 135 to 83 |
| Clergy salaries | Paid by the state, ranging from 1,200 to 6,000 livres per year for parish priests, and 12,000 livres per year for bishops |
| Clergy loyalty | Required to swear an oath of loyalty to the nation |
| Clergy election | Bishops and priests were elected officials |
| Clergy independence | Lost their independence as they became subject to the state |
| Church land ownership | Abolished, with church lands confiscated |
| Tithes | Abolished |
| Church revenue | Nationalised |
| Clergy boycott | Several clerical deputies boycotted the National Constituent Assembly's policies on religion |
| Clergy oath | Required by the Assembly to be taken under pain of deposition; caused a schism in the Church |
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What You'll Learn
The French government's financial crisis
The Church's wealth was derived from several sources, including tithes, which were abolished in August 1789, and land holdings, which were confiscated and nationalized in November 1789. The Church's land was used for a variety of purposes, including churches, monasteries, convents, schools, and hospitals, serving the people of France. However, there was also resentment towards the Church due to the abuse of this system, particularly regarding patronage. This resentment took various forms, including atheism, anticlericalism, and anti-Catholicism. Many revolutionaries viewed the Catholic Church as a retrograde force and sought to reduce its power and influence.
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy, passed on July 12, 1790, was a direct response to the financial crisis and the desire to control the Church's wealth. It reorganized the French Catholic Church, making bishops and priests elected officials accountable to the state and paid by the state. The number of bishops was reduced, and their salaries were significantly lowered, while most parish priests saw an increase in their salaries. The Constitution also required all clergy to swear an oath of loyalty to the nation, further subordinating the Church to the state.
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy had far-reaching consequences, causing a schism within the French Church and French society. It divided the clergy and the country between those who accepted the reforms (the Constitutional Church) and those who remained loyal to the Pope (the Refractory Church). This division led to counter-revolutionary activities, open revolts, and a state of hostility between religion and the revolutionary regime. The financial crisis, therefore, played a significant role in shaping the course of the French Revolution and the relationship between the Church and the French state.
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Confiscation of church lands
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a law passed on 12 July 1790 during the French Revolution. It was an attempt to nationalise and regulate the Catholic Church in France. The confiscation of church lands was a significant financial aspect of this law.
The confiscation of church lands was a key feature of the Civil Constitution of the Clergy. The French government of 1790 was nearly bankrupt, facing a fiscal crisis. The Church owned about six percent of the land in France. This land was used for churches, monasteries, convents, schools, hospitals, and other establishments serving the French people.
The National Constituent Assembly, facing a financial deficit, voted to seize ecclesiastical possessions on 2 November 1789. This property was deemed "biens nationaux" or "national goods." The auctioning of these lands began in late 1790, and the revenue generated was used to fund the government's newly issued paper bonds, known as "assignats."
The confiscation of church lands caused a significant upheaval within the Church and French society. The Church's land and wealth were intimately tied to its power and influence, and the loss of these resources severely diminished its standing. This confiscation also disrupted the traditional structure of the Church, requiring further reorganisation and reform.
The confiscation of church lands and the subsequent reforms led to a schism within the French Church. Those who refused to swear allegiance to the Civil Constitution, known as "nonjurors" or "refractory priests," formed an underground French Catholic Church loyal to the Papacy. The "jurors" or "constitutional priests" recognised the Civil Constitution and stood for the State. This split persisted until the Concordat of 1801, which resolved the confiscation and church reforms.
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Abolition of tithes
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was passed on 12 July 1790 during the French Revolution. It was an attempt to reorganise and regulate the Catholic Church in France, which at the time owned about six per cent of the land in the country.
Even before the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, the National Constituent Assembly had been taking steps to address the Church's finances. On 11 August 1789, tithes were abolished. On 2 November 1789, Catholic Church property that was held for purposes of church revenue was nationalised, and used as the backing for assignats. On 13 February 1790, monastic vows were forbidden and all ecclesiastical orders and congregations were dissolved, except those devoted to teaching children and nursing the sick. On 19 April 1790, administration of all remaining church property was transferred to the State.
The Assembly's actions caused a schism within the French Church, with many devout Catholics turning against the Revolution. The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was an attempt to reorganise the Church on a national basis and create a new administrative and financial framework. It reduced the number of bishops from 135 to 83, and had each diocese correspond to a département. It also made bishops and priests elected officials, and made them paid employees of the government.
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy proved to be highly divisive. It required all clergy to swear an oath of loyalty to the nation, the law, and the king, and to support the constitution decreed by the National Constituent Assembly. Only seven bishops and about half of the parish priests took the oath. The church in France was split between the nonjurors (refractory priests) and the jurors (constitutional priests).
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Clergy salaries
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy, passed on 12 July 1790, was a law that sought to bring the Catholic Church in France under the complete control of the French government. It had far-reaching consequences, including financial implications for the clergy.
Prior to the French Revolution, the Catholic Church in France, also known as the Gallican Church, enjoyed a privileged position with extensive landholdings and wealth. The Church owned about six percent of the land in France, including churches, monasteries, convents, schools, hospitals, and other establishments serving the people. The Church also collected tithes, which were abolished in August 1789.
With the enactment of the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, the clergy's landholdings were confiscated and nationalized, and they were no longer allowed to collect tithes. As a result, the clergy could no longer rely on these sources of income. Instead, they became paid employees of the government, with their salaries now being paid by the state. This represented a significant shift in the financial structure of the Church.
The salaries of parish priests were fixed by the state and ranged from 1,200 to 6,000 livres per year, depending on the location and the nature of their duties. For most parish priests, this meant an increase in their pre-1789 salaries. However, the salaries of bishops were significantly reduced to around 12,000 livres per annum, and they were required to reside permanently within their diocese.
The change in the financial structure of the Church caused a rift within the clergy, dividing them into those who accepted the reforms and became known as the "constitutional clergy" or "juring priests," and those who opposed them, known as the "non-juring clergy" or "refractory priests." The refusal of some priests to take an oath of loyalty to the new constitution resulted in their removal from their posts and the election of new bishops and priests.
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Schism and financial benefits
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was 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 had far-reaching consequences, causing a schism within the French Church and leading to financial benefits for the revolutionary government.
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy transformed the Catholic Church in France into a de facto state church. It reorganised and standardised parish sizes based on geography and population. The salaries of parish priests were fixed and paid by the state, ranging from 1,200 to 6,000 livres per year, while the salaries of bishops were significantly reduced to around 12,000 livres per annum. Bishops were also required to live permanently within their diocese. The number of bishops was reduced from 135 to 83, and they, along with parish priests, became elected officials accountable to the state.
The schism created by the Civil Constitution of the Clergy resulted in two rival churches: the Constitutional Church and the Refractory Church. The Constitutional Church, also known as the "jurors" or "juring priests," was the sole legal church and stood for the State. The Refractory Church, also known as the "non-jurors" or "refractory priests", was the sole orthodox church and sided with the papacy. This schism was not fully resolved until 1801.
The financial benefits for the revolutionary government came in the form of increased revenue and reduced expenses. The Church owned about six percent of the land in France and collected tithes, which were abolished by the National Assembly. Church lands were confiscated and nationalised, and the revenue previously generated by the Church now flowed into the state's coffers. Additionally, the salaries paid to the clergy became a state expense, reducing the overall wealth of the Church.
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Frequently asked questions
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a law passed on 12 July 1790 during the French Revolution. It sought to exert control over the Catholic Church in France by the French government.
The French government in 1790 was nearly bankrupt. The Church owned about 6% of the land in France and collected tithes. This led to enormous resentment of the Church. The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was passed to address this financial crisis.
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy abolished tithes and confiscated Church lands. It also nationalised Church property, which was previously used to support revenue.
The clergy became employees of the state and were paid salaries by the state. Parish priests' salaries increased, while bishops' salaries were significantly reduced.
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was one of the most divisive issues of the French Revolution. It caused a schism within the French Church, with some clerics supporting the law and others opposing it. This split led to open revolt in certain regions of France.
