Malcolm Rivera
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a law passed on July 12, 1790, during the French Revolution. It was an attempt to reorganize the Roman Catholic Church in France and reduce the influence of the Church, which owned about six percent of the land in the country. The law caused a schism within the French Church, with many clerics refusing to swear the required oath of loyalty and opposing the strict subordination of the Church to the state. This event had a significant impact on the Revolution and the relationship between the Church and the state in France, becoming one of the most divisive policies of the new regime.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 12 July 1790 |
| Type of document | Law |
| Passed by | The National Constituent Assembly |
| Sanctioned by | King Louis XVI |
| Aims | To reorganise and regulate the Catholic Church in France, eliminate corruption and abuses in the church, and limit the church's political influence |
| Main features | Reduced the number of bishops, made the clergy paid employees of the government, required all members of the clergy to swear an oath of loyalty to the nation |
| Support | Some support came from figures within the Church, such as the priest and parliamentarian Pier |
| Opposition | Many clerics, Pope Pius VI |
| Outcome | Created a schism within the French Church, with a "constitutional church" that was subservient to the State, and an "illegal and underground French Catholic Church" loyal to the Papacy |
| Resolution | The schism was not fully resolved until 1801, under Napoleon's rule with the Concordat of 1801 |
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What You'll Learn
The French Revolution and the Catholic Church
The French Revolution, which began in 1789, had a profound impact on the Catholic Church in France, leading to a period of dechristianization and a reshaping of the relationship between church and state.
In the years leading up to the Revolution, there was growing discontent with the Catholic Church in France, known as the Gallican Church. This was due to various factors, including the wealth and perceived abuses of the Church, which controlled vast properties and extracted significant revenues from its tenants, as well as the collection of compulsory tithes. The Church's dominant role in pre-revolutionary France, coupled with the near-bankrupt state of the French government in 1790, fueled resentment and anti-clerical sentiment among the population.
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy, passed on July 12, 1790, was a significant development during the French Revolution that sought to exert control over the Catholic Church in France. The law reorganized and standardized parish sizes based on geography and population, reduced the number of bishops, and made the clergy paid employees of the state. It also required all members of the clergy to swear an oath of loyalty to the nation, known as the "civic oath," which proved to be divisive. While some clerics accepted the oath, becoming known as "juring priests" or the "constitutional clergy", others refused, becoming known as "non-juring" or "refractory priests."
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy caused a schism within the French Church, with many devout Catholics turning against the Revolution. This schism was further exacerbated by the condemnation of the Civil Constitution by Pope Pius VI in the spring of 1791. The revolutionary governments took harsh measures against the non-juring clergy, who were considered enemies of the state. The schism was not fully resolved until 1801, under Napoleon's rule, with the Concordat of 1801.
The French Revolution ultimately led to the suppression of the Church, the abolition of the Catholic monarchy, and the nationalization of Church property. The revolutionary authorities exiled and executed priests, and new forms of moral religion emerged, including the Cult of Reason and the Cult of the Supreme Being. The French Revolution's impact on the Catholic Church extended beyond France, influencing new notions about church-state relations, religious liberty, and secularity, particularly in the United States, where American Catholics sought to reconcile their faith with modern values.
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Bishops' loyalty oaths
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, reducing the number of bishops and archbishops, standardising parish sizes, and making the clergy paid employees of the government.
One of the most controversial aspects of the Civil Constitution was that it required all members of the clergy to swear an oath of loyalty to the nation. This was a significant departure from existing customs, where bishops swore loyalty to the king. Now, they were required to swear "loyalty to the nation, the law, and the king" and "to support with all [their] power the constitution decreed by the National [Constituent] Assembly". This oath was extended to all members of the clergy in November 1790, including parish priests, abbés, curates, monks, and nuns.
The loyalty oath proved to be extremely divisive, with almost all bishops and over half of the lower clergy refusing to take it. This created a schism within the French Church, with some clerics willing to swear loyalty to the nation and others remaining loyal to Rome. The Pope's condemnation of the Civil Constitution in 1791 further hardened opposition among the local clergy, and many who had equivocated now refused to take the oath. This situation ultimately contributed to the outbreak of civil war in the following years.
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy can be cited according to various style guides as follows:
MLA 8th edition:
> National Constituent Assembly. Civil Constitution of the Clergy, 12 July 1790, Art. I-IV.
APA 7th edition:
> National Constituent Assembly. (1790, July 12). Civil Constitution of the Clergy.
Chicago Manual of Style 17th edition:
> National Constituent Assembly, Civil Constitution of the Clergy, July 12, 1790, Art. I-IV.
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Diocesan standardisation
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy also emphasised the loyalty of Church officials to the First French Republic and the subordination of the Church to the State. It made bishops and priests elected positions, with parishioners voting on these roles rather than appointments being made by the Church hierarchy. This further emphasised the shift in power dynamics between the Church and the State.
The diocesan bishop holds significant responsibilities within the diocese, including designating new chaplaincies, appointing churchwardens, and working closely with the Diocesan Synod. The Diocesan Synod consists of a House of Bishops, a House of Clergy, and a House of Laity, with the bishop playing a key role in nominating members of the House of Bishops.
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a highly divisive law that caused a schism within the French Church, with many clerics refusing to swear the required oath of loyalty. It represented a significant shift in the relationship between the Church and the State, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the two institutions during the French Revolution.
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Clerical salaries
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy, passed on 12 July 1790, was a law that sought to give the French government complete control over the Catholic Church in France. The document itself is divided into four titles with different articles. Title III of the Civil Constitution of the Clergy focuses on payment, as the clergy were now considered salaried employees of the State.
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy regulated the salaries of parish priests, fixing them according to location and the nature of clerical duties. These salaries were to be paid by the state and ranged from 1,200 to 6,000 livres per year. This represented an increase in the salaries of most parish priests compared to their pre-1789 salaries.
In contrast, the salaries of bishops were significantly reduced to around 12,000 livres per annum. The bishop of Paris was to receive 50,000 livres, while bishops of cities with a population of 50,000 or more were to receive 20,000 livres. This reduction in salary was accompanied by a requirement for bishops to live permanently within their diocese.
The payment of clerical salaries by the state was justified by the argument that it was reasonable for clergy to swear an oath of loyalty to the state, similar to the oaths taken by public officials. The Civil Constitution of the Clergy required bishops and all clergy to swear an oath of loyalty to the state, which was to be taken in January 1791.
The promise of higher state-funded salaries may have influenced the decision of around 60 percent of parish priests to take the oath, while most bishops refused. Those who took the oath became known as 'juring priests' or the 'constitutional clergy', while those who refused were dubbed 'non-juring' or 'refractory priests'.
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Schism and the Constitutional Church
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy, passed on 12 July 1790, was a law enacted during the French Revolution that sought to exert complete control over the Catholic Church in France by the French government. This law resulted in a schism, creating an illegal underground French Catholic Church loyal to the Papacy, and a "constitutional church" subservient to the State.
The constitutional church, also known as the juring or swearing priests, accepted the Civil Constitution and swore an oath of loyalty to the nation, the law, and the king. They supported the reorganisation of the church and the reduction of bishops, with each diocese corresponding to a département. They also accepted that the state would pay their wages.
The non-juring or refractory priests, on the other hand, refused to take the oath and opposed the law. They were dubbed "enemies of the state" and were removed from their posts. The non-jurors included almost all bishops and over half of the lower clergy.
This schism was not fully resolved until 1801, under Napoleon's rule with the Concordat. The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a highly divisive issue that turned many devout Catholics against the Revolution and "lit the civil war" in the following years.
To cite the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, the following format can be used:
Author (if available), Year of publication (in round brackets), 'Title of Source' (in italics), Publisher, Place of Publication, Page number(s).
For example:
National Constituent Assembly (1790), *Civil Constitution of the Clergy*, National Assembly, France.
Alternatively, if you are using the Harvard referencing style:
National Constituent Assembly, 1790. Civil Constitution of the Clergy. National Assembly, France.
This can be adapted depending on the specific style guide you are using for your work.
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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 complete control over the Catholic Church in France by the French government.
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy caused a schism within the French Church, resulting in an illegal underground French Catholic Church loyal to the Papacy, and a "constitutional church" that was subservient to the State. It also reduced the number of bishops and archbishops, made the clergy paid employees of the government, and required all members of the clergy to swear an oath of loyalty to the nation.
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was created to reorganise and regulate the Catholic Church in France, eliminate corruption and abuses in the church, and limit the church's political influence. It was also a response to the French government's bankruptcy in 1790, with the Church owning about six percent of the land in France and collecting tithes.
