The Clergy's Constitution: What It Didn't Do

The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a law passed on 12 July 1790 during the French Revolution. It was an attempt to bring the Catholic Church under state control, creating a national religion. The Civil Constitution required bishops and priests to be elected by a local or regional assembly, rather than appointed by the Vatican, and to swear an oath of loyalty to the nation. It also reduced the number of bishops from 135 to 83, with each diocese corresponding to a département. However, the Civil Constitution did not succeed in fully reforming the Church, as many clerics refused to swear the oath and the Pope condemned the Civil Constitution, resulting in a schism within the French Church.

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Did not abolish the Catholic Church

The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a law passed on 12 July 1790 during the French Revolution. It sought to bring the Catholic Church under the control of the French government and to create a national religion. However, it did not abolish the Catholic Church.

The Constitution caused a schism within the French Church, 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 main features of the Civil Constitution of the Clergy included reducing the number of bishops from 135 to 83, having each diocese correspond to a département, having enfranchised citizens elect bishops and parish priests, and having the state pay the clergy's wages. Bishops and priests were to be elected by a local or regional assembly, not appointed by the Vatican, and controversially, the electors in clerical elections did not have to be Catholic.

The Civil Constitution also required bishops and priests 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 oath was very controversial, as many priests believed they could not put their loyalty towards France before their loyalty towards God. Refusal to take the oath signalled a rejection of the Constitution and the legitimacy of the French government.

The Pope, Pius VI, condemned the Civil Constitution in 1791, and called on all clergy to renounce their oaths. This hardened opposition among the local clergy, and many clerics who had previously equivocated about taking the oath now refused to do so. The schism created by the Civil Constitution in French society was significant, and in rural areas, people saw the imposition of priests as further evidence of an overly centralised government that had no interest in life outside of Paris.

Did not remove the Pope's authority

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 control of the French government. The Constitution created a schism within the French Church, resulting in an illegal underground Catholic Church loyal to the Papacy, and a "constitutional church" subservient to the State.

The Civil Constitution of the Clergy did not remove the Pope's authority in that it did not abolish the Catholic Church in France. Instead, it attempted to align the church with the revolution and create a national religion. However, the Pope, Pius VI, was pressured into condemning the revolution and the Civil Constitution. In March 1791, he issued a scathing condemnation of the Constitution, claiming that Louis XVI had only signed it under duress.

The Civil Constitution of the Clergy included a clause that required the clergy to take an oath of allegiance to France. This oath was controversial because it required priests to declare whether they believed the French state or the Pope had supreme authority in ecclesiastical matters. Refusal to take the oath signalled a rejection of the Constitution and the French government. However, approximately half of those required to take the oath refused, awaiting the Pope's decision on how to respond.

The Pope's condemnation of the Civil Constitution and the refusal of many priests to take the oath meant that the Pope retained some authority over the French clergy. The church in France was split between "nonjurors" (refractory priests) and "jurors" (constitutional priests). The Pope's opposition to the Civil Constitution and the resulting schism within the French Church gave reactionaries fresh grounds to attack the National Constituent Assembly.

The Civil Constitution of the Clergy reduced the Pope's authority over the appointment of clergy to the right to be informed of election results. Bishops and priests were to be elected locally, not appointed by the Vatican, and there was no requirement for electors to be Catholic. This was a significant reduction in the Pope's authority, but it did not entirely remove his ability to influence the appointment of clergy in France.

Did not remove the need for bishops

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 control of the French government. It caused a schism within the French Church, resulting in an illegal underground Catholic Church loyal to the Papacy, and a "constitutional church" subservient to the State.

The Civil Constitution reduced the number of bishops from 135 to 83, with one bishop per department. Bishops were required to live permanently within their diocese, and could not be absent from their diocese for more than two weeks consecutively during the year, except in cases of necessity and with the consent of the department directory. This was a significant change from pre-revolutionary France, where many bishops preferred the liveliness of Paris or other locations to their own diocese.

The Constitution also required bishops 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 oath was controversial, as it was seen as putting temporal concerns before loyalty to God. Bishops were also required to swear to guard with care the faithful of their diocese and to support the constitution with all their power.

While the Civil Constitution of the Clergy reduced the number of bishops and imposed new requirements on them, it did not remove the need for bishops altogether. The Constitution envisioned a continued role for bishops within the French Church, albeit with reduced numbers and increased loyalty to the state. The need for bishops, albeit a reduced number, remained a feature of the French Church during this period, even as the schism caused by the Civil Constitution of the Clergy created two separate Catholic churches in revolutionary France.

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Did not remove the need for priests

The Civil Constitution of the Clergy, passed on 12 July 1790, was a law that attempted to bring the Catholic Church in France under the control of the French government. It caused a schism within the French Church, resulting in an illegal underground church loyal to the Papacy, and a "constitutional church" subservient to the State. This schism was not fully resolved until 1801.

The Civil Constitution of the Clergy did not remove the need for priests, but rather reorganised the clergy and changed the way they were appointed. The number of bishops was reduced from 135 to 83, with each diocese corresponding to a département. Bishops and priests were to be elected by enfranchised citizens, rather than appointed by the Vatican. This was a significant change, as it meant that electors in clerical elections did not have to be Catholic.

The Constitution also required bishops and priests 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 oath was very controversial, as many priests believed they could not put their loyalty towards France before their loyalty towards God. Those who refused to take the oath were dubbed 'non-juring' or 'refractory priests', and were removed from their posts. Those who took the oath became known as 'juring priests' or the 'constitutional clergy'.

The Civil Constitution of the Clergy also included provisions for the salary of bishops, parish priests, and curates, stating that they would perform their functions gratis in view of the salary assured to them by the constitution. It also included strict residency requirements for clergy, stating that bishops, parish priests, and curates must live continuously in the place where they discharge their duties, and could not be absent for more than two weeks per year without permission.

Did not remove the need for an oath of loyalty

The Civil Constitution of the Clergy, passed on 12 July 1790 during the French Revolution, was an attempt to exert control over the Catholic Church in France by the French government. It caused a schism within the French Church, creating an illegal underground French Catholic Church loyal to the Papacy, and a "constitutional church" subservient to the State.

The Civil Constitution of the Clergy did not remove the need for an oath of loyalty. In fact, it required an oath of allegiance to France, which was very controversial. The oath, also known as the "oath of fidelity", required priests in France to publicly declare whether their loyalty lay with the French state or the Pope in ecclesiastical matters. This put clerics in a difficult position, as many believed they could not put their loyalty towards France before their loyalty towards God.

Refusal to take the oath signalled a rejection of the Constitution and the French government, which at the time, still included the King. This was a serious dilemma for priests, who risked losing their parishes if they did not take the oath. On 16 January 1791, approximately half of those required to take the oath did so, with the rest awaiting the Pope's decision on how to respond. Ultimately, only about 54% ever took the oath, with the Pope calling on all clergy to renounce their oaths. This created a deep schism in French society, with many devout Catholics turning against the Revolution.

The Civil Constitution also required bishops to swear an oath of loyalty, which was not a new concept. Since the reign of Louis XIV, newly consecrated bishops had sworn an oath of loyalty to the king. However, under the Civil Constitution, bishops were required to swear "loyalty to the nation, the law and the king" and "to support with all his power the constitution decreed by the National Assembly". This oath was to be taken in the presence of municipal officers, the people, and the clergy before a bishop could begin his duties.

The need for an oath of loyalty was a significant aspect of the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, and its inclusion contributed to the schism within the French Church and the opposition faced by the Constitution.

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