Revolutionary Consensus Unravels – The Aftermath of Church Reforms. In this reading: Recapping – The Reforms of the Church Recapping ‐ The King’s Flight to Varennes The formation of political clubs Massacre at Champ de Mars a gang of godless men determined to decimate it. By July 1790, just one year after the Fall of Don’t forget, that many were clergy. However, the Bastille, the revolution seemed to be making some were freethinkers with enlightened good progress. In this hopeful atmosphere, the opinions on religion, others wanted France to revolutionaries proceeded to another reform that have a free and independent Church. All were most people agreed was absolutely necessary – politically inexperienced. They made some the reform of the Church. This would prove to be dangerous assumptions – chiefly that the the revolution’s undoing. administration of the It is important to understand that ecclesiastical reform was not initially a destructive attack by a revolutionary government upon the Church. The French Revolution did not set out to destroy the Figure 1 Attack on the Church – revolutionaries church and in no way was it an entrenched taking fat members of the clergy and putting them enemy of the revolution. It was however a part of through the press to make them more trim and the corporate society of the Old Regime, and one efficient. of the most extreme examples of unfair privilege. Many clergy had admitted that the church needed reforms in their Books of Grievances. In June 1789, they left their order and crossed the floor of the Estates-General to join with the Third Church - how and who operates it, was not a Estate. The church were a key part of the spiritual matter. They firmly and genuinely reformist thought leading to the revolution. believed that the administration of the Church in France was the business of the French For some time, it was common to characterise the government; at the very most, they might inform men who conducted the reforms of the church as 2017 Page 1 the Pope of reforms, but only as a polite A brief Introduction to the Pope for formality. dummies ( this isn’t an insult!) The Civil Constitution of the Clergy - The Pope is the Bishop of Rome and the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church.[3] In the Catholic JULY Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint The first upset occurred in May 1790 when Peter, the Apostle. The office of the pope is known as French bishops suggested that if church reforms the papacy. The pope is also head of state of Vatican were to be made, a special church committee – City,[4] a sovereign city-state entirely enclaved within National council of the Church, should be able to the city of Rome. advise the NCA. The Assembly refused bluntly The papacy is one of the most enduring institutions in because this council was suggestive of the Old the world and had a prominent part in human Regime, when the church was a privileged order. history.[5] The Popes in ancient times helped in the If the Assembly was the nation, it had the right to spread of Christianity and resolve various doctrinal proceed to reform on its own accord. disputes.[6] In the Middle Ages they played a role of secular importance in Western Europe, often serving What were the reforms? as referees between the monarchs and averting several The state guaranteed generous salaries for wars. Popes issued ordinances, signed treaties, all clergy (1200 for parish priests) commanded armies, and even had a few dissidents beheaded. Today's Swiss Guards represent the Rationalisation of church organisations – vestigial remains of the papal military. Currently, in 83 bishops for the 83 departments addition to the expansion of the Christian faith and doctrine, the popes are dedicated to ecumenism and Religious posts without care of a interreligious dialogue, charitable work, and the congregation (pluralism) abolished defence of human rights.[10][11] Priests had to live among their community and administer to their needs. The Clergy’s response – October/November 1790 Two new measures however (issued July) proved By 30th October, opponents had found their voice. alarming. The first was that the appointment of Opponents to the Civil Constitution o f the clergy clergy was democratised; everyone from a bishop were branded as unpatriotic. Thirty bishops in down to a priest was now elected by meetings of the Assembly published a document – Explanation citizens. The clergy had no say over appointment of Principles, to justify their stand. The document and promotion: it was in the hands of citizens stated, quite reasonably, that significant changes who did not necessarily understand the Church, should be made after consultation with the Pope some of whom might be Protestants or Jews. The or an assembly of the Church. The bishops were second was the governments bullish attitude to not alone. In some departments, people went the spiritual head of the church. Although it ahead and elected their bishops, in other areas acknowledged the role of the Pope, it forbade local bishops were sacked for mounting criticisms French citizens from having any contact at all of the reforms. In the town of Nantes, all 104 with foreign church representatives. It also priests refused the reforms, and the department deprived the Pope of the power to appoint stopped their salaries. archbishops and bishops. 2017 Page 2 The Clerical Oath, November 1790 The Papal Bulls The deputies, accustomed to general acclaim for From there, the situation became rapidly worse. their reforms, were bewildered. After two days On 10th March 1791, the Pope sent a private letter of feverish and bitter debate, they asserted their to the bishops who had refused, expressing his authority, requiring all priests to take an oath of opposition to the Civil Constitution of the Clergy. loyalty to the constitution. Since priests were On 13th April, the Pope urged all clergy to refuse now civil servants, they should assert some the oath, or if they had taken it, to deny it. The loyalty to the government that employed them. issue now became one of spiritual obedience. Tactically, the Assembly believed there would be Another 10% of clergy retracted the oath, little resistance. This strong-arm tactic was becoming enemies of the revolution. disastrous. It ignored the fact that many priests regarded this as a matter of conscience, no matter Louis’ dilemma what the price. More important, by forcing them There was another ominous development. The to take this oath, it forced them to accept or refuse King had sanctioned the CCC and the oath. He the revolution as a whole. Unwittingly, the had, however, been profoundly troubled by their assembly had created a large group of counter- implications, and had only agreed because the revolutionaries, where none had existed. French bishops had advised him to. He still considered himself a devout Christian, and The King tentatively sanctioned this decree on acknowledged the Pope’s spiritual authority. 26th December, 1790. The situation was now very When he learnt his own priest had taken the oath, acute: every priest in France was put in the he refused to see him again. He went instead to a position of having to make a final decision to refractory priest, sparking doubt as to whether he comply by January 4 1791. The Assembly was genuinely on the side of the revolution. thought that few would dare to refuse; if the When the royal family attempted to take their priests were not afraid of losing their salaries, usual Easter holidays at Saint Cloud, their they would at least be afraid of popular opinion. carriage was surrounded by a huge crowd who The oath taking began in the Assembly, where the discovered he had been taking communion from first oath was taken by Abbe Gregoire. But then a refractory. Louis was forced to retreat back into proceedings stalled. Only 44 bishops and 109 the Palace. He realised he truly was a prisoner of priests took the oath. By January and February this Godless capital. Since he could not safely co- 1791, the situation was becoming toxic. The exist with it, he would have to leave it all priests who refused to take the oath were quickly together. branded as refractory clergy. These refractories rapidly became the targets for intimidation from the revolutionary crowds. In Paris, market The King’s Flight to Varennes women publically caned a whole convent of nuns. Lafayette and his National Guards spent Making things tougher for Louis was the fact that much of the spring of 1791, rushing around Paris, Marie Antoinette was incessant in her demands dispersing anti-clerical demonstrations. Across for action against all the conspiring ‘tramps’ France as a whole, it was clear that the Assembly (National Assembly), and for her husband to was facing a disastrous backlash. The average protect her and her children. Furthermore, rate of refusal was a massive 50% of the clergy as Mirabeau died. Despite all, Mirabeau, the voice a whole. of the Third Estate, was a monarchien who had been keeping Louis informed of events in the new 2017 Page 3 society. After his death, it was discovered that he much to contemplate. The country came to be had been plotting on behalf of the King. divided between those who wanted Louis tried Ministers, including Calonne, urged the King to and executed and those who sought to save him. make a dash toward Belgium, gather Austrian He could no longer be trusted, for he betrayed his troops and crush the revolution. They bargained own people. Said the Historian Matthews; ‘The that if he could just reach Austria, his brother in failure of the escape proved a major turning law, Emperor Leopold 11 and other European point.