Church Flashcards
1
Q
Nationalisation of Church Property
A
- Nov 2 1789; The National [Constituent] Assembly nationalises all church lands; goal to write constitution
- Talleyrand, Bishop of Autun, was one of the few clergy members to support the move
- Marked the beginning of the targeting of Church and religion in France
- Dec 19 1789; The NCA begins selling church lands
- Released 400 million ‘assignats’ (a paper bond backed by the land sales); generate income
2
Q
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy
A
- 12 July 1790
- Founded on equality and liberty
- Aim; reorganise the administrative side of the Church; 83 parishes
- Acknowledged the pope as the spiritual leader of the Church; stated that was where the Pope’s authority ended
- The NCA refused to consult church members on the CCoC
- 1 bishop per parish; dissolved pluralism
- All Church positions were to be decided democratically (active citizens would vote)
- Early significance; angered many members of the Clergy, angered the Church in Rome, matched ideas of equality and liberty
- On average, 50% of the clergy refused to take the Clerical Oath (by November 1790)
- ‘Refusal to take the oath was the first sign of popular resistance to the Revolution’ (Furet); challenged a counter-revolutionary movement, challenged security of revolution
3
Q
Papal Bulls
A
- 13 April 1791
- Pope Pius was critical of the rev
- Helped to create both international and internal anger at the rev
- Triggered Flight to Varennes
4
Q
Noyades at Nantes
A
- Mass drowning in the river Loire
- 4000-6000 victims, many of them clergy
- “The Noyades represent one of the most gruesome episodes of the Terror.” (Hanson)
