Civil Constitution of the Clergy

E21763

The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a 1790 law of the French Revolution that radically reorganized the Catholic Church in France under state control, sparking deep religious and political conflict.

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Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf French revolutionary law
law
aimedAt bringing the Church under national control
integrating clergy into the new constitutional order
rationalizing ecclesiastical administration
reducing papal influence in France
appliesToJurisdiction France
country France
dateEnacted 1790-07-12
followedBy Concordat of 1801
hasConsequence long-term tension between French Catholicism and revolutionary ideals
politicization of religious identity in France
hasEffect abolition of monastic vows in France
alienation of many French Catholics from the Revolution
condemnation by Pope Pius VI
confiscation of church property
conflict between the French state and the papacy
deep division between juring and non-juring clergy
election of bishops and parish priests
redefinition of diocesan boundaries to match administrative departments
religious civil war in parts of France
reorganization of dioceses
reorganization of the Catholic Church in France
requirement of loyalty oath from clergy
rise of refractory clergy
secularization of church lands
state control of the Catholic Church in France
subordination of clergy salaries to the state
suppression of many religious orders
historicalPeriod late 18th century
language French
legalArea church–state relations
constitutional law
ecclesiastical law
legalStatus constitutional law of revolutionary France
legislativeBody National Constituent Assembly
opposedBy Pope Pius VI
many French bishops
refractory clergy
partOf French Revolution
placeOfOrigin Paris
relatedTo French Constitution of 1791
surface form: Constitution of 1791

French Revolutionary Wars
Vendée uprising
nationalization of church property
religiousContext Roman Catholicism
surface form: Catholic Church
repealedBy Concordat of 1801
supportedBy revolutionary legislators
yearEnacted 1790

Referenced by (5)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

French Royalists opposed Civil Constitution of the Clergy
French Constitution of 1791 regulatedReligionBy Civil Constitution of the Clergy
this entity surface form: Civil Constitution of the Clergy (already adopted, integrated in framework)
French First Republic religiousPolicy Civil Constitution of the Clergy
this entity surface form: Civil Constitution of the Clergy (continuation of its effects)
French Revolution religiousPolicy Civil Constitution of the Clergy
National Constituent Assembly religiousPolicy Civil Constitution of the Clergy