Oath of the Clergy
- When
- 1790–1791
- Where
- National Assembly; National Assembly debate; Papal issuance of the encyclical Charitas
- Episodes
- 3
The Oath of the Clergy refers to the November 1790 decree requiring Roman Catholic priests to swear loyalty to the French Constitution. This requirement stemmed from the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, passed in July 1790, which reorganized the Church under state control. The oath created a schism between juring and refractory clergy, with the Pope later condemning the practice.
Episodes
- Cardinal de Lomenie's Stance
Cardinal de Lomenie claimed clergy could be excused from the oath if they lacked mental assent.
- Vote for Oath Requirement
The National Assembly voted to require clergy to sign an oath of loyalty to the Constitution on 27 November 1790.
- Papal Condemnation
Pope Pius VI issued the encyclical Charitas on 13 April 1791, excommunicating clergy who took the oath.
Background and detail
Background. The Civil Constitution of the Clergy, passed on 12 July 1790, sought complete government control over the Catholic Church in France. It abolished the traditional structure, reorganized the Church as a state institution, and made bishops and priests elected. The law required clergy to swear an oath of loyalty to the State, prioritizing it over foreign influences like the Pope.
Legislative Debate. The National Constituent Assembly prepared the reorganization of the clergy in early 1790. On 27 November 1790, lacking the King's signature, the Assembly voted to require clergy to sign an oath of loyalty to the Constitution. Cardinal de Lomenie argued clergy could be excused if they lacked mental assent, a stance later rejected by the Pope.
Schism and Papal Response. The oath requirement created a schism within the French clergy, dividing them into juring priests and refractory clergy. Pope Pius VI condemned the Revolution's actions towards the Church in April 1791, excommunicating clergy who took the oath. The Holy September Martyrs, mostly non-jurors, were killed in 1792.
People involved
- National Constituent Assembly · Legislative body that passed the Civil Constitution and the oath requirement
- Pope Pius VI · Head of the Catholic Church who condemned the oath and excommunicated juring clergy
- Cardinal de Lomenie · Figure who argued clergy could be excused from the oath if lacking mental assent
- Louis XVI · King who eventually granted public assent to the Civil Constitution in December 1790
Sources
- Refractory clergy Wikipedia, revision of 2025-09-23
- Civil Constitution of the Clergy Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-27
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.