This book provides a study of the manner in which the Roman Catholic Church in France responded to successive revolutions between 1789 and 1870 as well as to the cultural upheaval associated with accelerating socio-economic change. It focuses on the Church as an institution engaged in a dynamic process of (re)Christianization and determined, as the only repository of the true faith of Jesus Christ, to fortify belief , and to combat the ‘Satanic’ forces of moral corruption and revolutionary chaos and create a ‘counter society’, the société parfaite. Discussion of the Church as an institution in crisis, of the recruitment, instruction and mind-sets of its bishops, parish clergy, and the members of religious orders, of its hierarchical structures and internal discipline, and of the need to compensate for the losses suffered during a period of revolutionary upheaval, provides the basis for an exploration of its evolving doctrine(s) and sense of purpose; for an assessment of the pastoral care provided to parish communities; and of the leadership and moral qualities of the clergy; before final consideration of the reception of the religious message(s).

In this masterly study, based on the latest evidence, Nigel Aston sheds new light on a dynamic period in European history and its impact on the next 200 years of religious life in France.

This book explores the responses of the Roman Catholic Church to the French Revolution beginning in 1789, to the liberal revolution in 1830, and particularly the democratic revolution of 1848 in France, and asks how these events were perceived and explained. Informed by the collective memory of the first revolution, how did the Church react to renewed ‘catastrophe’? How did it seek to influence political choice? Why did authoritarian government prove to be so attractive? This is a study of the impact of religion on political behaviour, as well as of the politicisation of religion. Roger Price employs the methodology of the social and cultural historian to explain the development and interaction of two key institutions, Church and State, during a period of political and social upheaval. Drawing on a wide range of archival and printed primary sources, as well as secondary literature, this book analyses the diverse perceptions of people with power and the impact of their decisions, and the responses, of a wide range of individuals and communities.

This volume offers perspective on modern French society and culture through thematic chapters on topics ranging from geography to popular culture. Ideal for students and general readers, this book includes insightful, current information about France's past, present, and future. France is the country most visited by international tourists. Aside from clichéd images of baguettes and the Eiffel Tower, however, what is French society and culture really like? Modern France is organized into thematic chapters covering the full range of French history and contemporary daily life. Chapter topics include: geography; history; government and politics; economy; religion and thought; social classes and ethnicity; gender, marriage, and sexuality; education; language; etiquette; literature and drama; art and architecture; music and dance; food; leisure and sports; and media and popular culture. Each chapter contains an overview of the topic and alphabetized entries on examples of each theme. A detailed historical timeline covers prehistoric times to the presidency of Emmanuel Macron. Special appendices offer profiles of a typical day in the life of representative members of French society, a glossary, key facts and figures about France, and a holiday chart. The volume will be useful for readers looking for specific topical information and for those who want to develop an informed perspective on aspects of modern France.

Comprising five microhistories, this book proposes that the French Revolution’s religious politics in small towns weakened democratic society to such an extent that it precluded political democracy. It details two revolutionary dynamics that damaged the civic life of small towns: social polarisation and the loss of local institutions that had been a source of social capital as well as a common good. Detailed narratives about Pont-à-Mousson, Gournay-en-Bray, Vienne, Haguenau and Is-sur-Tille also reveal that contrary to the view upheld by many scholars, small-town religious politics extended far beyond the pivotal Ecclesiastical Oath of 1791. Other developments — the nationalisation of Church property, the dissolution of religious orders, and the elimination of bishoprics, chapters, parishes and collegial churches — also adversely affected the wellbeing of these small urban communities not only in the Revolution but also in the two centuries that followed.