Religious Renewal in France, 1789-1870

This book provides a study of the manner in which the Roman Catholic Church in Franceresponded to successive revolutions between 1789 and 1870 as well as to the cultural upheavalassociated with accelerating socio-economic change. It focuses on the Church as aninstitution engaged in a dynamic process of (re)Christianization and determined, as the onlyrepository of the true faith of Jesus Christ, to fortify belief , and to combat the 'Satanic' forcesof 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-setsof its bishops, parish clergy, and the members of religious orders, of its hierarchical structuresand internal discipline, and of the need to compensate for the losses suffered during a periodof revolutionary upheaval, provides the basis for an exploration of its evolving doctrine(s) andsense of purpose; for an assessment of the pastoral care provided to parish communities; and ofthe leadership and moral qualities of the clergy; before final consideration of the reception ofthe religious message(s).