A Critical Evaluation on Religious Congregations in Post-French Revolutionary Era

Abstract

Catholic Church was known as the Gallican Church then. On the eve of the French Revolution the churches were closed down and the religious orders were disbanded by suppressing religious freedom. The intellectuals of the Enlightenment movement were critical about the close relationship between the Church and the state and the influence of the Church on matters of state. Consequently, The National Assembly of France passed a decree that placed all Church property at the disposition of the nation. In delimiting this research topic, I have selected four religious congregations of post French Revolution. They are the congregations of The Oblates of Mary Immaculate, The Holy Family Sisters of Bordeaux, The Marist Brothers and The Sisters of Good Shepherd. This research focuses a critical evaluation on the impact of the French Revolution on these four congregations. In this critical study I intend to identify the uniqueness of these four congregations in fulfilling the missionary service for the post French Revolutionary society. As for my methodology of this research I intend to use the method of historical criticism for a critical evaluation on the impact of the French Revolution on these four religious congregations