Civil constitution of clergy By Joseph Kane Why the constitution was passed • It was passed to change the king’s life style and the church rights. What happened to the church and its officials as a result • The church lost all of its land and also lost its independence. • The officials, bishops and priests, had to pay employees of the state. • Also they had to swear loyalty to the state. Reaction of the bishops, priests, and the pope • • • • • • The reaction was they refused to take an oath. They also had to have election of new bishops The church split into to new churches. They had the sole, stood for the state,. The refractory, sided with the papacy,. The pope and almost the entire French episcopate was accessed of seeking to subvert the church. Reaction of the peasants