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Jun 7, 2024 18 tweets 7 min read Read on X
The French Revolution was perhaps the greatest tragedy in history.

It ushered in an era of:

-violence
-class warfare
-authoritarianism

But France’s faith suffered the most—thousands of priests were executed or exiled as a new atheistic religion was thrust onto the people…🧵 Image
Before the revolution, France and Catholicism were inseparable.

France was called the “eldest daughter of the Church” since Frankish king Clovis I accepted the Catholic faith in the early 6th century. Image
In the 18th century, the vast majority of the population were Catholic, and it was the only religion officially allowed in the kingdom.

The church influenced all aspects of French life—hospitals, education, and birth/death records were controlled by the Church. Image
But the Church became a central target of the French Revolution in 1789.

The monarchy owed its legitimacy to the Church, so by destabilizing the Church, revolutionaries were able to pull out the rug from under the monarchy—the two went hand in hand. Image
Initially, as outlined in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen of 1789, revolutionaries sought a libertarian approach to religion:

“No one may be disturbed for his opinions, even religious ones, provided that their manifestation does not trouble the public order...” Image
Anti-Catholic sentiment intensified though, and the National Constituent Assembly, France’s acting government, ordered the seizure of properties and land held by the Catholic Church, selling them to fund the new revolutionary currency. Image
And later the assembly passed the "Civil Constitution of the Clergy," a law that subordinated the Catholic Church in France to the secular government.

Though it was rejected by the pope, it divided the clergy into jurors, who accepted the law, and non-jurors, who rejected it. Image
Non-juring priests were viewed as counter-revolutionaries, and were sentenced to death on sight.

Hundreds of Catholic priests were executed while thousands more were banished from the country. Faithful Catholics that remained were left without leadership or the sacraments. Image
Eventually anti-Catholic sentiment gave way to a frenzied anti-Christian sensationalism.

Crosses, church bells, statues, and iconography were destroyed in an attempt to secularize society. Image
Under the leadership of figures like Joseph Fouché, revolutionaries removed crosses from graveyards and declared that all cemeteries must bear only one inscription:

“Death is an eternal sleep.” Image
Instead of Christianity, revolutionary leaders thrusted a new, atheistic religion on the French people: the Cult of Reason.

Though hard to pin down, it centered around the core principles of Reason, Liberty, Nature, and the revolutionary spirit. Image
Promoted by Antoine-François Momoro, it was an assortment of various ideas based on materialist philosophy.

In practice, it was little more than an avenue for the state to promote anticlericalism and wealth confiscation. Image
The Cult of Reason even had its own places of worship—the churches of France were converted into modern “Temples of Reason,” where Christian altars were dismantled and transformed into altars to Liberty.

And ceremonies were held to celebrate the new religion… Image
The largest ceremony was held at Notre Dame in Paris. The inscription "To Philosophy" was carved over the cathedral's doors, and girls dressed in white danced around a costumed “Goddess of Reason,” who was played by Momoro’s wife.

She was said to have dressed “provocatively.” Image
The Cult of Reason was later supplanted by another state-imposed religion, the Cult of the Supreme being, but these were both ultimately banned by Napoleon.

Napoleon allowed the Church back into France in 1801, but the damage the revolution caused to the Faith was incalculable Image
The removal of the Catholic Church completely transformed French society, from the dissolution of the monarchy to the restructuring of basic institutions like education and administrative government. Image
Though not as stark as during the French Revolution, the same materialist principles dominate mainstream thought in Western countries today just as faith is being discarded.

Will the West undergo the same restructuring that France went through when it abandoned its faith? Image
If you enjoyed this thread and would like to join the mission of promoting western tradition, kindly repost the first post (linked below) and consider following: @thinkingwest

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More from @thinkingwest

Oct 6
The design of a cathedral is theologically based and instructive in the faith. Though beautiful, its construction is not arbitrary — it wasn’t arranged simply to look pretty.

The layout, artwork, statues, and stained glass windows all serve an edifying purpose🧵 Image
The plan of a cathedral is cruciform in shape and is usually oriented eastward—ad orientum. Worshippers face the rising sun, a daily reminder of Christ’s resurrection.

The north and south transepts or “arms” represent Christ’s right and left hands on the cross. Image
The entrance at the West end corresponds with His feet; one enters at the foot of the cross and proceeds upward as they approach the altar.

The layout is divided into three parts: the narthex/vestibule for catechumens, the nave for laymen, and the sanctuary for clergy. Image
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Oct 3
The Holy Roman Empire lasted ~1000 years, and it looked like this:

How did such a fractured political entity last so long?

It has to do with a concept called “subsidiarity”, and it holds the key to implementing responsible government today 🧵 (thread) Image
Voltaire famously derided the Holy Roman Empire (HRE) as “neither Holy, nor Roman, nor an Empire”, but what couldn't be denied was its longevity.

Existing from 800-1806, it was birthed before William the Conqueror invaded England and continued on after the American Revolution. Image
Image
It’s considered one of the longest lasting empires in history, a feat of particular intrigue when one considers its central geographical location and lack of natural defensible borders.
Read 25 tweets
Sep 28
Early Christians had a complete Bible by the 4th century—but that’s not the only thing they were reading to deepen their faith.

Here’s what books the early Church read besides the Bible🧵 Image
1. The Didache, Anonymous, 1st cent.

The Didache is a brief discourse that contains moral and ritualistic teachings—a handbook for a Christian life.

It’s speculated the apostles wrote it, and contains the formulas for baptism and eucharist that are still used today. Image
2. The Shepherd of Hermas, Hermas, 2nd cent.

St. Iranaeus considered it to be canonical scripture. Though it missed the cut, it’s a fascinating work that centers around the life of a former slave who's given mystical visions and parables informing him how to live a faithful life Image
Read 11 tweets
Sep 22
Historian Will Durant was not a religious man, but he believed faith was "indispensable" to a culture.

He delivered a dire warning to societies who traded faith for comfort…🧵 (thread) Image
Will Durant was a 20th-century American historian and philosopher most known for his 11-volume “Story of Civilization,” telling the history of both eastern and western civilizations.

His work led him to conclude that all cultures follow a predictable pattern… Image
Civilizations first begin with religious fervor, giving a nation strength to overcome great difficulty.

It’s their faith in a higher power that allows them to bear the initial “growth pains” that precede prosperity. Image
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Sep 20
Kenneth Clark lamented that civilization was a fragile thing.

He observed three “enemies” that could topple even the mightiest cultures.

What are they, and how can we prevent them?🧵 Image
The first enemy is fear:

“fear of war, fear of invasion, fear of plague and famine, that make it simply not worthwhile constructing things, or planting trees or even planning next year’s crops. And fear of the supernatural, which means that you daren’t question anything.” Image
Fear paralyzes a people and stifles adventure, invention, and grand building projects.

Fear leads to stagnation. Image
Read 15 tweets
Sep 8
Machiavelli promoted a *realistic* approach to governance.

It didn’t always involve being nice.

His work "The Prince" is packed with hard hitting truths for rulers — but there’s one lesson that modern leaders MUST pay attention to, or risk losing everything…🧵 Image
Niccolò Machiavelli was a 15-16th century Florentine diplomat, philosopher, and author who’s best known for his political masterpiece “The Prince”.

Often called the father of modern political philosophy, he wrote the book as a guide for potential rulers. Image
The Prince is a practical work, covering topics like: the ideal qualities of a prince; military counsel; and how a prince should manage his state.

For example, Machiavelli proposes that two institutions are integral to a ruler’s legitimacy… Image
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