WI: French Monarchy Restored in 1870

Francisco, most certainly. After the Revolution(s), the old Gallican doctrine has been completely forgotten by the Monarchy. France would revert to "the alliance of Throne and Altar" doctrine.

However, if France experienced some kind of Catholic Revival during the 1860's (thanks to Lourdes and Paray-le-Monial pilgrimages), one shouldn't forget that France was already more secular than other Catholic countries. Being associated with a reactionary regime would bolster laïcité and anticlericalism among the Republicans and, probably, the Moderates. I also guess the "Modernist" crisis within the Catholic Church would take place earlier. Should the Monarchy fall once again, I'm pretty sure that the secular backlash would be even more violent than in OTL ; it would be similar to Mexico after the 1910 Revolution, IMHO.
 
Francisco, most certainly. After the Revolution(s), the old Gallican doctrine has been completely forgotten by the Monarchy. France would revert to "the alliance of Throne and Altar" doctrine.

However, if France experienced some kind of Catholic Revival during the 1860's (thanks to Lourdes and Paray-le-Monial pilgrimages), one shouldn't forget that France was already more secular than other Catholic countries. Being associated with a reactionary regime would bolster laïcité and anticlericalism among the Republicans and, probably, the Moderates. I also guess the "Modernist" crisis within the Catholic Church would take place earlier. Should the Monarchy fall once again, I'm pretty sure that the secular backlash would be even more violent than in OTL ; it would be similar to Mexico after the 1910 Revolution, IMHO.
Well, there was also that Catholic Revival in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War, but I digress. A restored Monarchy would have to contend with both the old traditionalists and the existing system already set up by the Republicans. While it can make arrangements and compromises with the best offered, it would have to acknowledge that 1789 took place and that turning back the clock (in the style of the Hard Reactionaries) would only tick off both sides (one way or the other).
 
But the first laïc reforms only took place in the 1880's. The Second Republic itself was quite Catholic-friendly. This second restoration would happen when the Concordate would still apply and the educational system would not be secular.
 
But the first laïc reforms only took place in the 1880's. The Second Republic itself was quite Catholic-friendly. This second restoration would happen when the Concordate would still apply and the educational system would not be secular.

So how long do you think the One, Holy and Apostolic Catholic Church continue as the Established Church? My bet would be at least until the 70's, if not until the present day. OTOH, depending on who becomes Premier, things may turn out differently.
 
So how long do you think the One, Holy and Apostolic Catholic Church continue as the Established Church? My bet would be at least until the 70's, if not until the present day.


It's difficult to say.

Although the State in 1870 is not hostile to the Catholic Church, and even if crucial secular reforms would be butterflied away with a Second Restoration, the French people, despite the 1860-1870 religious revival, was already, for a large part, indifferent to religion, or "ritualist Catholics" at best. There are few, solid Catholic areas in France : the West, especially Britanny and Vendée (obvioulsy) ; French Flanders ; the southern and the western areas of the Massif Central ; the Western Pyrenees ; the Northern Alps and Jura and (ironically) Alsace-Lorraine. The rest of the country is mostly mildly religious, or even hostile (the Limousin). I doubt Catholicism as Established religion would be popular beyond the Catholic areas, especially if the Clergy identifies itself too much with the Monarchy (Whether Henri or Philippe would have a hard time to make French people forget that they owned their throne thanks to a military defeat and the help of the enemy. AGAIN.).

On the other hand, liberal Catholics ( an influential minority within French Catholics during the 19th century) would probably try to save the Church from a potentially lethal alliance with a conservative regime by promoting some kind of early Christian-democratic party in France. It actually could have a better position than in OTL, the moderate Republicans being tempted to secure an alliance with them against the reactionaries and the Left. Of course, it requires popes with better political skills than Pius IX and X. Should the Monarchy fall (and it's bound to happen, sooner or later, IMHO, unless the Kings support a constitutional monarchy that would apply the liberal ideas of the Revolution, including universal suffrage), the Christian-Democrats may be the only ones to defend the Church against a hard-line secularism.
 
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