La réception des brefs pontificaux par les évêques-députés à l'Assemblée nationale (1789-1791)

The French Church was profoundly shaken by the numerous reforms adopted by the National Assembly, particularly the Civil Constitution of Clergy. The hierarchical organisation of the Catholic Church asks questions about the nature and origin of words of authority. Where did authoritative speech ­come from, with regard to religious issues, from 1789-1791? Is it not the case that it was plural, nourished by episcopal and pontifical, even royal, words?