2. Church history
The church at this time period was becoming very
unpopular
Especially in France where the Roman Catholics
(clergy) were considered very wealthy, and the
clergy had 10 percent of all of Frances land
Most countries with a combined government and
religion had strong movements for government
change
3. Age of Revolution
The period from 1775 to 1848
A time of significant revolutionary movements
It was a time to conquer the kings power and make
the country a democracy
Besides the American and Haitian Revolution there
was the French Revolution, German Revolution and
Italian Revolution (Year of Revolution).
4. French Revolution
It all started when King Louis XIV brought France into debt with
the need to gain more land by war in the 17th century.
In hope to demolish the humongous debt King Louis XVI, Louis
the XV grandson, raised the taxes for the lower class people but not
the clergy or noble in 18th century.
This angered the people. At the same time, there was bad weather
so it was hard to grow crops especially wheat so the prices on
bread (the food France lived off of) sky rocketed this causing a
revolution
Some big events that happened after that was the Declaration of
Right of Man, Storming of Bastille, Women’s March to Versailles,
and Reign of Terror.
This revolution was important because it was the second country to
have a revolution and become democratic following USA. It also
let other countries know that if the French and United States of
America can do it then they can start a democratic country too.
5. German Revolution
Was also called the March Revolution in 1848
Was a series of loosely coordinated protests and
rebellions in the states of German Confederation
This also included Austrian Empire, there was 39
independent states
The reason for revolting for middle class was
political freedom, liberal states policies and
nationalism while the working class wanted
improvements to their working and living conditions
In the end the two class’s split and the conservative
aristocracy defeated it, forcing many liberals into
exile.
6. Italian Revolution
It was in 1848
Italy like Germany was split up into states
It started when King Charles Albert wanting to unite
Italy into one nation launched an attack on Austria
empire
Charles the king of Piedmont one of the four states
believed in making the country liberal
Sadly he underestimated how powerful the Austrian
army was and got defeated at the Battle of Custoza
(July 24, 1848) and was forced to make a treaty
After this happened Austria stayed in power and the
revolution was lost
7. Anti-Clericalism
What is Anti-Clericalism?
The opposition to the power and influence of
religious institutions in secular civil affairs
Most importantly, Enlightenment ideals and thoughts
brought into question the need for religion, moreover
Christianity
8. Anti-Clericalism cont.
It played an important role in developing secularism
in Europe
Secularism: . philosophy a doctrine that rejects
religion, especially in ethics
Bringing the people to avoid religious interferences;
especially in government
9. First Vatican Council
Convoked by Pope Pius the IX on June 29, 1868
Unlike the previous meetings which were held in Lateran
Basilica this was held in Vatican Basilica hence the name
Was convoked to deal with contemporary problems of the
rising influence of rationalism, liberalism, and materialism
Its purpose, besides dealing with the contemporary
problems, was to define Catholic doctrine concerning the
Christian Church
There was an approval of only two constitutions the
Dogmatic Constitution on Christian Faith and the First
Dogmatic Constitution on the Church of Christ
10. First Vatican Council Cont.
It was the 20th ecumenical council of the Roman
Catholic Church
Of the 1,050 bishops who were eligible to participate
only 700 attended
Papal Infallibility was discussed too
11. Papal Infallibility
It was a doctrine that taught the Pope is preserved
from error when he declares a dogmatic teaching on
faith
It does not state either the Pope cannot sin in his own
personal life or that he is necessarily free of error
12. The Syllabus of Errors
The Syllabus of Errors was a decree from Pope Pius
IX on December 8, 1864 that identified the errors
that were condemned by the Church
It is split into 10 sections, and there are a total of 80
prepositions, or points, in the Syllabus of Errors
The Syllabus was created with different phrases
from previous papal documents by the Pope.
It does not explain why each preposition is
condemned
However, it gives reference to where the Pope
explains why it was condemned
13. The Syllabus of Errors cont.
As previously stated, it contained 10 sections.
Those sections are:
1. Pantheism, naturalism, and absolute rationalism
(Propositions 1-7)
2. Moderate rationalism (Propositions 8-14)
3. Indifferentism, latitudinarianism (Propositions 15-
18)
4. Socialism, communism, secret societies, biblical
societies, clerico-liberal societies (This was not
marked as a proposition)
14. The Syllabus of Errors cont.
5. Errors concerning the Church and her rights
(Propositions 19-38)
6. Errors about civil society, considered both in itself and
in its relation to the Church (Propositions 39-55)
7. Errors concerning natural and Christian ethics
(Propositions 56-64)
8. Errors concerning Christian marriage (Propositions 65-
74)
9. Errors regarding the civil power of the sovereign pontiff
(Propositions 75-76)
10. Errors having reference to modern liberalism
(Propositions 77-80)
15. The Reactions to the Syllabus of Errors
From the Non-Catholics View:
For the most part, non-catholics took the Syllabus of
Errors negatively
They did not like the fact that they had to abide
by these Church laws even though they were they
were not Catholic
From the Catholics View:
There was a mixed reaction from the Catholics
Some liked it
Some need clarification on certain areas of it
Some hated it
16. Pope Leo XII: Rerum Novarum
Catholic clergy and laity had attempted to apply
Catholic teachings to problems like poverty and
injustice in the nineteenth century, a world of
industry and labor
As a papal diplomat in Belguim, future Pope Leo
XII, saw the horrible conditions of the working
people
The people were continually exploited through
capitalism and temptations from the rising powers,
such as Socialism
17. Pope Leo XII: Rerum Novarum cont.
In the Rerum Novarum Pope Leo XII defends the
workers natural rights for justice, solidarity and their
right to private property
This balance carried this Catholic social teaching
through social and economic crises of the twentieth
century, and through the rise and fall of Communism
