French Protestantism and the French Revolution: Church and State, Thought and Religion, 1685-1815

A study of the Calvinist minority in France, from the time of Louis XIV to the Napoleonic era, with the main emphasis on the period of the French Revolution. Mr. Poland traces the influence and political behavior of the French Protestants, their attitudes toward the Catholic Church the religious revival of the famed “Church of the Desert,” and the effect of the Revolution on Protestant belief and behavior. Contrary to usual opinion, he reveals that the Protestants were found in almost every political camp, that they were Frenchmen first and churchmen second, and that they were not a conspiracy against the altar and throne of France.

Originally published in 1957.

The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.