French Reformed Churches in the Sixteenth Century

Abstract

As Reformed Protestantism gathered strength in mid-sixteenth century France, its followers developed robust ecclesiastical institutional structures. The principal forms were the local church and its consistory, regional colloquies, and provincial and national synods. The Reformed Churches of France consistently employed the plural, viewing themselves as a federation centered on the local church and its consistory. The sheer size of the kingdom pushed Protestants to create a synodal structure to orchestrate unity and uniformity among the many individual churches. This consistorial-synodal system vested considerable authority and independence in the separate churches and their consistories, while maintaining a sophisticated synodal organization. The consistory was an ecclesiastical council whose membership included pastors, elders, and deacons. Its most striking charge centered on the regulation of public behavior and the reform of communal life. It sought to reduce strife among the faithful, regulate sexual conduct, and promote what authorities regarded as proper Christian comportment. Still, consistorial responsibilities expanded beyond the control of morals to include ecclesiastical administration, management of financial affairs, and provision of poor relief. The three ministries—pastor, elder, and deacon—had well-defined duties. The role of the pastor was to ascend to the pulpit and preach the Word. He also presided over the weekly meetings of the consistory. The elders, elected laypersons, were the moral watchdogs of the community. They reported to the consistory on whatever misbehavior had come to their attention. The consistory then summoned the suspect and following investigation decided upon the appropriate punishment. The faults ranged from blasphemy and magic to quarrels, fornication, and dancing. The deacons, also laypersons, bore responsibility for social welfare. They collected funds from the congregation and then provided assistance to the poor. The deacons furnished clothing, food, and occasionally cash to the blind, the lame, the widowed, the orphaned, impoverished travelers, refugees, and the temporarily unemployed. The other salient characteristic of the French Reformed Churches was an elaborate hierarchy of colloquies, provincial synods, and national synods. Representatives from the various churches met regularly in the regional colloquy. The churches also sent delegations to provincial synods. Deputies from the provinces gathered, in turn, at the national synod. The national synod possessed considerable legislative and judicial power. It composed a confession of faith and adopted ecclesiastical regulations. It also acted, along with the colloquies and provincial synods, as a board of appeal for the resolution of thorny questions and heated disagreements that local churches had failed to resolve.