Colleen Lima on the Strong Presence of Religion despite Secularism in France
By: Colleen Lima
February 20, 2009
« Bon
la laïcité en France est une sujet très intéressant et controverse, Colleen, mais cest un bon et courageux choix, nous avons beaucoup pour discuter maintenant»
Translation: "Good , secularism in France is a very interesting and controversial topic, Colleen , a very courageous choice, now we have a lot to discuss ."
Translation: "Good , secularism in France is a very interesting and controversial topic, Colleen , a very courageous choice, now we have a lot to discuss ."
That's what my professor said to me after my first exposé (presentation) here in France. My assignment was to find two articles on the same subject from two opposing newspapers and to discuss how both articles presented the subject, comment on the biases, etc. And what did I do my presentation on? Secularism (laicité) in France, of course
I really had no idea what I was getting myself into!
It was a few days after Pope Benedict XVI had removed the excommunications of four schismatic bishops who were ordained by Monsignor Lefebvre, two of which are French, and the most famous of the four being a British bishop, Richard Williamson, who had recently stated that he did not believe in the existence of gas chambers during the Holocaust. Therefore, it is no surprise that the removal of these excommunications was an act that was not accepted quietly in France.
Today, there about 200,000 Catholics around the world who identify themselves as either integristes (fundamentalists) or traditionalists, and in France there are 35,000 and 45,000 respectively. Thus, as was made clear by the two newspaper articles, the French felt strongly about Pope Benedict XVI's decision. For example, there are more liberal Catholics, like my host mother, were absolutely outraged that these schismatic bishops were accepted back into the Church by Pope Benedict XVI. When I brought the subject to my host mother, she said something along the lines of, "I cannot believe it, you know, this Benedict XVI is just too conservative, the Catholic Church is now taking steps backwards instead of moving forward ."
On the other hand, there are some of the more conservative French Catholics who were pleased with the Pope's decision to accept these four bishops back into the Catholic community. In fact, Christine Boutin, the minister of housing and the president of the Forum of Social Republicans, said that she thought the pope's decision was a good one because it would unify the Church in a time of hardship and struggle against many opposing forces, such as secularism and the threat of Islam. The tension between Christianity and Islam in France is always an issue of contention, so I wasn't really that surprised that many feel that way. However, what I did find to be very shocking was that Christine Boutin, a public and political figure, was quoted in a newspaper speaking about her personal religious views. I thought to myself, "France is a strongly secular society —separation of church and state, private vs. public —how is this even happening?" That was a question I continued to struggle with even after my presentation was done and over with! Over the course of the next few weeks, I slowly made my way towards the answer.
In all of the French classes I took in the United States, there was always a great focus placed on laicité (secularism), so I came to France expecting to find a distinct separation between Church and state, public and private —but that is not necessarily the case. The divided response to the Pope's decision to accept these schismatic bishops back into the Catholic Church, along with my professors reaction to my exposé, revealed a lot to me about French culture and the strong role that religion still has in a secular country.
What I've learned in just a few weeks here in France is that in a way, culture is always more important than the law. It's illegal to smoke in restaurants and cafés, but the French still continue to do so because it's a part of their culture. There is supposed to be a fine line distinction between Church and state, public and private, but evidently, the Catholic identity that has been a part of French culture for hundreds of thousands of years, is always strongly expressed and remains of great importance in French society. To the French, religion is much more than faith, it encompasses centuries of history and culture. Secular state or not, religion still has a strong presence in French culture and society.
Until next time!
Au revoir,
Colleen
It was a few days after Pope Benedict XVI had removed the excommunications of four schismatic bishops who were ordained by Monsignor Lefebvre, two of which are French, and the most famous of the four being a British bishop, Richard Williamson, who had recently stated that he did not believe in the existence of gas chambers during the Holocaust. Therefore, it is no surprise that the removal of these excommunications was an act that was not accepted quietly in France.
Today, there about 200,000 Catholics around the world who identify themselves as either integristes (fundamentalists) or traditionalists, and in France there are 35,000 and 45,000 respectively. Thus, as was made clear by the two newspaper articles, the French felt strongly about Pope Benedict XVI's decision. For example, there are more liberal Catholics, like my host mother, were absolutely outraged that these schismatic bishops were accepted back into the Church by Pope Benedict XVI. When I brought the subject to my host mother, she said something along the lines of, "I cannot believe it, you know, this Benedict XVI is just too conservative, the Catholic Church is now taking steps backwards instead of moving forward ."
On the other hand, there are some of the more conservative French Catholics who were pleased with the Pope's decision to accept these four bishops back into the Catholic community. In fact, Christine Boutin, the minister of housing and the president of the Forum of Social Republicans, said that she thought the pope's decision was a good one because it would unify the Church in a time of hardship and struggle against many opposing forces, such as secularism and the threat of Islam. The tension between Christianity and Islam in France is always an issue of contention, so I wasn't really that surprised that many feel that way. However, what I did find to be very shocking was that Christine Boutin, a public and political figure, was quoted in a newspaper speaking about her personal religious views. I thought to myself, "France is a strongly secular society —separation of church and state, private vs. public —how is this even happening?" That was a question I continued to struggle with even after my presentation was done and over with! Over the course of the next few weeks, I slowly made my way towards the answer.
In all of the French classes I took in the United States, there was always a great focus placed on laicité (secularism), so I came to France expecting to find a distinct separation between Church and state, public and private —but that is not necessarily the case. The divided response to the Pope's decision to accept these schismatic bishops back into the Catholic Church, along with my professors reaction to my exposé, revealed a lot to me about French culture and the strong role that religion still has in a secular country.
What I've learned in just a few weeks here in France is that in a way, culture is always more important than the law. It's illegal to smoke in restaurants and cafés, but the French still continue to do so because it's a part of their culture. There is supposed to be a fine line distinction between Church and state, public and private, but evidently, the Catholic identity that has been a part of French culture for hundreds of thousands of years, is always strongly expressed and remains of great importance in French society. To the French, religion is much more than faith, it encompasses centuries of history and culture. Secular state or not, religion still has a strong presence in French culture and society.
Until next time!
Au revoir,
Colleen
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