A complex period
The attitude of Protestantism towards the events in public life over these past decades should be approached with caution. The history of former centuries has been written and that of the first half of the 20th century is known, but that of the years after World War II is still being debated, even though it has been extensively studied. Despite the complex aspects of this period, some trends can be discerned.
The sociology of French Protestantism shows the continuity of the ‘historical’ Protestantism of the Reformed and Lutheran Churches. But a number of evangelical trends also appeared, some finding a place in the French Protestant Federation, and others not.
Studies on Protestant voting have shown a wide range of political attitudes as witnessed by the internal debates on a number of important events in the second half of the 20th century, such as decolonisation, attitudes towards the Second Vatican Council, the events of May 1968, and deregulation of economic trade.
Confronted by these many changes, some chose a pragmatic approach, others the critical approach of contentious Protestantism, sometimes arguably called “leftist” Protestantism in the 1960s ; which has progressively faded.
During the last part of the century in which ecumenism and the Second Vatican Council, have been major events, the influence of Protestantism has changed. The old idea of the protestantisation of France became fashionable again, but actually illustrated the perfect integration of Protestants in French society.
- BAUBÉROT Jean, Le protestantisme doit-il mourir ?, Le Seuil, Paris, 1988
- BAUBÉROT Jean, Le retour des huguenots ; la vitalité protestante, XIXème-XXème siècle, Éditions du Cerf - Labor et Fides, Paris-Genève, 1985
- CABANEL Patrick, Les Protestants et la République, Éditions Complexes, Bruxelles, 2000, p. 270
- FABRE Rémi, Les protestants en France depuis 1789, La Découverte, Paris, 1999
- WOLFF Philippe (dir.), Les protestants en France, 1800-2000, Privat, Toulouse, 2001
The Protestant vote
Studies of the Protestant vote show that the political standpoint of Protestantism so clearly to the left at the end of the 19th century with the struggle for a secular society, persisted but was decreasing. Protestantism would mainly be conspicuous for its fight for modernity.
The protestantisation of France ?
The last part of the 20th century saw the influence of Protestantism changing. If the old idea of a protestantisation of France was once again fashionable, it illustrated the perfect integration of Protestants in French society.
The Sociology of Protestantism
The sociology of Protestantism shows the “historical” continuity of Protestantism in the Reformed Church and the Lutheran Church, and the development of Evangelical churches.
French Protestantism took part in the great debates of the second half of the 20th century. The controversial position of some Protestants in the 1960s was exemplified by the fight for an end to colonisation and the criticism of contemporary society.
Protestantism in 17th century
After the edict of Nantes and especially after the treaty of Alès, the protestant nobility declined in number. To a large extent, middle class businessmen replaced them as leaders of the reformed Churches.