This presentation highlights some of the major personages and events surrounding three centuries of violence and resistance in French Huguenot history. We begin with the Protestant Reformation in the early sixteenth century and the inability of two religious confessions to coexist peaceably. The Wars of Religion took place from 1562–1598 and ended with the Edict of Nantes in 1598 under Henry IV and his conversion to Catholicism. In the seventeenth century, Henry’s son Louis XIII began to undermine the Edict of Nantes. Henry’s grandson Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes in 1685 which led to the flight of thousands of Huguenot refugees. Huguenots in parts of the south of France (Midi) worshipped clandestinely in what became known as the “Church of the Desert.” The War of the Camisards took place in the Cévennes region from 1702–1705 as peasant warriors defended themselves against royal troops. With the Edict of Toleration in 1787 Protestants were granted civil rights, and were accorded religious freedom with the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in 1789. Napoleon Bonaparte came to power in 1799 and brought both the Catholic and Protestant confessions into the service of the state with the Concordat and Organic Articles in 1801–1802. Catholicism was no longer the state religion and the legitimacy of Protestantism was legally established.
Stephen M. Davis (PhD) is an elder at Grace Church, Philadelphia, PA (gracechurchphilly.org). He and his family lived in France for many years where he developed a love for the French language and history. He is the author of several books including two on French history: “Rise of French Laïcité” in the Evangelical Missiological Society Monograph Series and “The French Huguenots and Wars of Religion,” winner of the National Huguenot Society's 2022 Scholarly Works Award. His books, articles, and book reviews can be found on stephenmdavis.com.
This program will be presented entirely online via a link provided after registration.
$8 General Admission
$5 Discounted Admission (For HHS members, seniors, students, active military members, and veterans)
This program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.