La profession ecclésiastique en droit français
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Paris 2Disciplines:
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Abstract EN:
French law has sanctioned the notion of ecclesiastical profession,in conjunction with acts of hiring and with corporations. The epistemological interest of this juridical phenomenon derives form the questions which it raises and the method followed in answering them. Since 1922, the legal authority of the"cour de cassation" (supreme court of appeal) has in effect qualified in terme of profession the place rented to the minister of worship for the exercise of his function;it has moreover admitted the legality of corporations constitued among ecclesiastics by reason of their religious activity. Finally a law of 1948 had subjected the catholic clergy to the old-age insurance of the liberal profession; in abrogating these dispositions,however,a text has considered that the ministry of catholic worship does not constitute a profession,as far as social legislation is concerned. Meanwhile, the condition of protestant pastors,who receive a salary-the of rabbis and of the officers of the salvation army-has rendered topical again the problem,posed since 1912,by the hypothesis of a hire-service obtaining between a church and its ministers. The thesis is primarily concerned with the dogmatic content of the texts and the jurisprudential practice,without however neglecting the historical foundations of the law or the sociological dimensions of the concept under consideration. The comparison between juridical solutions brings out certain analogies, but also indisputable antinomies between religious activity and its qualification as a profession. The first part describes the alternative offered by the statute of the liberal profession and the salaried condition. The second part compares the opposed data of the debate and comes t
Abstract FR:
Le droit francais a consacre la notion de profession ecclesiastique en matiere de loyer et de syndicat. L'interet epistemologique de ce phenomene juridique tient aux questions qu'il souleve et a la methode suivie pour y repondre. Depuis 1922, la jurisprudence de la cour de cassation a en effet qualifie en termes de profession le local loue au ministre du culte pour l'exercice de sa fonction ; elle a par ailleurs admis la legalite des syndicats constitues entre ecclesiastiques a raison de leur activite religieuse. Enfin une loi de 1948 avait assujetti le clerge catholique a l'assurance-vieillesse des professions liberales;mais en abrogeant ces dispositions un texte a considere que le ministere du culte catholique ne constitue pas une profession au regard de la legislation sociale. Or, entre temps, la condition salariale des pasteurs protestants -puis des rabbins et des officiers de l'armee du salut-a renouvele l'actualite du probleme pose, depuis 1912, par l'hypothese d'un louage de service entre une eglise et ses ministres. La these porte avant tout sur le contenu dogmatique des textes et de la jurisprudence;elle ne neglige pas pour autant l'enracineconsidere. La comparaison des solutions juridiques fait ressortir certaines analogies,mais aussi d'incontestables antinomies entre l'activite religieuse et sa qualification professionnelle. Une premiere partie decrit l'alternative offerte par le statut de la profession liberale et par la condition salariale. L'autre partie confronte les donnees antagonistes du debat et conclut a la specificite du culte, irreductible a un metier.