Final answer:
The catechism of the French church seems to support the idea that French citizens should swear loyalty to the emperor, reflecting historical instances where the church collaborated and compromised with state power.
Step-by-step explanation:
The document from the official catechism of the French church appears to support the idea that citizens of France should swear their loyalty to the emperor. Historically, there was a significant power struggle between the church and the state, notably between the French monarchy and the papacy. During the investiture controversy, the practice of monarchical appointment of church officials, known as simony, was challenged by Pope Gregory VII, which demonstrated the church's effort to assert its authority over secular rulers. However, the shifting power dynamics, exemplified by the move of the papacy to Avignon under the influence of the French monarch, indicate the church's eventual compromise and interaction with the state power.
Further, the strong centralization of the French government under the monarchy, as seen with King Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu, diminished the power of other bodies like the Estates General, thus bolstering the notion that citizens' loyalty should be primarily to the monarch, signifying the centralization of state over church.
The catechism supported the submission to secular authority, specifically to the emperor's rule, aligning religious influence with national governance and endorsing the intertwining of church and state rather than advocating for the pope's absolute rule or the people's right to overthrow the government.