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Author Topic: Implicit BOD  (Read 14730 times)

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Offline ByzCat3000

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Re: Implicit BOD
« Reply #90 on: September 18, 2020, 05:22:21 AM »
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  • Hey, ByzCat, I've pointed this out several times now, and yet you persist.  We are not talking about the "Feeneyite" position on EENS and ecclesiology, but rather Tridentine ecclesiology (defining the Church as a visible society) and Thomistic ecclesiology and soteriology.

    Vatican II presents a brand new ecclesiology, and the dispute over BoD is of little moment in that regard.
    Honestly, I was just using shorthands... if you can give me better shorthands to use that don't involve conceeding the argument, I'd be OK with that.  Obviously at the moment I'm not convinced that you're right about what Trent taught, else I wouldn't be advancing the argument.  I'm trying to figure out *why* all the Trad clergy seem to disagree with you about *what* Trent taught.

    I get why "feeneyite" is problematic, because technically that would also mean rejection of BOD for Catechumens, and even if you believe that, you aren't seriously arguing for it.

    I'd use "strict" EENS except there are circles that I'm in in which I'd be considered strict, just not so much on this forum.  But if it would really make the conversation go smoother I'd be willing to agree to use that term here.

    But I and others who don't take your position on what you call Tridentine ecclesiology *aren't* against EENS.  We're disagreeing on *what* EENS entails, and what that practically means for those who are not *visible members* of the Church.

    I guess another way to put it would be... we agree that the Church is a visible society, but is it *only* visible?  I mean I guess that would be your argument.  That there is *no* invisible component to the society at all.  Whereas I suspect the Trad clergy would argue that yes, the Church is a visible society, and yet it is *possible* to be an invisible member.

    There's a Dimond video (to be clear I'm referencing this to make a specific point, *not* categorizing you with Dimond) which is called "Sedevacantist priests who deny the salvation dogma" and at the end they mockingly quote some elderly independent Sede priest who says "The Church has never taught, and never will teach" that "All who are not *formal and visible* members of the Church" are damned.  And Peter Dimond mocks him and suggests he's never heard of Florence.  But of course (mind, I suppose at least in English) Florence says those who are *outside* the church are damned, whereas this priest said not all who aren't *formal and visible* members are damned, and I was just like... thats' a different thing, at least on its face.  Can we prove that its the same thing?

    I have to end this message here now, but can interact later.

    Offline Ladislaus

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    Re: Implicit BOD
    « Reply #91 on: September 18, 2020, 05:34:16 AM »
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  • Honestly, I was just using shorthands... if you can give me better shorthands to use that don't involve conceeding the argument, I'd be OK with that.  

    OK, I get that, but this particular shorthand has not been helpful to the debate.  I, and many straight (non-Dimondite) "Feeneyites" consider BoD to be something of a side issue.  What we're advocating here is Bellarminism and Trentism and Thomism ... NOT "Feeneyism".

    What we're talking about is a different ECCLESIOLOGY.  Trent emphatically taught that the Church is a visible society whose members are easily identified.  Vatican II subsistence ecclesiogy holds that there's a visible core but then also individuals who are within the Church invisibly.

    So it's not Feeney vs. Vatican II.  It's TRENT vs. Vatican II.

    Those Doctors who taught Baptism of Desire still held that the catechumens belonged to the visible Church because they were identifiable as such by their profession of the faith.
    This notion of an amorphous partly-visible-partly-invisible Church is more akin to the Protestant theology that Trent was condemning than to Trent's ecclesiology.


    Offline Last Tradhican

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    Re: Implicit BOD
    « Reply #92 on: September 18, 2020, 07:20:46 AM »
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  • Obviously at the moment I'm not convinced that you're right about what Trent taught, else I wouldn't be advancing the argument.  I'm trying to figure out *why* all the Trad clergy seem to disagree with you about *what* Trent taught.
    The writer as with 99.99% of all BODers, will never be convinced of even the limited BOD of the catechumen of St. Thomas and St. Alphonsus Ligouri, for his belief is the same as Fr. Cekada, not really a belief, but an unbelief:

    The SSPV, The Roman Catholic,  Fall 2003, p. 7: “With the strict, literal interpretation of this doctrine, however, I must take issue, for if I read and understand the strict interpreters correctly, nowhere is allowance made for invincible ignorance, conscience, or good faith on the part of those who are not actual or formal members of the Church at the moment of death.  It is inconceivable to me that, of all the billions of non-Catholics who have died in the past nineteen and one-half centuries, none of them were in good faith in this matter and, if they were, I simply refuse to believe that hell is their eternal destiny.”


    That quote by Fr. Cekada, may he rest in peace, needs to be updated to address a defined BOD, the limited BOD of the catechumen of St. Thomas. Below is what  99.99% of BODers really believe TODAY concerning the limited BOD of the catechumen of St. Thomas Aquinas (and of course what the writer above believes):

    “With the strict, literal interpretation of the limited BOD of the catechumen of St. Thomas Aquinas, however, I must take issue, for if I read and understand the strict interpreters correctly, nowhere is allowance made for invincible ignorance, conscience, or good faith on the part of those who do not have explicit desire to be baptized or explicit belief in the Holy Trinity and the Incarnation ( the Divinity of Jesus Christ) .  It is inconceivable to me that, of all the billions of non-believers - Muslim, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews.... who have died in the past nineteen and one-half centuries, none of them were in good faith in this matter and, if they were, I simply refuse to believe that hell is their eternal destiny.”


    Offline ByzCat3000

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    Re: Implicit BOD
    « Reply #93 on: September 18, 2020, 10:41:09 AM »
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  • OK, I get that, but this particular shorthand has not been helpful to the debate.  I, and many straight (non-Dimondite) "Feeneyites" consider BoD to be something of a side issue.  What we're advocating here is Bellarminism and Trentism and Thomism ... NOT "Feeneyism".

    What we're talking about is a different ECCLESIOLOGY.  Trent emphatically taught that the Church is a visible society whose members are easily identified.  Vatican II subsistence ecclesiogy holds that there's a visible core but then also individuals who are within the Church invisibly.

    So it's not Feeney vs. Vatican II.  It's TRENT vs. Vatican II.

    Those Doctors who taught Baptism of Desire still held that the catechumens belonged to the visible Church because they were identifiable as such by their profession of the faith.
    This notion of an amorphous partly-visible-partly-invisible Church is more akin to the Protestant theology that Trent was condemning than to Trent's ecclesiology.
    OK so I don't want to use "feeneyism" because it comes off as a bit of a slur (which is not intended) but you're proposed alternative term basically assumes the other side of the debate.  I believe, at least in good faith, that Pope Pius IX, Pope Pius XII, the Baltimore Catechism, and the Catechism of St Pius X take my side of the debate.  furthermore, we *both* know for certain that Archbishop Lefebvre simultaneously rejected Vatican II but still took my side of this debate.  Now I'm open to being convinced that our position leads to Vatican II, but I haven't seen this proven yet.  Is there any more "neutral" terminology you'd be willing to agree to?  Maybe something like "Feeeny's EENS" (which would leave out the BOD issue) vs "Lefebvre's EENS"?  Or maybe "strict" vs "looser" EENS?  I'd even do "strict" vs "Lefebvre's" if that helps move things forward, since we all know what Lefebvre taught on the issue, and its pretty quotable.

    Keep in mind that you're basically putting every sedevacantist priest on the side of Vatican II rather than Trent.  I can understand saying they don't side with Trent (whether correct or not) but I don't see how you can accuse Sedevacantist priests (or SSPX priests for that matter) of getting their ecclesiology from a council they object.

    All that said I will admit that Ive never understood how someone could object *specifically* to the "subsist in" line  and yet not take the strict EENS position (I'll use that one for now unless you tell me me you prefer something different.)  I generally have not objected to this part of Vatican II personally, but I have objected to *other* parts of Vatican II, including parts that seem to suggest ecuмenism between Catholics and Muslims or Protestants is justifiable, and also on religious liberty which I think is a pretty overt contradiction.

    Honestly, as an ex protestant I can tell you that Protestant ecclesiology is a lot different than *any* stripe of Trad ecclesiology that I've ever seen.  But honestly, its also a lot different from Vatican II.  Protestantism doesn't have "a visible society that you can be invisibly part of."  This *may* have been the position of Martin Luther or John Calvin.  But at this point Protestantism is a bunch of disparate visible socieites, which may or may not be in communion with each other, which are varying degrees of optional, and which are all part of the "invisible church of all who believe (insert a minimum set of doctrines that can't be defended by a concrete principle).

    Offline Last Tradhican

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    Re: Implicit BOD
    « Reply #94 on: September 18, 2020, 10:57:49 AM »
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  • Honestly, as an ex protestant I can tell you that Protestant ecclesiology is a lot different than *any* stripe of Trad ecclesiology that I've ever seen.
    There is no Protestant church, therefore it follows that there can be no Protestant ecclesiology. There are as many Protestant "churches" as there are Protestants, each Protestant is a "church" of one.
    Protestantism is like BOD, there are many as BOD's as there are BODers, but in the end all the BODers  have one belief in common, their unbelief in EENS as it is written, moreover, their disbelief in even the limited BOD of the catechumen of St. Thomas. Just the same as the Protestants, the only thing Protestants  have in common with each other is their unbelief that the Catholic Church is One true Church, the tone true faith and road to salvation.


    Offline ByzCat3000

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    Re: Implicit BOD
    « Reply #95 on: September 18, 2020, 11:02:06 AM »
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  • There is no Protestant church, therefore it follows that there can be no Protestant ecclesiology. There are as many Protestant "churches" as there are Protestants, each Protestant is a "church" of one.
    Protestantism is like BOD, there are many many BOD's as there are BODers, but in the end all the BODers  have one belief in common, their unbelief. Just the same as the Protestants, the only thing they have in common is there unbelief that the Catholic Church is One true Church, the tone true faith and road to salvation.
    I know there isn't any real Protestant church of course. But there are Protestants, they go to things that they call churches, and they have beliefs about ecclesiology.  Stop being anal.

    Also your constant harping on "We all disbelieve" is tiresome.  I've already articulated why I think your idea that dogmas can be taken at "face value" is insufficient and is no more sensible than Protestants saying the same about sacred scripture, so why do you think continuing to repeat yourself would be useful?

    I could theoretically be convinced that all the modern trad clergy are wrong on this, but it would take a lot more than "lol can't they read?"

    Offline Last Tradhican

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    Re: Implicit BOD
    « Reply #96 on: September 18, 2020, 11:11:10 AM »
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  • I could theoretically be convinced that all the modern trad clergy are wrong on this, but it would take a lot more than "lol can't they read?"
    As I stated before, the writer could never be convinced of even the defined limited BOD of St. Thomas, apparently he has a lot of free time to complain about it, since he's been at it for months. I post here only to cut to the chase for others who think the writer above has not been told repeatedly, all of the points brought up on this thread by others.

    Quote
    The writer as with 99.99% of all BODers, will never be convinced of even the limited BOD of the catechumen of St. Thomas and St. Alphonsus Ligouri, for his belief is the same as Fr. Cekada, not really a belief, but an unbelief:

    The SSPV, The Roman Catholic,  Fall 2003, p. 7: “With the strict, literal interpretation of this doctrine, however, I must take issue, for if I read and understand the strict interpreters correctly, nowhere is allowance made for invincible ignorance, conscience, or good faith on the part of those who are not actual or formal members of the Church at the moment of death.  It is inconceivable to me that, of all the billions of non-Catholics who have died in the past nineteen and one-half centuries, none of them were in good faith in this matter and, if they were, I simply refuse to believe that hell is their eternal destiny.”


    That quote by Fr. Cekada, may he rest in peace, needs to be updated to address a defined BOD, the limited BOD of the catechumen of St. Thomas. Below is what  99.99% of BODers really believe TODAY concerning the limited BOD of the catechumen of St. Thomas Aquinas (and of course what the writer above believes):

    “With the strict, literal interpretation of the limited BOD of the catechumen of St. Thomas Aquinas, however, I must take issue, for if I read and understand the strict interpreters correctly, nowhere is allowance made for invincible ignorance, conscience, or good faith on the part of those who do not have explicit desire to be baptized or explicit belief in the Holy Trinity and the Incarnation ( the Divinity of Jesus Christ) .  It is inconceivable to me that, of all the billions of non-believers - Muslim, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews.... who have died in the past nineteen and one-half centuries, none of them were in good faith in this matter and, if they were, I simply refuse to believe that hell is their eternal destiny.”

    Offline ByzCat3000

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    Re: Implicit BOD
    « Reply #97 on: September 18, 2020, 12:00:23 PM »
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  • As I stated before, the writer could never be convinced of even the defined limited BOD of St. Thomas, apparently he has a lot of free time to complain about it, since he's been at it for months. I post here only to cut to the chase for others who think the writer above has not been told repeatedly, all of the points brought up on this thread by others.
    I will say this much.  Given how you think, your username fits you.


    Offline Pax Vobis

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    Re: Implicit BOD
    « Reply #98 on: September 18, 2020, 08:00:22 PM »
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  • BzyCat,
    Pray and study the doctrines/principles involved.  When you start viewing doctrine through the lens of "popularity" or "personality", you enter the realm of sentimentality.  Let's remember that Church history is full of examples where the "extreme" view was correct, while all others were wrong.  Truth matters, not "sensibility" or "reasonableness" or "earthly sense".
    .
    1.  St Athanasius vs Arianism (historians said of the time:  "St Athanasius was against the world")
    2.  St Thomas More/St John Fisher vs Anglicanism (Bishop Fisher is the only prelate to stand up against heresy)
    3.  Pope St Pius X said he was "surrounded by wolves (Modernists)".
    .
    Truth is not a popularity contest, which is why so many rejected Christ, even His disciples.

    Offline forlorn

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    Re: Implicit BOD
    « Reply #99 on: September 18, 2020, 08:42:03 PM »
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  • BzyCat,
    Pray and study the doctrines/principles involved.  When you start viewing doctrine through the lens of "popularity" or "personality", you enter the realm of sentimentality.  Let's remember that Church history is full of examples where the "extreme" view was correct, while all others were wrong.  Truth matters, not "sensibility" or "reasonableness" or "earthly sense".
    .
    1.  St Athanasius vs Arianism (historians said of the time:  "St Athanasius was against the world")
    2.  St Thomas More/St John Fisher vs Anglicanism (Bishop Fisher is the only prelate to stand up against heresy)
    3.  Pope St Pius X said he was "surrounded by wolves (Modernists)".
    .
    Truth is not a popularity contest, which is why so many rejected Christ, even His disciples.
    It's less the popularity and more so the issue that it's hard to believe it could be so simple and yet have all the trad clergy deny it. I mean, all you guys had to do to dispel "implicit faith BOD" was quote any one of several infallible confirmations of EENS. But of course +ABL and Bishop Williamson etc. are aware of these. So why aren't they convinced? Why isn't there at least a tiny minority of trad priests(who themselves are only a tiny minority of priests in general) speaking out, when it seems to be such a simple and clear-cut issue?

    I mean, there are even people on this site who are sometimes in contact with trad bishops. If it's so cut-and-dry, wouldn't shooting a letter out to Bishop Williamson or whoever clear things up?

    Offline Pax Vobis

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    Re: Implicit BOD
    « Reply #100 on: September 18, 2020, 09:01:54 PM »
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  • Quote
    Why isn't there at least a tiny minority of trad priests(who themselves are only a tiny minority of priests in general) speaking out, when it seems to be such a simple and clear-cut issue?

    You're still appealing to "popularity" vs doctrine, but i'll still answer your question.  Firstly, Fr Feeney and Fr Wathen are known as the "only two" who have this "strict" view of EENS.  But that's not true.  They are just the only 2 priests who have the talent/time/vocation to write books.  I know personally of 3-4 Trad priests who agree with Fr Feeney/Wathen (and at least a few more), but they don't have the personality/temperment to write on the subject.  They also feel that the BOD issue is "peanuts" compared to the various other spiritual problems of the day - atheism, impurity, V2, family issues, etc.
    .
    Bear in mind that the "number of priests" I quote is of small significance.  An anonymous survey would reveal the true facts.  There are many new-sspx priests who don't care about BOD but "toe the line" of the society for the good of the faithful.  Same would be true of the sede-groups.  The leaders of the sspx and sede-groups have often been the directors of such theories, propping them up as more important than they are.


    Offline ByzCat3000

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    Re: Implicit BOD
    « Reply #101 on: September 18, 2020, 09:29:58 PM »
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  • You're still appealing to "popularity" vs doctrine, but i'll still answer your question.  Firstly, Fr Feeney and Fr Wathen are known as the "only two" who have this "strict" view of EENS.  But that's not true.  They are just the only 2 priests who have the talent/time/vocation to write books.  I know personally of 3-4 Trad priests who agree with Fr Feeney/Wathen (and at least a few more), but they don't have the personality/temperment to write on the subject.  They also feel that the BOD issue is "peanuts" compared to the various other spiritual problems of the day - atheism, impurity, V2, family issues, etc.
    .
    Bear in mind that the "number of priests" I quote is of small significance.  An anonymous survey would reveal the true facts.  There are many new-sspx priests who don't care about BOD but "toe the line" of the society for the good of the faithful.  Same would be true of the sede-groups.  The leaders of the sspx and sede-groups have often been the directors of such theories, propping them up as more important than they are.
    Perhaps this could be the case.  Certainly if a future Pope was to clearly rule that Fr. Feeney and Fr. Wathen are basically correct on this matter, I would submit to it.  But while I suppose its possible that the vast majority of *Traditional* clergy (who's very purpose for existing is resisting modernism) are "just ignoring the plain text of florence" it seems *far* more likely that we need additional clarity here, at a future time.

    Offline forlorn

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    Re: Implicit BOD
    « Reply #102 on: September 18, 2020, 09:31:42 PM »
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  • You're still appealing to "popularity" vs doctrine, but i'll still answer your question.  Firstly, Fr Feeney and Fr Wathen are known as the "only two" who have this "strict" view of EENS.  But that's not true.  They are just the only 2 priests who have the talent/time/vocation to write books.  I know personally of 3-4 Trad priests who agree with Fr Feeney/Wathen (and at least a few more), but they don't have the personality/temperment to write on the subject.  They also feel that the BOD issue is "peanuts" compared to the various other spiritual problems of the day - atheism, impurity, V2, family issues, etc.
    .
    Bear in mind that the "number of priests" I quote is of small significance.  An anonymous survey would reveal the true facts.  There are many new-sspx priests who don't care about BOD but "toe the line" of the society for the good of the faithful.  Same would be true of the sede-groups.  The leaders of the sspx and sede-groups have often been the directors of such theories, propping them up as more important than they are.
    It's not the popularity in and of itself; it's that if "Outside the Church there is no salvation" is really as simple as 2+2=4, then it would naturally follow that any priest of good will who looked into it at all would reject implicit faith. And surely that would be a decent number of trad priests at least. So if it is as simple as reading Florence, either they're all wildly uneducated on a basic dogma or they're wilfully ignoring it. What about +ABL? Was he just regurgitating what he was told and seriously never stopped to consider it? I don't think that makes sense.

    Offline ByzCat3000

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    Re: Implicit BOD
    « Reply #103 on: September 18, 2020, 09:34:20 PM »
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  • It's not the popularity in and of itself; it's that if "Outside the Church there is no salvation" is really as simple as 2+2=4, then it would naturally follow that any priest of good will who looked into it at all would reject implicit faith. And surely that would be a decent number of trad priests at least. So if it is as simple as reading Florence, either they're all wildly uneducated on a basic dogma or they're wilfully ignoring it. What about +ABL? Was he just regurgitating what he was told and seriously never stopped to consider it? I don't think that makes sense.
    That's exactly it.  Ladislaus said on either this thread or another that everyone agreed that explicit belief in the Holy Trinity and Incarnation was essential for salvation prior to 1600.  If that's true, was Lefebvre unaware of it?

    Offline Stubborn

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    Re: Implicit BOD
    « Reply #104 on: September 19, 2020, 05:18:24 AM »
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  • Correct me if I'm wrong anyone, but the issue ByzCat3000 has is that salvation via a BOD is denied by only a comparatively very few, while everyone else, including all those in all the trad groups and even the greatest among the Fathers, believe that there is salvation via a BOD - and he wants to understand why that is and/or how a BOD could be denied by anyone.

    Is that the issue?





     
    "But Peter and the apostles answering, said: We ought to obey God, rather than men." - Acts 5:29

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