I would like to isolate one aspect of this complex EC for the sake of study and reflection:
(Context...)
In mid-April there was submitted to Rome on behalf of the Society of St. Pius X a
confidential docuмent, doctrinal in nature, of which it was said that it laid out Catholic
principles that all the SSPX authorities could subscribe to. In mid-June Rome rejected the
docuмent as basis for a Rome-SSPX agreement. Thank goodness, because it contained
a supremely dangerous ambiguity: in brief, does an expression like “The Magisterium of
all time” mean up until 1962, or up until 2012 ? It is all the difference between the religion
of God, and the religion of God as changed by modern man, i.e. the religion of man. Here
are some of the principles, as summarized for SSPX authorities:--
...The 1962 or 2012 ambiguity lurks here in the words “Tradition” and “Magisterium”.
Are these two words being taken to exclude doctrines of the Council (1962-1965)
and its aftermath, or are they including them?
(The one aspect is this...)
(...any believer in Vatican II can so read the passage as to be able to pretend
that there is a seamless continuity between the Church before and after the Council. Let us
take a closer look at how the ... Conciliarist can ... read the passage in his own way...
...the statements of Vatican II and [the statements of] post-conciliar papal teaching[,] with
regard to [ecuмenism and interreligious dialogue] or [religious liberty,] can
only be understood in the light of Tradition...)
...4/ accepting no interpretation that breaks with pre- or post-conciliar Tradition or
Magisterium (because there is no break between all four of them).
(My first question is, "What are the four objects between which the believer in
Vatican II would pretend there is no break?")
(That is, "The believer in Vatican II is provided by Rome with de-facto
permission to adhere to the pretense that there is no break between what four
aspects of Tradition or Magisterium?)
Answer to first: 1) pre-conciliar Tradition, 2) pre-concilar Magisterium, 3)
post-conciliar Tradition, and 4) post-concilar Magisterium.
(My second question is, "What are all the possible breaks that the believer in
Vatican II can pretend do not exist, and how many are they?)
Answer to second:
There are 6 possible breaks --
1) break between pre-conciliar Tradition and pre-conciliar Magisterium,
2) break between pre-conciliar Tradition and post-conciliar Tradition,
3) break between pre-conciliar Tradition and post-conciliar Magisterium,
4) break between pre-conciliar Magisterium and post-conciliar Tradition,
5) break between pre-conciliar Magisterium and post-conciliar Magisterium,
6) break between post-conciliar Tradition and post-conciliar Magisterium.