Cultural Lines in the Sand

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JMJ

Cultural assumptions are the foundation upon which a culture stands (or falls).



What applies to large corporate organizations also applies to the Catholic Church.  There will, of course, be sub-cultures that operate within the larger culture of the organization.  Each of these sub-cultures will have some elements in common (forming the culture as a whole) as well as their own cultural assumptions.

An example of this can be found in the recent separation of some individuals from the SSPX.  In this case the cultural assumption that appears to have been challenged is either or both:

1. Whether or not Pope Benedict XVI actually had the authority and capability to issue a legitimate command that would meet the criteria requiring obedience. 
2. The assumption that the 'conciliar Church' refers to a movement within the Catholic Church.

The clarity and direction provided by the leadership of the SSPX has resulted in a reaffirmation of the two core assumptions and those people who hold contrary assumptions have in general separated themselves from the SSPX.  A number of those people have now revealed themselves as holding a variant of sede-vacantism.

In general terms there are at present two sub-cultures vying for dominance within the Catholic Church:

1. Progressivists:  Hold cultural assumptions that have been dominant since the council, usually described as the 'spirit of the council'.
2. Traditionalists: Hold cultural assumptions that were dominant  prior to the council, sometimes described as crypto-lefebvrist, lefebvrist, integrist.

There is a third sub-culture that basically is acquiescing to the dominant culture of the leadership.  I typically refer to this group as a hybridized Catholic/Protestant culture as its assumptions have been severely altered by the liturgy and progressivist culture dominant within the Church in the last 50 years. This cultural group is sometimes called 'conservatives' and what is going to be discovered soon is where is the line in the cultural sand beyond which they will not pass?

Obviously, the Traditionalists have already stated and stood by their various cultural lines (FSSP et al, SSPX  et al), with the attendant and predictable cultural immune responses.

Courtesy of Louie Verrecchio

Which issue will be the rubicon for the conservatives?

What will the conservatives succeed in conserving in the coming Synod on the Family?

Will this be one of the defining moments in the history of this crisis?

God knows, time will reveal.

Until then ...

P^3
Prayer
Penance
Patience