As reported on January 8th, 2013 on the Catholic News Service website a dispute has erupted between Vatican officials and breakaway Roman Catholic SSPX over remarks made by the SSPX leader, Bishop Bernard Fellay.
The dispute began when Bp. Fellay made remarks on a youtube video calling the Jews religious enemies of the Roman Catholic Church over the support of many prominent Jewish leaders for the the Second Vatican Council. American SSPX spokesman attempted to moderate the content, by explaining that the words were directed at leaders of Jewish organizations. Jesuit Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi replied by saying “It is absolutely unacceptable, impossible, to define the Jews as enemies of the Church.”
This recent controversy comes in the midst of continued proposed reconciliation talks between the SSPX and the Vatican.
From an Orthodox Christian perspective, it must be noted, that, while of course individual persons of Jewish ethnicity/background, are not innately enemies of Christ, the same cannot be fundamentally said for the very secular and anti-Christian ideology espoused by many Jewish organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League. Indeed, traditionally, Jews who strictly adhere to the Rabbinic Talmudic Tradition, believe that the traditional Orthodox Christian theology of the Trinity and the Incarnation are blasphemous.
Aside from the evident fact that Bp. Fellay is not an Orthodox Christian (and would undoubtedly view the Orthodox as being schismatic or schismatic/heretics), the comments are fundamentally inaccurate. To be against the theological teaching of a body is to be against the body itself, since, if religious group takes its teaching seriously, it would understand this.
Therefore, if the leaders of a group accuse, let us say, the Orthodox Church of teaching blasphemy, or states plainly that the Orthodox Church should change its dogmatic formulation, then, such leaders are enemies. There may not necessarily be personal animosity, but, there is still an inimical position that is logically indisputable.
Yet, one wonders, that groups like the SSPX still continue to exist, as they have no sufficient ground to stand on. This is why many of their own people, have in the past expressed support for the Sedevacantist position. However, all of these views expressed by their leaders and members are historically untenable if held in the Roman Catholic ecclesiastical system. It is as if they know many things are superficially wrong, but, are unable to grasp the fundamental problems that have led to their bewilderment. Such a resolution to their problems, can only be found in the Truth of Orthodoxy.
