Protestant thoughts on "traditionalist" Catholics

[Peter_J]

I have recently had a lot of opportunity to reflect on and observe conversations between protestants and “traditionalist” Catholics. Which got me to thinking: You protestants posters on this forum, do you have any particular approach to dialogue with “traditionalist” Catholics? (Or do you not really think about it much, perhaps figuring we Catholics are basically all alike?)

Just curious.

 

[dronald]

I have recently had a lot of opportunity to reflect on and observe conversations between protestants and “traditionalist” Catholics. Which got me to thinking: You protestants posters on this forum, do you have any particular approach to dialogue with “traditionalist” Catholics? (Or do you not really think about it much, perhaps figuring we Catholics are basically all alike?)

Just curious.

Could you explain what may be some differences between devout traditionalist Catholics and devout (non-traditionalist?) Catholics?

 

[Novocastrian]

I have recently had a lot of opportunity to reflect on and observe conversations between protestants and “traditionalist” Catholics. Which got me to thinking: You protestants posters on this forum, do you have any particular approach to dialogue with “traditionalist” Catholics? (Or do you not really think about it much, perhaps figuring we Catholics are basically all alike?)

Just curious.

I’m actually really interested in this. I’d say I have very mixed views. On the one hand, a lot of them seem to equate ‘tradition’ with the nineteenth century. Ultramontanism, a static rather than dynamic Thomist scholasticism, not to mention a dark undercurrent of anti-Semitism in the more extremist sectors.

On the other hand, I think there are some great positives. Do I agree with Archbishop Lefebvre’s views on Protestants, on the liturgy, on the world as a whole? No, of course not. Do I think that it’s significant that it’s the traditionalists who believe that the Pope and bishops have a God-given duty to preserve the Christian faith, whereas ‘liberals’ often act as if certain things can be changed at the stroke of a pen? Yes, I really do.

A time may yet come when traditional Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox have much more in common with each other than both liberals and ‘neoconservatives’ in their own communions…

 

[robwar]

Could you explain what may be some differences between devout traditionalist Catholics and devout (non-traditionalist?) Catholics?

There shouldn’t be any. it is only a reference to what their Mass preference is and it is annoying.

 

[KP3243]

I assume you mean the difference between traditional Catholics and those in the Society of Saint Pius X who don’t accept Vatican II?

 

[House_Harkonnen]

I have recently had a lot of opportunity to reflect on and observe conversations between protestants and “traditionalist” Catholics. Which got me to thinking: You protestants posters on this forum, do you have any particular approach to dialogue with “traditionalist” Catholics? (Or do you not really think about it much, perhaps figuring we Catholics are basically all alike?)

Just curious.

I don’t know the difference between “traditionalist” Catholics, and regular Catholics, other than that some are members of groups schismatic from the Catholic Church.

If we are talking about the schism folks, I don’t have an opinion as I have never met one.

If we are talking about normal Catholics, I find them more agreeable than their more liberal counterparts. Confessional, and conservative Protestants and conservative Catholics are much more equipped for dialogue than our more liberal brothers and sisters. Since at least we are generally on the same page on social issues.

 

[Peter_J]

Great post.

I’m actually really interested in this. I’d say I have very mixed views. On the one hand, a lot of them seem to equate ‘tradition’ with the nineteenth century. Ultramontanism, a static rather than dynamic Thomist scholasticism, not to mention a dark undercurrent of anti-Semitism in the more extremist sectors.

On the other hand, I think there are some great positives. Do I agree with Archbishop Lefebvre’s views on Protestants, on the liturgy, on the world as a whole? No, of course not. Do I think that it’s significant that it’s the traditionalists who believe that the Pope and bishops have a God-given duty to preserve the Christian faith, whereas ‘liberals’ often act as if certain things can be changed at the stroke of a pen? Yes, I really do.

A time may yet come when traditional Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox have much more in common with each other than both liberals and ‘neoconservatives’ in their own communions…

 

[petra22]

Really interesting topic!

 

[Stilldreamn]

I quite like the traditionalists. While I understand that they may eye me with less warmth and fuzziness than the more liberal Catholics, I think they and the confessional Lutherans are natural allies against the encroachment of secularism.

 

[KP3243]

I quite like the traditionalists. While I understand that they may eye me with less warmth and fuzziness than the more liberal Catholics, I think they and the confessional Lutherans are natural allies against the encroachment of secularism.

I would consider myself a traditional Catholic but I am not part of the Society of Saint Pius X nor would I consider myself a Catholic like Nancy Pelosi who is a liberal Catholic.

 

[Indifferently]

I have recently had a lot of opportunity to reflect on and observe conversations between protestants and “traditionalist” Catholics. Which got me to thinking: You protestants posters on this forum, do you have any particular approach to dialogue with “traditionalist” Catholics? (Or do you not really think about it much, perhaps figuring we Catholics are basically all alike?)

Just curious.

I introduce them to the person and work of Jesus Christ.

If I keep it Jesus-centred, often they have little to say, because most of their pre-occupations have very little to do with the actual gospel. But it gives me a great opportunity to talk about the man they think of as their Lord.

Who is Jesus? What is the gospel? What did the cross accomplish? What does the Bible tell us?

This gets us away from their favourite topics (Latin, vestments, the Virgin Mary, Vatican II, etc) and onto Jesus - and since they claim spiritual allegiance to him, they’ve got to be polite about him.

 

[Peter_J]

I don’t know the difference between “traditionalist” Catholics, and regular Catholics, other than that some are members of groups schismatic from the Catholic Church.

If we are talking about the schism folks, I don’t have an opinion as I have never met one.

Arguably, I’m using the term “traditionalist” in a slightly loose sense. That is to say, often times recently I’ve seen a conversation that I would describe as protestants-talking-with-traditionalist-Catholics, but an SSPX member might say “That isn’t exactly traditionalist as we use the term.”

 

[aidanbradypop]

I introduce them to the person and work of Jesus Christ.

If I keep it Jesus-centred, often they have little to say, because most of their pre-occupations have very little to do with the actual gospel. But it gives me a great opportunity to talk about the man they think of as their Lord.

 

[aidanbradypop]

I have recently had a lot of opportunity to reflect on and observe conversations between protestants and “traditionalist” Catholics. Which got me to thinking: You protestants posters on this forum, do you have any particular approach to dialogue with “traditionalist” Catholics? (Or do you not really think about it much, perhaps figuring we Catholics are basically all alike?)

Just curious.

I have had good and bad conversations with traditionalist. A few on here know where I stand and we can actually have a conversation that is not damning me to hell the entire time lol.

 

[Novocastrian]

I introduce them to the person and work of Jesus Christ.

If I keep it Jesus-centred, often they have little to say, because most of their pre-occupations have very little to do with the actual gospel. But it gives me a great opportunity to talk about the man they think of as their Lord.

Who is Jesus? What is the gospel? What did the cross accomplish? What does the Bible tell us?

This gets us away from their favourite topics (Latin, vestments, the Virgin Mary, Vatican II, etc) and onto Jesus - and since they claim spiritual allegiance to him, they’ve got to be polite about him.

I have to admit that I am guilty of this!

 

[JustaServant]

I have recently had a lot of opportunity to reflect on and observe conversations between protestants and “traditionalist” Catholics. Which got me to thinking: You protestants posters on this forum, do you have any particular approach to dialogue with “traditionalist” Catholics? (Or do you not really think about it much, perhaps figuring we Catholics are basically all alike?)

Just curious.

Since the whole Vatican 2 vs, traditionalist debate is “in-house”. that’s kinda like asking your next door neighbor to give an opinion on your nagging wife.

 

[Peter_J]

I quite like the traditionalists.

I find that I enjoy the cases where a protestant actually likes dialoguing with traditionalist Catholics. I get the impression, though, that for many protestants it is more like they’re “driven” to respond to traditionalist statements.

(I suppose it may be the same way with us, in reverse: if we Catholics hear (read) an ultra-protestant statement from, say, a Baptist or a Pentecostal, it is difficult for us not to respond.)

 

[aidanbradypop]

Since the whole Vatican 2 vs, traditionalist debate is “in-house”. that’s kinda like asking your next door neighbor to give an opinion on your nagging wife.

So a friend on mine from Napoli came over for a visit. He was amazed at how “relaxed” the Catholic Church in the US is.

Is that what you mean by “in-house?”

 

[Peter_J]

Since the whole Vatican 2 vs, traditionalist debate is “in-house”. that’s kinda like asking your next door neighbor to give an opinion on your nagging wife.

I like it!

Still, the fact remains that there are quite a lot of protestant/traditionalist conversations going on.

 

[JustaServant]

So a friend on mine from Napoli came over for a visit. He was amazed at how “relaxed” the Catholic Church in the US is.

Is that what you mean by “in-house?”

No, I mean the whole SSPX fight that’s been going on for the past 40 years.