Exclusivity and the ISM Movement

This past week, I visited a former parish I served as a Roman Catholic priest.  The former parish secretary buried her husband, so I arrived to pay my respects.  This parish was my favorite – it is a small parish with incredible people, just a salt of the earth place.  I wanted to stay and catch up with parishioners.  At the same time, I did not want to create scandal so I simply went during the family visitation hour as I knew they would not mind.  I supported people in the Roman Catholic faith there and I want people to be comfortable in what faith they profess.  I do not recommend the ISM movement for most people and would rather people be in the church that makes them a better Christian.

There are certain elements in the ISM movement that concern me.  Many people come to the movement with deep ecclesial wounds.  This is a dangerous basis to form a community as anger, hurt, and other feelings can manifest themselves in unhealthy ways.  Sadly, the dysfunction in the movement can be partly attributed to this underlying reality.  The ISM movement can be a place where people who experienced ecclesial hurt can come and be refreshed and renewed.  It can also be a place where people come and only become even more angry and engage in unhealthy behaviors.  Many of our communities can assist people on their journey.  We may not be their permanent home but can provide something needed for a time.  Some of us can create permanent communities but I think this will be a rare phenomenon.  Many will come with their wounds to find healing, love, and acceptance.

I do believe the ISM movement has something to offer given our rather limited function.  I know some in the ISM movement will be disappointed in my language as I seem to minimize everything we do.  This is not the case; rather, it is the recognition that our work can point to the kingdom and is not the kingdom itself. I want to explain why I believe this is a good thing.

As a Roman Catholic, I engaged in theological arrogance.  I saw those who were validly ordained, those who had real sacraments, and those who had real churches.  I made statements like we have the fullness of truth.  The more I think about it, the more I realize how wrong that was.  How can any human or divine-human institution have the fullness of truth?   Anything that is created can obtain a greater knowledge.  There can be some with a more robust truth, but even then, we must be aware that knowledge can puff up.  We are called to act with fidelity and discipleship than desire to be super apostles.

What I appreciate in moderate ISM movements is the theological humility.  We do not claim to be the true church.  We tend to think that idea of exclusivity is wrong.  This is not to say all in the ISM movement believe what I say.  Conservative movements tend not to be lumped in the ISM movement such as the SPPX or SPPV because they detest the label.  Many of these conservative jurisdictions would otherwise fit many attributes of the ISM movement.  Moreover, many of these would also be exclusivist and maintain that they are the true church.  On the other hand, more liberal and progressive jurisdictions would not be exclusivist in ecclesiology but would be exclusivist in another way.  I think of how some jurisdictions and parishes advertise themselves.  “Welcome to (parish name), (the towns name) ONLY inclusive Catholic Community.” The inclusivist approach seems to be undermined by the modifier ONLY.  Progressive ISM churches become the only ones capable of inclusivity.  Conservative and Progressive ISM movements differ but still maintain underlying exclusivist characteristics (in the case of progressive ISM, inclusivity itself!).

I bring this up as I think about what moderate Old Catholicism offers.  Moderate Old Catholicism seems to offer nothing as it does not claim to be the true church nor manifest the only inclusive Catholic way of being.  Instead, moderate Old Catholicism recognizes our limits.  I want a theology that affirms other churches and ecclesial bodies.  I want a theology that recognizes truth regardless of whether it is affirmed by Roman Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans, Protestants and so on.  What seems to be a limitation can be our greatest strength. We can become more theologically inclusive because we are not even using inclusivity as the litmus test.

As I stated, I want Old Catholicism to be a presence in the world that can point out God’s goodness, truth and beauty regardless of where it is found.  These keeps us from making arrogant claims and can appreciate how God is at work.  If we can strengthen people in their own ecclesial bodies or help people reconnect to their own ecclesial bodies, we should rejoice that our work is successful.

Peace,

Ben