The Bad Popes Argument
February 24, 2015
Pope John XII
WHEN confronted with the thesis that the men elected to the papacy since 1958, including Mr. Bumble, or Jorge Bergoglio, are not true popes, objectors to this thesis, which is known by the scary word, “sedevacantism,” often point to the fact that there have been immoral, bad popes before who are not considered anti-popes. No one is going around saying that Pope John XII, “whose life was such that the Lateran was spoken of as a brothel, and the moral corruption in Rome became the subject of general odium,” was not a true pope.
But the difference between an immoral pope and a “pope” who rejects part of Catholic dogma is key.
No believing Catholic likes the idea of an immoral pope, but such a thing is logically possible, just as it is possible to be both Catholic and a serious sinner. There can be bad popes, but there cannot, positively cannot, be non-Catholic popes. The idea is an absurdity.
A recent episode of “Tradcast,” a podcast program at Novus Ordo Watch, examines the “Bad Popes Argument” at length. I strongly recommend it.
