Is an extended vacancy of the Holy See possible? Interview at Integrity Magazine

In this interview with Stephen Kokx from Integrity, we discussed whether an extended vacancy is possible, and its 'prior probability' as an explanation for the crisis.

Aug 13, 2026

In this interview with Stephen Kokx from Integrity, we discussed whether an extended vacancy is possible, and its ‘prior probability’ as an explanation for the crisis.

(WM Round-Up) – On Wednesday 12 August 2026, I appeared on Integrity Magazine’s podcast with Stephen Kokx to continue our new series about the indefectibility of the Church, and my long article ‘Spotless and Unsullied’ – Indefectibility and the Extended Vacancy.

The conversation finished up our discussion of Chapter III: Indefectibility and an Extended Vacancy.

Spotless and Unsullied is the third part of my response to Fr Thomas Crean OP’s article The Perpetual Visibility of the Catholic Church Under the Pope.

Much of what Fr Crean writes about indefectibility in his article is correct; however, it overlooks or obscures extra elements of this attribute of the Church, and this allows him to use it in an argument against “sedevacantism.”

Topics in this interview included:

Abductive reasoning as a means of reaching an explanation
An extended vacancy is possible
Conclusion: The five criteria of abductive reasoning considered

Chapter III of Spotless and Unsullied is already available for all readers. You can read the whole work NOW in the book-length article discussed here:

Spotless and Unsullied – Indefectibility and the Extended Vacancy

(NB: It is not necessary to have read Radically Insufficient or Zero Marks before reading Spotless and Unsullied.)

Other parts in the Zero Marks series:

‘Radically insufficient’ – Reply to Fr Crean on the Church’s visibility, Part I
‘Zero Marks’ – Why the Conciliar/Synodal Church is not the Catholic Church (Reply to Fr Thomas Crean) (All chapters and conclusion)
- Introduction, and Chapter I: Unity
- Chapter II: Holiness
- Chapter III: Catholicity
- Chapter IV: Apostolicity as a Mark
- Chapter V: Apostolicity as a Property
- Conclusion: ‘Hovel in the Valley’
Spotless and Unsullied – Indefectibility and the Extended Vacancy (Part III)
- Chapter I: What is indefectibility, and what are the ‘Gates of Hell’?
- Chapter II: Fr Crean’s account of indefectibility
- Chapter III: What’s the best explanation for the crisis in the Church?

Other Relevant Material:

The previous interviews

This interview was a follow up to our previous conversations of the other parts of my response to Fr Crean.

Here is the first interview, on the visibility of the Church (Part I):

Here is the second, on the property of unity (Part II, Ch. 1):

Here is the third, on the property of holiness (Part II, Ch. II):

Here is the fourth, on the property of catholicity (Part II, Ch. III):

Here is the fifth, on the note of apostolicity (Part II, Ch. IV):

Here is the sixth, on the property of apostolicity (Part II, Ch. V):

Here is the seventh, on the conclusion to Zero Marks:

Here is the eighth, on the first chapter of Spotless and Unsullied:

Here is the ninth, on the second chapter of Spotless and Unsullied:

Here is the tenth, the first part on the third chapter of Spotless and Unsullied:

Thank you to Stephen for having me on again. I hope readers of The WM Review enjoy it – and give Kokx News a follow too.

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