Posted on 08/01/2007 8:47:44 PM PDT by Augustine22
Catholic Apologetics International and its Teachings on the Jews
...The issue of how CAI has been communicating its concerns about the Jews was recently brought to our attention by the bishop of the diocese in which CAI is located, the Very Reverend, Kevin C. Rhoades of Harrisburg, PA. In a personal letter he wrote to me, and in a follow up meeting I recently had with his vicar general, the Very Reverend William J. King, JCD, along with the executive director for ecumenical and inter-religious affairs of the USCCB, the Reverend James Massa, the shepherds God has placed as overseers of my life and work have asked me to reconsider the tone and content with which I write about the Jewish people for CAI. They provided me examples in which I have crossed the line into inappropriate language and accusations, and I communicated to them my agreement with their overall assessment...
Accordingly, CAI is in the process of removing all the content on its website concerning the Jews in order to make the initial adjustments in complying with my bishops directive. If and when CAI edits the material to make it conform to our bishops guidelines, we will repost it, but since my time is very limited and I have many other projects that need my attention, I do not see a reposting of the material happening very quickly, if at all. If in the future we write any new material on the Jews, it will always be with the required due diligence, as if the bishop were present with us. Since he acts in Gods stead, we will do our utmost to please him so as to preserve the peace and tranquility he so desires to maintain in the body of Christ...
Robert A. Sungenis, Ph.D.
July 31, 2007
(Excerpt) Read more at catholicintl.com ...
Ping
I must be way out of the loop, what happened?
Sungenis is a geocentrist. In a certain sense, I have to admire a guy just because he’s willing to be that far out there.
Sungenis has published a handful of things that an increasingly vocal group of detractors have denounced as anti-semitic. Now, some of their complaints are nonsense, but others have merit. Sungenis has, for instance, made a habit of questioning these detractors as to whether or not they have Jewish ancestory. That just isn’t a good idea.
This has all significantly weakened Sungenis’ apostolate at a time when he should be riding high. He is dogged across the internet by people who pounce on his every statement looking for anything that can be construed as anti-semitic. And sadly, some of his statements certainly seem to fit the modern mold of what an anti-semitic statement is.
There’s an anti-Sungenis website all about this: http://sungenisandthejews.blogspot.com/
Sungenis should drop posting and speaking about anything related to modern Jews. And those watching his every move should just give the guy a break.
Sungenis is a great apologist. I would hate for him to be remembered for his mistakes or for what his detractors say about him.
I would look at http://wquercus.com/sungenis/ and http://www.sungenisandthejews.com, too.
I don’t know what things vlad is talking about that are ridiculous. But there’s more than a handful of things that are bad news from him when it comes to Jews.
The man wouldn’t back off and put up hundreds (literally) of articles and Q-As over the past couple of years attacking Jews for everything imaginable.
Huh? A geocentrist isn’t “out there” at all, is he? He thinks it’s all about “in here”. LOL. Joshing. I get what you mean.
I thought he was a Feeneyite. Weren't he and Karl Keating having a feud? Or maybe I'm confusing him with someone else.
Sungenis is bound by obedience to the Pastoral Vicar of his Diocese. I am happy he is complying. Becoming a schismatic is a bizarre option for an apologist.
F
I don’t think that Sungenis is a feeneyite. He sells a DVD about “No Salvation Outside the Church” for $7.
According to the flier I got from him a few days ago: “Some interpret this rigorously that absolutely no one who is not a member of the Church can be saved.”
Doesn’t sound like a feeneyite to me.
The video is also apparently online at youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXvn0Sqam7I
I don’t have highspeed access. Maybe you do.
Read the article at the link. I just don’t know enough to agree or disagree with some of his theological conclusions, but I was struck by his willingness to submit to his local ordinary. Lotsa points for that.
As well, regarding whether he’s a feeneyite, it seems clear to me that he’s not, in that he talks about those who are saved without formal membership in the Catholic Church.
My view of Dr. Sungenis had fallen with his preoccupation with geocentrism and the apparent anti-semitic nature of some of his stuff. For what it's worth (not much, I know), with this article, my esteem for him has risen considerably.
sitetest
I don’t think he’s a Feeneyite, either. I’m glad he listened to his bishop’s directive. But I’m not sure how much that tells us about him. If he didn’t listen to his bishop, he might not be able to call it Catholic Apologetics International anymore and he’s not been able to get imprimaturs on his books because of his Jewish problems.
http://sungenisandthejews.blogspot.com/2007/06/sungenis-casb-apocalypse-of-st-john-and.html
http://sungenisandthejews.blogspot.com/2007/07/sungenis-smears-bishop-continues-to.html
I noticed he still has up some articles and Q and A’s that have to do with Jews. I hope he listens to the bishop and takes them all down if they have to do with Jews.
I hope the obedience was for good reasons.
In June 2006, Galileo Was Wrong, which also lacks an imprimatur, was released in which Sungenis describes his reasons for believing geocentrism using his interpretations of various secular sources. A second volume outlining his biblical and theological hypotheses is purportedly forthcoming.He's also gone after Scott Hahn and Karl Keating, for Scott's alleged belief in the female nature of the Holy Spirit.
-A8
Humility? I don’t know about that. Maybe. You’d hope so. But he admitted he couldn’t get any imprimaturs on his books because of his Jewish views. And when a bishop gives you a directive to cease something that’s serious business. Could you imagine if they told him he couldn’t use the name “Catholic” on his apostolate anymore?
How many people told him to do the same thing for years? But it took an order from the bishop before he finally did it.
I found it disturbing how he used the name of the Catholic Church to spread his anti-Semitism. I don’t call it alleged anti-Semitism. It was pretty blatant, imo.
I think this is an excellent development too. Perhaps his new books will get those imprimaturs (although I don’t know if it was unfair to deny them in the past considering that none of his books had anything to do with the controversy surrounding him).
I have five of his books. They are all excellent.
“If he didnt listen to his bishop, he might not be able to call it Catholic Apologetics International...”
Actually, if he weren’t willing to listen to his bishop, there is nothing that his bishop could do to stop him from calling it Catholic Apologetics International. The bishop can only impose ecclesiastical discipline. If he refuses that, then that’s the whole game.
sitetest
Good for Mr. Sungenis for having the humility to follow the reasonable requests of his bishop.
Partly true. But how many people would buy his books and tapes if the bishop came out and said his website didn’t have permission to use the Catholic name and Sungenis kept it up anyway?
But regardless of the reason, thank God Sungenis finally did the right thing.
Sungenis said that he was turned down because of what he wrote in his study Bible about Jews. It doesn’t sound like it was about the other things.
But maybe he’ll take whatever was wrong out and try again. Who knows?
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