Throughout this controversy, a few individuals have chided the contributors to this blog with the challenge that we should just "stick to the issues", meaning that we should ignore the character and behavior of Bob Sungenis and only engage the theological issues he raises. But the recent development in which Sungenis has unjustly and untruthfully attacked and slandered his own bishop has vindicated our contention that with Sungenis character is the issue. Bishop Rhoades' assessment of the situation―namely that Bob Sungenis should not be publicly advancing opinions on Jewish issues in his self-appointed role as a "Catholic apologist"―is shown by Bob himself to be wise and correct. That Bob has seen fit to defy his bishop's orders and counterattack with false allegations and guilt by association is all the proof one needs that we are dealing here with a man who cannot be trusted to handle these matters in an honorable way.
A "Catholic apologist" holds no official position in the Catholic Church—Bob has appointed himself to that position. But despite this unofficial status, the global reach of the Internet can make it appear that such an individual publicly represents the Church. Indeed, Sungenis loudly proclaims that his is a "Catholic" organization, although he is in violation of canon law for so doing:
Can. 300 No association is to assume the name Catholic without the consent of competent ecclesiastical authority according to the norm of can. 312 (link).
Bob has received no such consent from his bishop—quite the contrary. And while he has finally removed the Catholic name from the title of the home page of his website, the name still appears in numerous places, including his "Catholic Apologetics Study Bibles" (http://catholicintl.com/products/books/casbrev.html), the url for his website (www.catholicintl.com), and numerous other web pages that still refer to "Catholic" Apologetics International (http://catholicintl.com/epologetics/articles.htm).
Ultimately, as we have seen so clearly in the case of Bob Sungenis, the self-appointed apologist can even set himself up against legitimate Church authority and position himself as a kind of alternative magisterium. As such, the character and behavior of these individuals is highly significant. In Catholic apologetics it is truly character that counts.
We believe that credibility in Catholic apologetics is earned through a combination of careful, accurate scholarship, balanced presentation, and a Christian demeanor toward Catholic and non-Catholic alike in public and private. Especially in his writing on Jews and Jewish issues, Sungenis displays none of these. It is only reasonable that Catholic individuals would speak up when a self-professed Catholic apologist behaves in ways that are positively harmful to the good of souls and the reputation of the Catholic Church. It is all the more reasonable when the legitimate authority in the Church speaks out and the admonition is met with defiance and slanderous accusations.
Simply put, we believe the evidence is clear that in Robert Sungenis the Catholic apologetics community is faced with a man of bad character. And as such, it is right that we focus our attention, not on his sometimes true, sometimes false, always unauthorized theological and political machinations, but on this bad character itself. An analogy is à propos. During the Clinton presidency, apologists for Bill Clinton continually sought to deflect attention from his bad behavior and utter lack of character by insisting that only the political issues mattered and the rest were purely private concerns. But true Catholic insight into human nature insists that a man's behavior and character cannot be separated from his positions on issues, that inevitably a bad heart results in bad positions and bad behavior. Clinton opponents rightly insisted that the president's character and behavior were the issues that needed to be front and center in that controversy. And as we have demonstrated, even Sungenis’ theology has been deeply stained.
The writers at this blog have been able to bring a great deal of information to light that otherwise would not be available to the Catholic apologetics community and others outside it. Since 2002, Sungenis has given clear evidence again and again that he is not a man who can be trusted to handle the truth honorably or responsibly. Whether it is the telling numerous outright falsehoods concerning former colleagues, employing Nazi-like tactics in an attempt to "out" Jews, unjust attacks against Jewish converts, outright bigotry against Jews, repeated plagiarism and shoddy scholarship, a phony doctoral degree, repeated double standards, a complete unwillingness to genuinely apologize for anything that he has said and done, and now his unjust, false, and self-serving attack on his own bishop while daring to publicly laud himself as a good and obedient Catholic. From the earliest days, the Church has warned its members not to fall into the dangerous error of personality cults, even those led by legitimate authorities within the Church (1 Cor 1:10-17 and 3:3-9). And of course, Bob does not even possess any legitimate authority. All of these things should convince any sensible person that Sungenis is not a man to be trusted, followed, or listened to.
Unfortunately, Bob is sufficiently talented to continue to convince at least some individuals, who believe his claims to be the innocent victim of a grand conspiracy. We have remained silent for these months since Sungenis' bishop took up these issues. But now that Sungenis has publicly defied his bishop and slandered him in the process, we felt compelled in conscience to rise to His Excellency's defense with the information we have that exonerates this successor of the Apostles from the charges leveled against him. And because it is character that counts, an important facet of our contribution is information which clearly illuminates the character of Bob Sungenis. Caveat emptor!
