*
Robert Sungenis holds to the Geocentric cosmological view of the
universe in accordance with the literal, infallible, and inspired
Word of God which, according to Providentissimus Deus by Pope
Leo XIII, is inerrant in all matters.
* Robert Sungenis also rejects both atheistic and theistic evolutionary
models for the origins of the earth. Instead, he embraces the
traditional Catholic understanding of creation, and the scientific
evidence which strongly supports it.
Both of these issues will be covered in one of Robert's upcoming
book: Not By Science Alone: Modern Science at the Crossroads of
Divine Revelation - This book delves into the fallacies of the
modern theory of evolution, giving the biblical, scientific and
ecclesia evidence against it. The book also refutes the modern
assumptions behind current cosmogony and cosmology from the same
basis. Lastly, the book addresses the genealogies of the Old Testament
and how they would fit into the chronology in above systems.
Evolution and Heliocentrism are neither taught in Scripture,
nor are taught by the Fathers and Medieval theologians of the
Catholic Church, nor are there any official teachings from the
Catholic Church endorsing either of the two teachings. Furthermore,
the modern scientific evidence does not in the least support Evolution,
and in fact denies it completely, while the scientific evidence
for Heliocentrism is at best a draw when compared to Geocentric
models, and at worst a distortion of both science and Scripture.
* Since the Catholic Church has made no dogmatic ruling on either
of these two issues, we accept anyone with an opposing view, and
in fact, we invite their comments so that intellectual discussion
can be advanced. By the same token, since the Church has made
no dogmatic ruling, we at CAI hold the right to maintain our position
as a viable and supportable view, and that we can do so without
insult or injury from opposing viewpoints. What we deplore are
rash, hyper-sensitive, bigoted, prejudicial, reactionary and unscientific
evaluations made by anyone who assumes an opposite view. In our
opinion, such caustic remarks say more about our critics than
they say about us. We should all realize there is nothing in this
world that is sacrosanct which is not proven, dogmatically defined
or held as the constant Tradition of the Church.
The Catholic interpreter, although he should show that those
facts of natural science which investigators affirm to be now
quite certain are not contrary to the Scripture rightly explained,
must nevertheless always bear in mind, that much which has been
held and proved as certain has afterwards been called in question
and rejected. And if writers on physics travel outside the boundaries
of their own branch, and carry their erroneous teaching into the
domain of philosophy, let them be handed over to philosophers...
(Pope Leo XIII, Providentissimus Deus, (19))
Although these are CAI's official positions on these matters,
no individual staff member is bound to them as a condition of
his association with CAI's apostolate. Because every apostolate
invariably has a certain theological "flavor", however,
our President simply asks that all staff members keep an open
mind to these questions, even if they have already set views.
This is, of course, hardly an unreasonable request as Catholics
should keep an open mind on all undefined and debatable issues.
* Suffice it to say, Robert Sungenis does not consider those
holding opposing views to be any less Catholic than he is on these
subjects.