Did Judas Get A Bum Rap?

This is really bizarre. I saw a small portion of Larry King this evening with guest George Clooney. He was saying that he grew up Catholic but got into a little trouble sometimes by asking/suggesting things like "without Judas this whole thing wouldn't have worked ..." Now, I run across this artice on beliefnet about the ancient 'Gospel of Judas:'

The first translation of an ancient, self-proclaimed 'Gospel of Judas' will be published in late April, bringing to light what some scholars believe are the writings of an early Christian sect suppressed for supporting Jesus Christ's infamous betrayer.

If authentic, the manuscript could add to the understanding of Gnosticism, an unorthodox Christian theology denounced by the early church. The Roman Catholic Church is aware of the manuscript, which a Vatican historian calls 'religious fantasy.'

According to scholars who have seen photographs of the brittle manuscript, it argues that Judas Iscariot was carrying out God's will when he handed Christ over to his executioners. The manuscript could bring momentum to a broader academic movement that argues Judas has gotten a bum rap among both historians and theologians, as well as in popular culture ...

I know I'm starting trouble because I've already forwarded this to a couple of lists that I am on. I always get the thumpers going! But now that I think about it, perhaps the youthful George Clooney had a point. Had Judas not sold Jesus out, there would have been no crucifixion, death, burial or ressurection. The cornerstone of Christianity is that Jesus suffered and died on the cross for our sins. So was Judas a "Judas" or was he actually a pre-ordained catalyst for our salvation?