Obama & Notre Dame: Providing Hope that Bishops are ready for Change

As many of you are aware, this afternoon President Obama will be receiving an honorary law degree from the University of Notre Dame and giving a commencement address to graduating students. When this decision was announced, it received a firestorm of criticism from the Catholics faithful.  Seventy-nine U.S. Bishops have spoken-out against the decision and over 360,000 individuals signed an online position stating that it was inappropriate to bestow such an honour on a politician who has already dealt devastating blows to the sanctity of life in America.  

Fr. John Jenkins, the President of the University, refused to either withdraw his invitation or even admit that it was in error. In a May 11th letter to graduating students, Fr. Jenkins remarked:

Honour everyone. Love the family of believers. Fear God. Honour the emperor. (NRSV)

In the original Greek, the passage reads “τὸν βασιλέα τιμᾶτε”.  Βασιλέ or “basileus” is the word for king and to the ancient Greeks was often used to refer to the king of Persia.  The basileus was a hereditary king, obtaining his authority through birth.  Democratic Athens did not have a basileus.

A king is neither elected by the people nor democratically answerable.  Therefore, the basis for honouring a king differs from that for which we would honour a democratically elected politician.  Aquinas observed that an essential aspect of hereditary kingship is God’s determination of who occupies the office - God forms a future king within the mother’s womb:

“This people was governed under the special care of God: wherefore it is written (Deuteronomy 7:6): “The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be His peculiar people”: and this is why the Lord reserved to Himself the institution of the chief ruler. For this too did Moses pray (Numbers 27:16): “May the Lord the God of the spirits of all the flesh provide a man, that may be over this multitude.” Thus by God’s orders Josue was set at the head in place of Moses; and we read about each of the judges who succeeded Josue that God “raised . . . up a saviour” for the people, and that “the spirit of the Lord was” in them (Judges 3:9-15). Hence the Lord did not leave the choice of a king to the people; but reserved this to Himself, as appears from Deuteronomy 17:15: “Thou shalt set him whom the Lord thy God shall choose.“ (Summa Theologica, Vol 1, 105, Art. 1)

A democratically elected official is not divinely appointed but permitted, chosen by and answerable to the citizens.  As the office of President is not permanently held by a person, the two may be separated.  When Obama ceases to be President, he will still hold an honorary law degree from the University of Notre Dame.  As such, Obama’s honourary doctorate attaches to the man and not the office.  I Pt. 2:17 simply does not support the bestowing of an honorary doctorate upon Barack Hussein Obama II.

Sadly, the Notre Dame debacle is another example of a Catholic presenting an unauthentic witness of who we are and what we stand for. Yet many Catholics stood up proudly in defence of the truth. Perhaps most importantly, this incident gives further evidence that each day more and more Bishops are beginning to walk the way of the apostles. Matthew 9:36 reflects that when Jesus saw the crowds “He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (ESV) Notre Dame’s faux pas may be a fait accompli, but let us give thanks that those truly chosen by God to lead His people are responding to their call.