In Theory: Did President Obama really deserve the Nobel Prize?

Q. President Obama last week was awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for his “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” The decision to award President Obama the Nobel Peace Prize has been met with mixed reaction, from support to skepticism. What do you think? Do you believe Obama deserved to be awarded the Nobel?

Amy Pringle: Isn’t it curious, that the whole world has gone to their inner-playground-child place over this issue? (“That’s not fair! How come he gets candy?”) Republicans and Democrats alike, liberals and conservatives, are all dwelling on the question of whether the President deserves deserves this honor. I have heard little intelligent commentary analyzing, for instance, how the Nobel committee might be taking a new approach to the award; or creatively wondering what path this “call to action” might follow in the coming years — only petty bickering about whether or not Obama is worthy.

Biblically speaking, the argument aligns with a millennia-old theological dilemma, a long wrestle with the question of reward and punishment. The Deuteronomic school of thought, which runs throughout the First Testament but is found especially in the Psalms and the books of Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua and Judges, suggests that keeping God’s commandments will bring reward from the Lord, while departing from them will bring punishment. From here the generalized idea developed: The good are favored by God and rewarded, while the wicked are rejected.

It’s not a far jump from there to the pettiness we’re hearing about the Nobel prize: What good thing did that guy do to deserve such reward?

Jesus told a story which speaks to the point (Matthew 20:1-16). A landowner hires laborers to work in his fields early one morning. Later in the morning, and again at noon, and even as late as five o’clock, he sees more laborers standing in the marketplace needing work, and sends them into his fields as well. At the end of the day, he pays all of them the same wage. Those who had worked all day were enraged that those who only worked the last few hours received equal pay.

The response of the landowner (who of course is a figure for God, and a symbol of divine grace) reads as a plausible response from the Nobel committee to its critics: “Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?”--AMY PRINGLE is rector of St. George’s Episcopal Church in La Cañada. Reach her at (818) 790-3323, ext. 11.

Rabbi Simcha Bachman: It is clear that since assuming the presidency, Mr. Obama has boldly attempted to bring about peace in various troubled areas of the world. While I may not always support each of the methods he has employed, I do feel that there should be recognition for the president’s earnest efforts to resolve conflicts and meet common challenges. I still have faith that the outcome of his peace-making endeavors will be positive, and I sincerely hope that we’ll soon see some significant diplomatic improvement in some of these places, particularly in the Middle East.

I was always under the impression that the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to outstanding individuals who produced tangible results — often after many years of struggle — rather than those who had recently launched new initiatives. Although I am hopeful that at some point in the next few years President Obama will earn this prize retroactively, I was quite surprised — just as he seemed to be — that it was awarded at this early stage of his work. Nevertheless, I am happy for our president and wish him much success in accomplishing the noble tasks he has undertaken.

Now that he has received this illustrious prize, I hope that President Obama will redouble his efforts to bring peace and harmony to the many distressed places across the globe. The president has described the award as a “call to action” for all those who believe in making the world a better place, and has said it can give added momentum to the quest for justice. I know that people of goodwill everywhere pray that we will all soon share the blessings of peace and security.--RABBI SIMCHA BACKMAN is spiritual leader of Chabad of Glendale and the Foothills. Reach him at (818) 240-2750.

Bryan Griem: As a kid I could think of no higher calling than president — leader of the free world! Now that I’m as old as the First Man, I’ve grown somewhat jaded in my opinion. Kudos that he could accomplish such a feat as obtaining the Oval Office, but by what means and purpose? How does one get to be president? Is it just saying the right things better than others, then weathering criticism enough to outlast them? When you obtain the position and everyone claims rewards for supporting you, does commander in chief continue to mean anything?

I think the high office has become a “high place,” where individuals are worshiped and even manipulated. The honorable feel it once had, that Uncle Sam embodiment that we all envision, is absent.

The Nobel Peace Prize garners similar opinion. Imagine receiving something so honorable, cosmopolitan, and historically memorable. Now consider Obama. He’s as mystified as we. He knows he’s done nothing deserving like his predecessors who brokered peace between hostile nations. Perhaps its for all the apologizing he’s done worldwide regarding Americas faults. Certainly that’s ingratiated him to this foreign reward agency. We’re all perplexed (and disillusioned) that the Nobel Prize has seemingly devolved into such ho-hum significance.

Jesus, the Prince of Peace, would not have received the Nobel Prize. He wasn’t about placating people, nor about making peace at all costs between human beings. His goal was to facilitate peace between man and God, and allowing that to work its way into human affairs.

He was crucified, also by committee, if you’ll recall.

When our man in the White House first establishes peace between himself and God, then political parties, and fellow citizens, then I’ll vote with the Norwegians. But as long as this prize winner pursues war against the unborn, marriage and red-blooded Americanism, I cannot countenance him as a noble Nobel.--REV. BRYAN GRIEM is pastor of Montrose Community Church. Reach him at (818) 249-0483.

Jon Barta: Certainly, congratulations are due President Obama for being honored in this way. He is only the fourth president to win this award, and that is noteworthy.

But with only a little less than a year in office and American soldiers still losing their lives in two countries, and with current discussion of sending 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan, I believe the award is premature.

Many believe, as I do, that this was more about intentions than accomplishments, about “vision” and “hope” as opposed to actual results. The man hailed as a peacemaker after his first year in office may yet be condemned as troublemaker after his fourth.

Let a sustained track record be the measure, as it was for President Carter. Peacemakers should be and will be blessed according to Jesus. But Scripture warns us not to be hasty in our evaluation and exaltation of men: “Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thus share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin” (1 Timothy 5:22); “It is a snare for a man to say rashly, It is holy! And after the vows to make inquiry” (Proverbs 20:25).

It is my sincere hope that President Obama lives up to the standards for which he has been awarded.--JON BARTA is pastor of Valley Baptist Church in Burbank. Reach him at (818) 845-7871.

Clifford “Skip” Lindeman: President Obama’s opponent in last fall’s election was Sen. John McCain of Arizona. Sen. McCain said we should always be proud when a U.S. president is awarded such a prize. So I’m happy for the president, and I’m proud that the leader of the free world has received such recognition.

However, I also believe the award was somewhat premature. It’s almost as if the award was granted to the president for what he hopes to do, not what he has accomplished. Also, as I heard one Washington newsman point out, Obama’s predecessor, George W. Bush, was not very popular in Europe, and so this award at this time has political overtones attached, and I’m sorry to say such a thing about an award as prestigious as the Nobel Peace Prize.

While I personally like what the president is trying to do, he has not come close to accomplishing his goals because he has been in office only nine months. So the award may be more about hope than accomplishment.

Also, it now appears that there is something akin to the Oscar in the Nobel Prize: The winner of the Best Picture Award is not always the best picture, but there is a lot of hype and hoopla attached.

Unfortunately, those same conditions may affect the choices in the Nobel selection process.--CLIFFORD L. “SKIP” LINDEMAN is pastor of La Cañada Congregational Church. Reach him at (818) 790-1185.