Christianity
Desmond Tutu
12:00
Desmond Tutu
Introduction
On September 26 2009, the popular Scottish-American comedian and talk show host,
Craig Ferguson, was asked which of the guests he had interviewed over his long
career had changed his life the most? His reply was ‘Desmond Tutu’. Ferguson went
on to describe Desmond as an ‘incredible human being.’ Similarly Paula Ettelbrick
(1955-2011), a US campaigner for gay and lesbian rights, called Desmond ‘the
premier human rights leader'.
Who is this man who has reached out and touched the lives of so many people around
the world in a positive way?
Childhood
Desmond Mpilo Tutu was born on 7 October 1931 in Klerksdorp, South Africa. His
father was a teacher and, although Desmond and his family were slightly better off
than other black people in the area, they still lived in a basic house that had no toilet or
electricity. Desmond was a cheeky child who was known to be a bit of a joker. His
family prioritised education and Desmond proved to be gifted in most subjects, except
maths, which he hated. Despite Desmond being a bright and high achieving pupil his
chances of being successful after school were slim to none. Why? Because Desmond
was black and life for black people in South Africa was, for most of the 20th century,
awful.
In the 17th and 18th centuries white settlers had moved to South Africa from Britain
and Holland. Many of the settlers from Holland had a particularly poor view of black
people, seeing them as second-class citizens. In 1913, some 18 years before
Desmond was born, the Natives Land Act was passed. This act meant that the black
population was effectively unable to own their own land. Life for black people rapidly
deteriorated. In terms of education, white and black pupils were educated in different
schools. Not only that, the mostly wealthy white schools provided free meals for their
pupils whilst in the black schools pupils had to pay. Since these pupils were poor,
many had to raid dustbins in order to find food. As a result of the government’s lack of
investment in education for black pupils many went on to become adults who worked
in low paid dirty jobs – the jobs white settlers didn’t want to do themselves.
Aged 14, Desmond suffered from tuberculosis causing him to be hospitalized for two
years. Tuberculosis (TB) affects the lungs and one of its causes is poor living
conditions. Even today, over 2 million people worldwide die as a result of TB. It was
whilst in hospital that Desmond began to reflect on his own spirituality and beliefs and
eventually he became a committed Christian. Desmond’s journey of faith was greatly
influenced by a priest called Father Trevor Huddleston. When Desmond was in
hospital, Huddleston visited him on a regular basis, and the two became lifelong
friends. Importantly, Huddleston did not judge Desmond by the colour of his skin but
treated him as an equal.
Apartheid begins
On 4 June 1948, when Desmond was 15 years old, the National Party was voted into
power. This was terrible news for Desmond and the rest of the South African black
population. After winning the election the National Party began to implement a policy
called 'apartheid'.
Apartheid is an Afrikaans (the language spoken by the Dutch settlers) word that
literally translated means ‘apartness’. The National Party believed that black and white
people should be separated both socially and politically. This meant that the black
majority could not officially be represented in government and also meant that blacks
could, for example, not eat in the same restaurants or travel on the same buses as the
white minority. Essentially, this had been the societal norm since the settlers had first
taken power but now the National Party made sure it was legally binding.
If a black person attempted to integrate with a white person they were breaking the law
and could end up being imprisoned. A further example of how apartheid dramatically
affected the lives of both black and white South Africans was the introduction of the
Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act which the National Party introduced in 1949. This
made it illegal for a black person to marry a white person and vice versa. It wasn’t just
marriage which was illegal either, any sexual contact between a white and a black
person was viewed as immoral. If caught the couple could, again, end up in jail.
Perhaps the greatest limiting and demoralizing aspect of apartheid was the legal
requirement for a black person to hold a Pass Book. Pass Books had been introduced
in 1923 but it was Pass Laws Act of 1953 which made it compulsory for every black
person over the age of 16 to carry a Pass Book with them at all points when in a white
area. Every white South African had the right to ask a black South African to show
their Pass Book. There are even stories of some white children embarrassing adult
black South Africans by asking them to show their Pass Book. Legally, a black person
was not permitted to ask why. Failure to show their Pass Book would often result in the
black person being sent to jail.
The introduction of apartheid upset and angered the black population and many
responded aggressively towards the white settlers. The largest anti-apartheid political
movement was called the ANC (African National Congress). Throughout the 1950s the
ANC led a defiance campaign, calling for strikes and boycotts in order to make the
National Party’s time in power as difficult as possible.
Early career
Desmond the teacher
In 1951, following in his father’s footsteps, Desmond trained as a secondary school
teacher. He loved teaching and proved to be popular with pupils, but it was hard. Class
sizes were much larger than they are in Scotland today and the lack of money
invested in education for black pupils by the National Party meant that even essentials
such as pencils and paper were scarce.
The situation for black pupils was made even worse when, in 1953, the National Party
introduced the Bantu Education Act. Bantu is the Afrikaans word that refers to the
many different tribal languages spoken by the indigenous black population. This act
greatly reduced the opportunities for black pupils by limiting their school curriculum.
Black pupils could now only study subjects that would prepare them for low paid
manual jobs. Desmond’s heart was broken – he could no longer teach the subjects
that he wished to. As a result, he left teaching.
Called by God
Whilst at college Desmond fell in love with a fellow student called Namalizo Leah
Shenxane and in 1955 the couple were married. Shortly after marrying Leah,
Desmond believed that God was calling him into the Anglican Priesthood and in 1958
he started his training at St Peter’s Theology College in Johannesburg.
Desmond was motivated partly because of his Christian beliefs but also because he
believed he could make a real difference to the lives of black South Africans by giving
them a louder voice in the Anglican Church. In South Africa, whilst many of the
mainstream churches disagreed with apartheid, one branch of the church, the Dutch
Reformed Church, claimed that God agreed with apartheid. Leaders within the Dutch
Reformed Church tried to find passages in the Bible that legitimised their prejudices
against black South Africans and which also supported apartheid.
Sharpeville Massacre
On 21 March 1960, fed up with the injustice of apartheid, many black residents in a
township called Sharpeville decided to hold a protest. They left their homes without
their Pass Books and marched around the township demanding an end to the injustice
of apartheid. Whilst the protest was largely peaceful some protestors became angry
and threw stones at the police. The police unexpectedly opened fire leading to
confusion and panic.
By the end of the protest, 69 protestors had been killed and a further 180 injured. The
event soon became known as the Sharpeville Massacre and, as news spread around
South Africa, there were further attacks and murders across the country. Worried that
the angry black South African population would hold further protests and cause more
disruption, the National Party responded to the Sharpeville Massacre by banning the
ANC and another black political movement, the Pan Africanist Congress (PAN).
Early church career
In the 1960s Desmond’s career in the church really took off. In 1960 he was ordained
as a deacon and then in 1961, aged 30, he was ordained as an Anglican priest.
Demond’s church was in a township, a poor slum area where black Africans were
forced to live.
Desmond didn’t just believe that being a priest was a nine to five job, he believed it
was a vocation, a special calling that had been given to him by God. Despite the hard
conditions, Desmond enjoyed caring for people and sharing God’s love with them. In
1962 Desmond accepted an offer to gain a second theology degree in the United
Kingdom.
With Leah, and his young family in tow, Desmond set off to their new parish in Surrey,
England. Here Desmond would work as a part-time curate whilst also studying at
King’s College, London. St Mary’s, the church Desmond worked at in Surrey, was the
polar opposite of the church he had worked at in South Africa. The congregation was
predominantly white and many were extremely wealthy. Desmond did not mind this as
he believed that God’s love is for everyone, both poor and rich.
Desmond and his family, for the first time in their lives, experienced what life could be
like without government-enforced racism. No longer did they have to carry Pass Books
or travel on separate trains and buses. Importantly, they now felt safe – it was
liberating! It was in England that Desmond began to become much more politically
motivated. He took every opportunity he could of telling his congregation about the
terrible conditions black South African were living in.
Working for change in South Africa
Nelson Mandela arrested
Whilst Desmond and his family enjoyed relative peace and stability in the United
Kingdom during the 1960s, life back home for black South Africans was getting worse
and worse. The ANC encouraged supporters to break the laws of the National Party.
Many who did this were arrested and tortured. Some disappeared altogether. Led by
the young Nelson Mandela, who would later become a close friend of Desmond, the
ANC’s military wing sought to cause as much disruption for South Africa as possible.
The primary aim was to make apartheid inconvenient and expensive.
As a last resort, Mandela and other ANC leaders agreed that a bombing campaign
might help bring an end to apartheid. Their main targets were buildings such as pass
offices and government offices. The ANC wanted to make a statement and let the
government know how angry black South Africans were with the law as it stood. The
military campaign was not as successful as the ANC would have liked and, in 1962,
Mandela was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Back home
In 1967 Desmond and his family returned to South Africa where he took up a teaching
position at St Peter’s College. Desmond was deeply upset that things had taken a turn
for the worst in his absence and whilst he agreed with the sentiment of the ANC he
believed that only through peaceful protest could apartheid be brought to an end.
Desmond was becoming more and more politically motivated. Now, in speeches and
sermons, He would make explicit references to the evils of apartheid. He also started
attending student demonstrations against apartheid. On one occasion Desmond stood
between the police and student protestors. An emotional man, after witnessing police
aggression towards the young black student protestors, he broke down in tears. He
was determined he had to help bring an end to this terrible racist policy.
Dean of Johannesburg Cathedral
In 1970 Desmond took up a teaching position at the National University of Lesotho.
Lesotho is a land-locked country within South Africa. Desmond then moved back to
England in 1972, after accepting a job with the World Council of Churches. He worked
in England for a further three years until, in 1975, he was offered an incredibly
prestigious position back in South Africa.
Desmond was given the opportunity of becoming the Dean of Johannesburg. This job
meant that he would be the first black leader of Johannesburg Cathedral. Moving back
to South Africa was a tough decision for the Tutu family, especially for Leah who
enjoyed the peace and security her children could experience in the UK.
After giving careful thought to his final decision, including praying to God and going on
a Christian retreat, Desmond accepted the new position. Johanesburg Cathedral is a
spectacular building and, like his church in Surrey, the majority of the congregation
were wealthy. Although blacks and whites were allowed to worship together there was
still a clear divide between the two factions of the congregation. Desmond put an end
to this by encouraging all members of the congregation to welcome each other and to
shake hands with each other at the start of services.
One of the perks of the job, so to speak, was the Dean’s house. Desmond and his
family were offered this house, which was in a lovely white area of the city. They could
not accept this offer. Desmond needed to show the congregation that his heart was
with the poor black South Africans who were incredibly marginalized as a result of
apartheid. Therefore, the Tutu family moved to the slum area of Soweto. Like other
townships and slums in South Africa, Soweto had very poor sanitation and hardly any
infrastructures. There were poor roads, no electricity and no toilets.
Black and feminist theology
Desmond was quickly getting a name for himself as being a radical Christian preacher.
Whilst lecturing in Losotho, Desmond had become increasingly fascinated with Black
Theology. Black Theology attempts to understand the Bible and Christian history
through the eyes of black people.
For nearly 2000 years Christianity had been practiced and preached predominantly by
white people. When European missionaries brought Christianity to Africa in the 18th
and 19th centuries they had imported the white European model of Christianity.
For example, the way in which church services were conducted in Africa were the
same as those back in Europe – hymns and music were the same as well as art.
Desmond believed that the Christian Good News was for all people and therefore
black people should be represented in the Church more visibly. He also believed that
the way black people read and interpret the Bible can be different to the way in which
white people do so.
Desmond was also a supporter of the feminist movement and a vocal supporter of the
ordination of female clergy. He also had no issues removing sexist language from the
Bible to make it more inclusive. Of course, Desmond’s views were not accepted by
everyone within the church and some members of the congregation and wider church
hierarchy were upset with Desmond using the pulpit to put across his opinions. This is
something that Desmond has had to get used to over his long and varied career.
Soweto Uprising
Another turning point in the apartheid story was the Soweto uprising. Desmond was
worried that the situation in South Africa had become so critical that there would soon
be immense bloodshed – that day eventually came.
Angered by the Bantu Education Act, over 15,000 school children went on a peaceful
march on June 16 1977. Black students were upset at being forced to learn and speak
Afrikaans, the language of the white Dutch settlers. For them it symbolised oppression
and racism. Despite police barricading the intended route of the march, the protestors
found alternative routes. Police claimed that some protestors began hurling stones at
them. Soon the police opened fire on the student protestors. The first victim was a 13year-old boy called Hector Pieterson who was shot at Orlando West High School.
The uprising escalated and violence continued for several days. Hundreds of people
died in the uprising and over 1000 were injured. After the uprising, Desmond was
bitterly upset with the government, believing that if the victims had been white rather
than black there would have been a far greater government response.
The world begins to take notice
The South African Council of Churches
After the uprising Desmond reluctantly took up a new post as Bishop of Lesotho. He
stayed in this position until 1978 when he was asked to become the Secretary-General
of the South African Council of Churches. This position provided Desmond with the
opportunity of becoming an official church spokesperson. He used his role to speak
about the evils of apartheid and was part of a group of church leaders from all
denominations who wrote a statement declaring that apartheid was unchristian and not
Christ-like. He also made comparisons between apartheid and Nazism. Unlike other
black South Africans, Desmond still believed that the only way to end apartheid was
peacefully. He also stated that there needed to be reconciliation between black and
white South Africans.
Even taking part in peaceful protests got Desmond into trouble and, on one occasion,
he ended up in jail. Desmond even had his passport temporarily removed for causing
so many disturbances. Desmond believed that being a good example and role model
would encourage a peaceful end to apartheid.
For example, he took part in the symbolic rebuilding of Mogopa, a black village whose
residents were being forced to move to a township many miles away in order to make
way for white settlers. The destruction of Mogopa was not an isolated incident. From
1960 to 1983 the National Party forcibly moved over 3.5 millions black South Africans
from their homes, using the excuse that even African tribes should be kept together
and not be able to live with others. In reality, the National Party wanted to squeeze
more and more land form the black South Africans in order to sell it to the wealthy
white population.
Nobel Peace Prize
As Secretary-General of the South African Council of Churches Desmond was able to
travel the world speaking out against apartheid. As a result of his work in the field of
human rights, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984. He returned to South
Africa a hero and was met by crowds of supporters both black and white.
At a press conference later, Desmond made it clear that there could never be any real
peace in South Africa where there was injustice. Again, Desmond reinforced his
believe that violence was not the way to bring about peace and an end to apartheid.
State of Emergency
The 1980s were a very tense time in South Africa. The police had a heavy handed
approach with the black population leading to violent attacks and further uprisings.
Some black South Africans became frustrated with Desmond’s belief in non violence.
Indeed, they were so desperate that many black South Africans turned on each other
accusing individuals of being traitors and working with the police. Desmond witnessed
a mother being tortured to death because she was accused of being an 'informer'.
At this point even Desmond had nearly had enough and he threatened to leave South
Africa for good. Eventually in 1985 a State of Emergency was declared in South Africa
and the international community started to put pressure on South Africa to end
apartheid.
Archbishop of Cape Town
In 1986 Desmond was appointed as Archbishop of Cape Town. He was the first black
man to hold this position. Being appointed as Archbishop anywhere in the world is a
huge privilege but for Desmond it was even more special. He took up office in a
difficult period.
During the late 1980s over 1000 black people died in violence caused by apartheid.
His sermons at Cape Town Cathedral were politically charged. On one occasion, when
Desmond heard that the then US president, Ronald Reagan, was not supporting
economic sanctions against South Africa, he declared that America could 'go to hell.'
The end of apartheid
Something remarkable happened in South Africa in 1989. FW de Klerk was elected as
president of the country. De Klerk was the most progressive president that South
Africa had seen and he wished to end apartheid. De Klerk was instrumental in
organising the release of Nelson Mandela and also lifted the ban on the ANC and
PAC.
Like Desmond, de Klerk wanted a peaceful end to apartheid and encouraged all South
Africans to forgive and move forward together. Eventually, in 1994, after five decades
of exclusive white rule, Nelson Mandela was voted as the first black president in the
first truly democratic election South Africa had ever seen.
Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Nelson Mandela gave Desmond a leading role in the new government’s
administration. So much injustice had occurred during the apartheid era and so many
crimes had been left uninvestigated. Therefore, Desmond became leader of the Truth
and Reconciliation Commission.
Desmond and his team had the hard job of trying to ensure that justice was carried
out. Both victims and perpetrators were encouraged to come forward and share their
stories in order to establish the truth of the many crimes that had taken place. It was a
hard and sometimes painful job, yet also incredibly rewarding.
On one occasion Desmond had to sit through an account of how a group of white men
had drugged a black man, shot him in the head and burned his body on a fire. Whilst
his body burned they had a BBQ and shared beers. Stories like this led Desmond to
ask ‘What could have happened to the humanity of anyone that they could think so
low?’
The success of the Truth and Reconcilliation Commission ensured that South Africa’s
transition to a full democracy was as peaceful as possible. Finally, in 1996 a new
constitution was put in place ensuring full equal rights for all South African citizens,
both black and white. Desmond was delighted and called South Africa the 'Rainbow
nation' a term that many use to today to celebrate the country’s ethnic diversity.
Desmond – the premier human rights leader
Desmond stood down from office as Archbishop of Cape Town in 1996 and, although
he officially retired from all public duties in 2010, he continues to be an advocate for
human rights around the world. He speaks out for the rights of all who are weak, all
who suffer and all who are marginalized.
His work has taken him to Israel and Palestine, where he has spoken out against the
Israeli treatment of the Palestinians. He has also worked with his friend the Dalai Lama
to speak out against the Chinese occupation of Tibet. In 2003 Desmond supported the
election of Gene Robinson, an openly gay Anglican priest. This proved to be a
controversial move and some in the church again labeled Desmond a troublemaker.
However, he has remained steadfast in his beliefs and in 2007 in a BBC interview
Desmond said 'If God, as they say, is homophobic, I wouldn’t worship that God.'
Ubuntu
All of Desmond’s life and work has been motivated by a South African philosophy
called Ubuntu. Ubuntu means that we cannot be human on our own but only become
human by accepting our place in relation to other human beings. We are all part of the
world and should learn to accept and value each and everyone’s individual
uniqueness.
For Desmond, if we were all the same, the world would be an incredibly dull place.
Every human being experiences hurt and heartache in their lifetime but, only by
learning to forgive can we find peace, move on and live a happy and joyful existence.
As Desmond said to Craig Ferguson in Ferguson’s life-changing interview,'There is
actually no future without forgiveness.'
Activities to support learning
Think

Create a visual timeline of Desmond’s life. Include all of the key events that
influenced Desmond.

Print out a map of South Africa. On this map, mark significant places in
Desmond’s life.

Desmond said ‘There is actually no future without forgiveness.’ Do you agree
with this statement? Give reasons for your answer.

Find out more about the Anglican, Roman Catholic and Dutch Reformed
Churches stance on apartheid. Write down your findings as a magazine article.

Find out more about the term 'ubuntu'. Who else applies it to their life? Do you
think it is a good philosophy of life?

Carry out further research on black theology or feminist theology. Write a ‘For
Dummies’ guide on your chosen theology.
Reflect

Do you agree with Desmond’s belief in non-violence?

Do you think that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission ensured that justice
was done?

Are some forms of prejudice more damaging than others? Think about the
types of prejudice that Desmond addressed.

Read Galatians 3:28. What do you think it means?

Desmond is an inclusivist, believing that there is value and truth in all religions.
What are the benefits and difficulties with this standpoint?

What do you think is the most severe form of prejudice in Scotland today? How
might we go about reducing this type of prejudice?
Talk

With others in your class, write a script for ‘Desmond Tutu: This is your life’.
Include key figures and events. Try and build into Desmond’s responses as
many of his beliefs and values as possible. You may want to approach this task
as a whole class with each group being responsible for a different stage of
Desmond’s life.

In groups find out more about other key black African figures. You could choose
Nelson Mandela, Steve Biko and Wangari Maathai. Present your findings to the
rest of the class.

Carry out research on another Nobel Prize Winner. Record a pod cast to share
your findings with other class members. Upload your pod cast on to the
departmental website, class BLOG or GLOW page.
Act

Research charities and NGOs that work in South Africa. After carrying out this
research, vote on one project or charity you and your classmates can help.
Organise a fundraiser to help raise money for this charity. Involve the school
SMT with this. Invite along local press to ensure your fundraiser gets as much
coverage as possible. Make sure you mention your motivation was finding out
about the Desmond Tutu story.

Organise a poster competition in your school. The theme of the poster is
‘Scotland – a rainbow nation’. (You may need to explain to younger year groups
what this means). Approach local businesses for a prize. Display winning
entries across the school and in local shops.
Read

God is not a Christian: Desmond Tutu

God has a Dream – A Vision of Hope for Our Times: Desmond Tutu

Made for Goodness: Desmond Tutu

No Future Without Forgiveness – A Personal Overview of South Africa’s Truth
and Reconciliation Commission: Desmond Tutu

Reconciliation – The Ubuntu Theology of Desmond Tutu: Michael Jesse Battle

Long Walk to Freedom: Nelson Mandela

Cry Freedom: John Briley
Surf

You Tube: Craig Ferguson's interview with Desmond Tutu (all parts)

Nobel Prize website: Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize winner 1984

The Desmond Tutu Peace Centre website

BBC News: Profile of Archbishop Desmond Tutu