The boundless heart of Desmond Tutu

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, speaking at the University of North Florida this weekend, said that the Anglican communion should support its first openly gay bishop. I was moved by the words of this wonderful man, who I was fortunate enough to hear in person a few years ago, and by his continued courage and leadership. On this same day, I read a transcript of Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan William's Q&A session at the meeting of the Global South bishops last month. The contrast between the two men could not be more evident: one, personally courageous and answering always to a higher authority than any human one; the other, setting aside his personal integrity to try to hold together an institution that is itself the last vestige of the British Empire.

And actually, I think I am more fascinated by these human choices than anything else about this whole controversy. What makes one person  -- Tutu, or Robinson -- have such a strong sense of personal integrity, while others, coming out of the same training and tradition, neither have that nor seem aware that they don't? The world is in such a crisis of moral leadership, whether we look at politics or churches or secular institutions. So few people are willing to take a stand for justice, for peace, for humanity. So many use other issues as a smokescreen, and are focussed instead on not losing what they think they have, on clinging tightly, and making enormous moral compromises in order to hang on - to oil, to power, to money, to the past, to patriarchical tradition. I'm grateful that I don't have as much, and can at least think about making changes in my life to bring it more and more in line with personal integrity - God knows we all make plenty of compromises and are enmeshed in systems of taxation and consumption and often unwitting complicity in power and money schemes.

Here is Tutu:

“Jesus did not say, ‘I if I be lifted up I will draw some.'Jesus said, ‘If I be lifted up I will draw all, all, all, all, all. Black, white, yellow, rich, poor, clever, not so clever, beautiful, not so beautiful. It’s one of the most radical things. All, all, all, all, all, all, all, all. All belong. Gay, lesbian, so-called straight. All, all are meant to be held in this incredible embrace that will not let us go. All.”

“Isn’t it sad, that in a time when we face so many devastating problems – poverty, HIV/AIDS, war and conflict - that in our Communion we should be investing so much time and energy on disagreement about sexual orientation?”

Tutu said the Communion, which “used to be known for embodying the attribute of comprehensiveness, of inclusiveness, where we were meant to accommodate all and diverse views, saying we may differ in our theology but we belong together as sisters and brothers” now seems “hell-bent on excommunicating one another. God must look on and God must weep.”

Emphasizing the connectedness of the human family, Tutu further asked: "How could we then -- we who are family - go on spending obscene amounts on budgets of death and destruction, knowing full well that a minute fraction of these would insure that children everywhere would have clean water to drink, would have enough food to eat, would have adequate, affordable health care, would have decent homes. How could we if we really are those who pray as our Lord has taught us? How can we be willing to drop bombs on those who are our sisters and brothers, children of God, members of our family? God’s family. How could we?”

How could we, indeed?

Comments

[Marja-Leena]

His words are indeed very wise, yet so common-sense that it always amazes me that the whole world doesn't see it, and practice it, but remains blinded by all those other things, or "compromises" that you mentioned, Beth. It makes me want to weep too.

[Mary]

Desmond Tutu is indeed a remarkable man. I am glad you linked to this, Beth.

[ernesto Priego]

Though I am not a religious person, I do enjoy reading your posts and your views on important issues, like this one. It is so comforting to know that there still are people like Desmond Tutu, speaking to people, getting heard. Thank you very much for sharing this, Beth.

I agree with Marja-Leena: it's so common-sense that is is painfully surprising how some people (a lot of people) just won't see it.

Love from Mexico.