Archbishop Desmond Tutu was born in 1931 in Klerksdorp , South Africa and he died on the 26th December 2021. We went to visit his body as it lay in the simple pine box in St Georges Cathedral which held so many of the stories of his life.
If you visit Cape Town , South Africa, I whole heartedly encourage you to visit the Desmond Tutu Foundation exhibition of the life of Tutu and the intersection of his life with the struggle against Apartheid.
I have visited this space many times. One of these was as our outing with The Meeting Room. This space is beautifully put together and walks the visitor through the life of this remarkable man.
His love for his wife Leah is evident and tangible and it must have been extremely taxing on their relationship as it was on many of the struggle veterans who persevered through terrible times. Many marriages did not make it.
As ....one more draconian law followed another , this part of the church spoke out boldly....
This last visit I went with my friend who is studying theology. It was a deep thrill visiting with her because we could talk about the thread of theology that has been shared throughout the exhibition and how this clearly influenced The Arch's life and pathway.
This exhibition highlights the role that the Anglican church played during and after the struggle in South Africa and that Desmond Tutu never gave up speaking truth to power. His book on Joy that is written with the Dali lama is one of the most beautiful books I have read.
I recall that when I first became a follower of Jesus, the very often and general speak was that The Archbishop was not a "real " christian. As if we get to decide who is and is not and what is real and what is not. I remember thinking, "These people do not know who this beautiful man is." And, I was right. From this exhibition and books written about this The Arch , which is what those who loved him called him, could not more clearly exhibit a life of someone who walked in deep relationship with God.
When The Arch died, the country mourned his passing and we deeply miss his prophetic voice. We joined the long queue of mourners who wanted to pay their respects and deep gratitude for this man whose life was well lived. Sadly, the same narrative was raised about this amazing man whose very life shone like that of one who knows God deeply. This speak did not surprise me but saddened me greatly. It showed how little people had shifted in understanding the struggle and more than that the role of the church. For too many, politics and Christ do not mix. What they fail to grasp is that the gospel is deeply political.
If only..... If only these very same people who shout so loudly with such certainty would come down from their pedestal and sit at the feet of this man to listen and learn, then perhaps they would see something other than the simple narrow gospel they cling to. The Arch had a tangible and deep love for God and his faith in Jesus and his love of people remained steadfast throughout his life. This man who chaired the TRC and held those terrible stories in his heart. This man who wept for the pain of his fellow mankind and who saw that white people needed healing too. Come and taste what God has done through the life of this humble servant. That would be my invitation .
St Georges Cathedral is one of the sacred spaces I love to visit. Every Wednesday fellow activists hold a vigil outside in solidarity with Palestine. The trees and the building behind us remind me of the road walked by many who love Jesus and who act out of that love for their fellow mankind.
I am grateful for these fellow sojourners.
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