The Tutu Travel Seminar

 

The Tutu Travel Seminar exposed me to the complexity, courage, and compassion of the late Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu and touched my heart in countless and important ways. The trip, which took me over 17,000 miles in eight short days, was without doubt one of the most important spiritual encounters that I have ever experienced. In speaking to those who served him as chaplains and staff, and in being witness to the incredibly dedicated work of the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation and their powerful Truth to Power exhibition I do not believe that I would ever have fully understood the depth of the "Arch's" commitment to a most courageous leadership in the struggle against apartheid and leadership of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission (TRC).  


Tutu’s commitment to the theology of ubuntu, and his insistence that God loves all and that it is only God to whom we are accountable flowed from his disciplined prayer life. A prayer life that led him to a relationship with God that permeated his mind, his body, and his soul, and that generated a discipleship through which he led the people of South Africa in their opposition to apartheid with incredible courage and compassion. He saw apartheid, oppression, and injustice as blasphemous and evil because they made God's children doubt that they are God's children. He viewed racism as spiritually sinful.


The success of Tutu's leadership of the TRC was made possible only through his consistent insistence on providing a pastoral approach to the work of truth telling and healing. His entire being spoke of a non-judgmental love and a desire to bring the other into relationship with God through the unburdening process of repentance, storytelling, amnesty, and forgiveness. He suffered along with those who had known the pain of torture and death and the guilt of those who had inflicted it.



 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Robben Island

Image
During our last full day in South Africa, we will visit Robben Island.  Robben Island has been used as prison and a place where people were isolated, banished and exiled to for nearly 400 years. It was also used as a post office, a grazing ground, a mental hospital and an outpost.  Initially the island was inhabited by a variety of wildlife, including birds, penguins, seals and tortoises. Its name  "robben"  is derived from the Dutch, meaning a seal. It also had a plentiful supply of fresh water available from a number of springs. Batolomeu Dias, the Portuguese explorer, 'discovered' the island in 1488 when he anchored his ship in Table Bay.    During apartheid many Black people were kept on Robben Island as political prisoners. Former President Nelson Mandela was kept there for 18 of the 27 years he served in prison before the end of apartheid. The prison is internationally notorious for its harsh conditions and when the political prisoners of the apartheid governmen
Read more

Change of Plans

Image
Well, as you all know by now, I am back in Ft. Walton Beach - I am not in Italy. I had a bit of a tumble on the General Theological Seminary flagstone path and waded through two ER visits and five days of preaching tutorials. It seemed the wisest thing to return home and to be among my friends. Rest assured I am fine. Just a bit embarrassed. The class, Fresh Expressions in Preaching was suburb. I am so grateful to have been with Dr. Lisa Weaver (standing next to me) and Dr. Hillary Raining (in the white shirt). Their coaching tips on the sermons that we had to write, and deliver were invaluable. Stay tuned as I experiment with you all in my next sermon on July 10. By the way, I am now officially through my second year of the three-year doctoral program - wow!
Read more