Desmond Tutu’s Religious Beliefs and Opposition to Apartheid

Desmond Tutu became one of South Africa’s most out spoken annotator of apartheid. His religious belief was based upon the biblical teachings of Christ. Tutu believed in the biblical teaching of Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew, nor Greek, slave nor free, male more female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gish 128). That particular biblical teaching taught of equality for all whites, blacks and colored people.

Apartheid itself started off of as religion and that was the main reason why it was able to stand for so long was because of the Whites wrong interpretation of the Bible, that stated that : White people are superior to the Blacks but clearly it was not so in the eye’s of God. Being a Christian to him meant objecting to racial discrimination and prejudice (http://countrystudies. us/south-africa/53. htm ). Tutu believed in what the Bible said as being true and correct “I now realize that it the true that God treats everyone on the same basis” (Act 10:34).

It was the religious teachings in Christianity that motivated him rather than political hunger. As a priest Tutu felt that it was his responsibility to do what it was that God wanted him to do and racial segregation was not part of God’s plan for South Africa. Tutu would often describe the Apartheid as "evil and unchristian”. He was influenced in his views by white clergymen, who were also opponent of apartheid. (http://teacherlink. ed. usu. edu/tlresources/units/byrnes-famous/desmond. htm).

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Tutu frequently told the government of South Africa that apartheid was not part of God’s plan and that it was doomed for failure (http://www. sahistory. org. za/people/archbishop-emeritus-mpilo-desmond-tutu). What also motivated him was the fact that he too was also discriminated against for being Black, he was deprived the right to do basic duties of a citizen of South Africa (couldn’t vote, had to Carry a pass, etc) but he had the support of the Black and colored community which encouraged him to fight for equal civil rights for all, the abolition of South Africa’s passport laws, and a common education system (http://www. oreorless. au. com/heroes/tutu. html ), (http://teacherlink. ed. usu. edu/tlresources/units/byrnes-famous/desmond. htm ). While Tutu was in London, England he found a “new world” where there was respect for all people of every single skin color. The experience in London was exhilarating for Tutu’s family, after the oppression under apartheid. Tutu was able to dabble in his love for cricket. He even has the opportunity to preach to a white congregation. Those few years spent in London fuel his urge to fight apartheid even more. http://www. sahistory. org. za/people/archbishop-emeritus-mpilo-desmond-tutu ). He wanted to make that change in South Africa. A few years after returning to South Africa Tutu was appointed the first black Archbishop of Cape Town in the Anglican Church. With such prestige power he was vigorously promoted “speak truth to power”. He encouraged the use of non violent resistance by the blacks and also the world wide community by applying economic sanctions against the government of South Africa.

As result of this the government threw him in prison for a short time frame and cancelled his passport (http://www. tutu. org/timeline/1976-1983/ ). Inevitably, Tutu began to speak out against the injustices of the apartheid system. He supported an international boycott to pressure his country into a peaceful reform; he was publically raising international awareness of what was really happening in South Africa. He tried to urge foreign companies to disinvest in South Africa particularly the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom.

This was an effort to pressurize the government to break down and it soon succeeded (http://www. thefamouspeople. com/profiles/desmond-tutu-75. php ) (http://www. tutu. org/timeline/1976-1983/ ) (Gish 90). Tutu tireless anti apartheid campaigning during the 1980 eventually won him the Nobel peace prize. The Nobel committee cited this “role as a unifying leader figure in the campaign to resolve the problem in South Africa”.

He was chosen by President Nelson Mandel to chair South Africa’s Truth and reconciliation commission, which was set up to investigate crimes that were committed during the apartheid regime. This committee acted as a healing body for all who was affected by the apartheid reign “people has been bottled up for so long that when the chance came for them to tell their stories, the floodgates opened” (http://www. tutu. org/peace-centre/), (http://www. justice. gov. za/trc/ ). Tutu used his faith in God, prayer, speeches, words, and non- violence to stand up for the rights of people in South Africa to fight apartheid.

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