Tutu Continues His Witness in South African Struggle
Episcopal News Service. March 24, 1988 [88053]
NEW YORK (DPS, Mar. 24) -- The Churches of the Anglican Communion began to close ranks anew this week behind the Churches of South Africa and their continuing struggle against the government and the racist system of apartheid. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Anglican primate of South Africa, has been and remains in the forefront of the resistance.
On Feb. 29 Tutu and a number of other South African Christian leaders -- Reformed and Roman Catholic as well as Anglican -- made a peaceful march to the vicinity of the South African Parliament in Johannesburg to witness and pray, in part for the organizations and individuals who had recently been subjected to new and more severe restrictions on their protest activities by the national government, and to deliver a petition to the State President and Parliament. Tutu and the other leaders were briefly arrested and then released. At that time, Tutu sent out a call to fellow-Anglicans around the world for support in his special ministry to the people of South Africa. The Episcopal Church's Executive Council answered that call with a swift challenge to the US Government to sever formal ties with Pretoria.
On Mar. 21, on the eve of an emergency meeting of the House of Bishops of the Anglican Province of Southern Africa to be convened in Johannesburg, Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie sent a strong message of support and, in response to a request from the African bishops, a personal envoy, Bishop of Lichfield, the Rt. Rev. Keith Sutton, to attend the emergency meeting and show support for the Anglican church in South Africa and for Tutu's leadership. "It seems plain to me," Runcie stated, "that the South Africa government are intent upon isolating Archbishop Tutu and other Christian leaders, Catholic and Reformed, from the Churches they represent. I do not believe that they will succeed in this. Christian churches around the world should take every opportunity to show solidarity with brave Christian witness in South Africa."
In his statement, the Archbishop of Canterbury was responding not only to the severe restrictions placed by the South African government on all expressions of opposition; he was also responding to renewed personal attacks on the leadership of Tutu made by South African State President P.W. Botha in an exchange between the two leaders, following the protest march in Johannesburg. The religious leaders had been unable to deliver their petition to Parliament on the occasion of the march. (See pp. 6) Tutu forwarded it to State President Botha with the following brief note: "Dear Mr. State President and Members of Parliament: The leaders of South African churches who attempted to deliver the attached petition yesterday have asked me to ensure that you receive it through the post. We regret the condition of the petition which is a result of a water cannon of the South African Police being used upon the person who was carrying it."
In response to the petition of the church leaders and to Tutu, Botha replied (two weeks later) with a letter attacking both the Primate's personal integrity and the validity of the protest by religious leaders: "... I wish to ask whether it is your considered opinion that the so-called march on Parliament was really necessary, and worthy of the cause and message of Christ and the churches represented by those who were involved, knowing that the actions were illegal?" Botha went on to register his opinion of what the real purpose of the march of the religious leaders might have been: "I am sure you will agree that the whole basis of your action is...seriously in question, and that it was to a large degree planned as a calculated public relations exercise." Botha then linked the stance of Tutu and the other religious leaders as enhancing the goals of "marxist" elements in the South African protest movement: "You are no doubt aware that the expressed intention of the revolution planned by the ANC/SACP [African National Congress/South African Communist Party] alliance is to ultimately transform South Africa into an atheistic, Marxist state, where freedom of faith and worship will surely be among the first casualties."
On Mar. 22 the House of Bishops of the Anglican Province of Southern Africa did meet in an emergency session, and they were joined by the Archbishop of Canterbury's personal representative, Keith Sutton, Bishop of Lichfield. In a frank and open discussion, the gathered bishops analyzed the intentions of the South African government in its categorical attack on Church protest against government policy and its specific goal of isolating Tutu, both as a leader and as an individual working for his country's freedom. Tutu stated publicly after his arrest on Feb. 29 that it was his duty as a Christian to witness to the truth as he saw it mandated by the Gospels. His brother bishops gave every evidence that they were solidly behind him in the increasingly difficult and dangerous fight that they saw ahead. In a statement issued at the end of their meeting (See pp. 8) the Southern African bishops left no doubt as to where they stood: "We call on our people not to allow the Government and its propaganda to isolate them from their bishops, including the Archbishop. The Gospel is at stake here and not simply the personal reputation of an individual. The time has come for us to stand together as Christians and as Anglicans and to say with one voice, that we will not be deterred by threats and accusation from obeying God who in the last resort has a higher claim on our allegiance than any kings, princes or presidents.