The
ARCHBISHOP and THE BIBLE
The
Most Revd. DESMOND MPILO TUTU:
"I
say the things I say because of who I am.
My ultimate mandate is from Jesus Christ." (Argus,
28.4.86)
Becoming
Archbishop "is all like a dream. I am quite overcome
by the awesomeness of it all, and of the tremendous responsibility
that has been placed on my shoulders." (Cape
Times, 16.4.86)
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|
Bishop
Tutu
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The
Bible
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| On
the Divinity of Christ "Some people thought there was something
odd about Jesus' birth… It may be that Jesus was an illegitimate
son." (Cape Times, 24.10.80) |
Jesus
Christ, the Son of God "Behold, a virgin shall be with child,
and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel,
which being interpeted is, God with us." (Isiah 7:14 - Matthew
1:23). "and the virgin's name was Mary." (Luke 1:27) |
| On
the Holy Spirit "The Holy Spirit is not limited to the Christian
Church. For example, Mahatma Gandhi, who is a Hindu… The Holy
Spirit shines through him." (St. Alban's Cathedral, Pretoria,
23.11.78) |
The
Holy Spirit Testifies of Christ Jesus said: "The Spirit of Truth,
who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness to Me." (John
15:26). "He will glorify Me, for He will take what is Mine, and
declare it to you." (John 16:14) |
| On
the Kingdom of God "When justice prevails over injustice as in
Zimbabwe, it shows that the kingdom of God is here already."
(Ecunews 11/1980) |
The Kingdom of God is Within You Jesus said: "My kingdom is not
of this world." (John 18:36). "Unless one is born anew…
born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."
(John 3:3, 5) |
| On
Peace "I receive the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the Nelson
Mandelas, the Walter Sisulus, the Govan Mbekis, the Winnie Mandelas,
the Albertina Sisulus." (Winnie Mandela: "With our boxes
of matches and our necklaces we shall liberate this country."
- 30.4.86 at Munsieville, Tvl., UCANEWS 9/86) |
The
Peace of God "Bessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called
sons of God." (Matthew 5:9) "Peace I leave with you; not
as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled,
neither let them be afraid.." (John 14:17) "The peace of
God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds
in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:7) |
| On
the ANC "Mandela is my leader, and I am not going to be dictated
to as to who should be my leader." (The Star, 16.8.85) (Nelson
Mandela: "There is no alternative to taking up arms. There is
no room for peaceful struggle in South Africa." (Washington Times,
cit. UCANEWS 10/85) |
Look
unto Jesus, the Author of our Faith Jesus said: "Follow Me…
I am the light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life." (John 8:12) |
| On
the West's Refusal to Disinvest "The West can go to Hell!"
(Cape Times, 23.7.86) |
The
Keys of Hell Jesus Christ: "I am alive for evermore, Amen; and
have the keys of hell and death." (Rev. 1:18) |
| On
Rebellion "You build up a process of disobeying on a massive
scale, that will mean nearly all the laws in the statute book, so
that this country becomes ungovernable." (Eloff Report, 1984) |
No
Rebellion - God is a God of Order "Those who forsake the law
praise the wicked, but those who keep the law strive against them."
(Proverbs 28:4). "Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human
institution, whether it be to the Emperor as supreme, or to governors
as sent by Him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who
do right." (l Peter 2:13, 14) |
| On
Violence "One young man with a stone in his hands can achieve
more than I can with a dozen sermons." (Daily Telegraph, London,
Nov. 1984) "Unless America puts pressure on South Africa…
the only way forward is to overthrow the Government by force."
(Sunday Times, 26.1.86) "There comes a time when it is justifiable
to overthrow an unjust system by violence." (Argus, 3.4.86) "I
will tell you the day… (when) we must use violence to overthrow
an unjust system." (The Argus, 24.6.87) |
No
Violence - All Authority comes from God. "A man of violence entices
his neighbour and leads him in a way that is not good." (Proverbs
16:29) "Let every peson be subject to the governing authorities.
For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have
been instituted by God. Therefore who resists the authorities, resists
what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment."
(Romans 13: 1, 2) |
| On
the Last Judgment "Thank God I am black. White people will have
a lot to answer for at the last judgment." (Argus, 19.3.84) |
Jesus
Christ only is the Judge "God will render to every man according
to his works: To those who by patience and well-doing seek for glory
and honour and immortality, He will give eternal life; but for those
who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there
will be wrath and fury." (Romans 2:6-8) |
| On
Neighbour-Relations "I am not saying Whites would be massacred…"
(Cape Times, 11.12.84) "Imagine what would happen if only 30
percent of domestic servants (in white households) would poison their
employers' food." (Volkskrant, Holland, 15.11.84) "Suppose
you gave them each a vial of arsenic… They look after the white
people's children…" (WNBC-TV Dec. 85) "Is it not surprising
that Black resistance has not yet blown up a schoolbus with white
children? They are the softest targets." (Ibid. and Sunday Times,
26.l.86) "There will be no sympathy for the Jews when the Blacks
take over." (Boston Jewish Times, Nov. 21, 1986) |
Love
your Neighbour "Devise not evil against your neighbour who dwells
trustingly beside you." (Proverbs 3:29). "Love does no wrong
to a neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."
(Romans 13:10) "So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good
to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."
(Galatians 6:12). "Whatever you wish that men would do to you,
do so to them." (Mathew 7:12) |
| On
Communism "If the Russians were to come to South Africa, most
Blacks would welcome them as saviours." (St. Paul's Cathedral,
London, November 1984) "Communist China will provide a very good
model for developing countries." (Washington Inquirer, 29.8.86) |
Salvation
only in Christ False prophets "promise freedom, but they themselves
are slaves of corruption." (2 Peter 2:19). "There is salvation
in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among
men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) |
| On
Revolution "Every Christian must be a revolutionary. Jesus was
a revolutionry. I am a revolutionary if you understand by that somebody
who wants to completely change things." (Rapport, 20.4.86) |
Revolution
of the Heart "Put off the old nature and put on the new nature,
created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."
(Ephesians 4:24) |
| On
Daily Bread "I call on the international community to apply punitive
sanctions against this Government." (Argus, 3.4.86) "I do
not regret what I have said, (Die Burger, 22.8.86) and I am not going
to be dictated to by anybody." |
Murder
by Starvation "The bread of the needy is the life of the poor;
whoever deprives them of it is a man of blood. To take away a neighbour's
living is to murder him; to deprive an employee of his wages is to
shed blood." (Ecclesiasticus 34:21-22 |
| On
Economics "I am a socialist. I hate capitalism." (Sunday
Times, 29.12.85; idea 32/83) "I think I would use Marxist insights,
'From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.'
That, I think, is in line with what Our Lord, himself, would have
taught." (Inside South Africa, April 1988) |
Work
and Pray "You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He
who gives you power to get wealth; that He may confirm His covenant
which He swore to your fathers." (Deut. 8:18) "A slack hand
causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich." (Prov.
10:4, 6) "If anyone will not work, let him not eat." (2
Thess. 3:10) |
| On
Christ's Political Role "If Jesus Christ came to South Africa
today, he would be in trouble with the authorities because of his
solidarity with the poor, the oppressed, the hungry, and he would
certainly be detained… I am sure that many whites would say that
he deserved it; there is no smoke without fire." (Cape Times,
14.2.86) |
Jesus
did not Seek Political Conflict Jesus said: "Render to Caesar
the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."
(Matt. 22:21; Mk. 12:17; Lk. 20:25) The Roman governor Pontius Pilate
"sought to release Him", saying: "I find no crime in
him." (John 19:6, 12) "I did not find this man guilty…I
have found in him no crime deserving death." (Lk. 23:14, 22) |
| "A
bishop, as God's steward, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant
or quick tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but
hospitable, a lover of goodness, master of himself, upright, holy,
and self-controlled; he must hold firm to the sure word as taught,
so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also
confute those who contradict it." (Titus 1:7-9) |
