Posted on 11/14/2005 3:56:27 PM PST by sionnsar
Desmond Tutu, South Africa's former Anglican primate, occupies a unique position in the liberal Anglican world. For years, Tutu was the public face of the struggle against apartheid in the West and he never lacked a Western forum any time he wanted one. Because he was an African from an oppressive country and because only one sin concerned him, the secular western media in Europe and America bestowed "living saint" status on him meaning that every word that came out of his mouth was extremely important.
Partially as a result of the identification of the western Anglican churches with him and his cause and partially because he is an intellectual lightweight, Tutu began to champion western liberal causes after apartheid was overthrown. He became a kind of secular liberal house chaplain, providing a "Christian" imprimatur for whatever the cause happened to be. Get Desmond Tutu on your side and you're no longer a socialist trying to destroy Western civilization; you're a "Christian" pursuing "justice."
This is illustrated by a recent sermon Tutu delivered at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, California. To say that Tutu was preaching to the choir is an understatement; all you need to know about All Saints is that Susan Russell is on staff there and the man who gave this sermon used to be its rector:
In an All Saints’ Sunday sermon stating that God’s people "are meant to be family," Archbishop Desmond Tutu called Anglicans everywhere to remember the "comprehensiveness" of their tradition.
"Jesus did not say, ’I if I be lifted up I will draw some,’" Tutu said, preaching in two morning festival services at All Saints’ Church in Pasadena, California. "Jesus said, ’I if I be lifted up I will draw all, all, all, all, all. Black, white, yellow, rich, poor, clever, not so clever, beautiful, not so beautiful. It’s one of the most radical things. All, all, all, all, all, all, all, all. All belong. Gay, lesbian, so-called straight. All, all are meant to be held in this incredible embrace that will not let us go. All.
Universalism. Gee, what a surprise in an ECUSA joint like All Saints. Actually, Des, Jesus will indeed draw all, all, all, all, all, all, all, all, all, all to himself. Those who repent, repent, repent, repent, repent, repent, repent, repent, repent, repent of their sins, sins, sins, sins, sins, sins, sins, sins, sins, sins, those things that Jesus died, died, died, died, died, died, died, died, died, died for on the Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross, Cross. Then Des, sticking to the script, plays the tired old "we have far more important things to worry about than who Gene Robinson does the deed with" card.
"Isn’t it sad, that in a time when we face so many devastating problems -- poverty, HIV/AIDS, war and conflict -- that in our Communion we should be investing so much time and energy on disagreement about sexual orientation?" asked Tutu, the Nobel laureate and Archbishop Emeritus of Southern Africa.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is what they mean by works righteousness. Boink anybody you want to as long as you sign my antiwar petition. Be as much of a slimebag as you care to as long as you put in a little time raising awareness about world poverty. Take this to the bank; when the Adulterous-American community gets its PR act together, western Anglicanism, assuming it hasn't been subsumed by the Uni-Uni's or the Ethical Culturists, has got some more lies and distortions "movements of the spirit" ahead of it.
Pointing to the Anglican tradition of tolerance, Tutu said the Communion, which "used to be known for embodying the attribute of comprehensiveness, of inclusiveness, where we were meant to accommodate all and diverse views, saying we may differ in our theology but we belong together as sisters and brothers" now seems "hell-bent on excommunicating one another. God must look on and God must weep."
Actually, Des, "the Anglican tradition of tolerance" refers to those who like involved, elaborate Christian liturgies and those who prefer a simpler and more Protestant form of Christian worship. It doesn't and never has referred to one segment of the church being Christian while the other is not. And God must cry His eyes out when he beholds a "Christian church" that plows under what His Son did on the Cross because it would really rather not confront the secular culture in any truly meaningful way, thank you very much, since it might upset someone somewhere.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. I always thought that Tutu was and is a big fraud.
Excellent article.
You'll get no disagreement here.
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