Abstract
The Christian worldview of Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu: A general review In the light of the sad fact that Archbishop Tutu’s writings are often neither known nor read by the Afrikaans-speaking community, this tribute intends to be a brief, academic but accessible introduction to his thought – especially in the light of the fact that the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education recently honoured him with an honorary doctorate for his significant contribution to Christian thought and life in South Africa and the rest of the world. The focus of the article is not on Tutu as a person or his theology (which has been characterised in different ways), but provides an overview of his Christian worldview. Firstly, the different sources of his worldview are investigated. Secondly, an exposition is given of its six basic components: (1) Tutu’s idea of God; (2) of God’s laws for creation; (3) of time and history and (4) of our natural environment. The second article will deal separately with the two remaining components, viz (5) Tutu’s view of being human and (6) of society, because they should be regarded as his most important contribution in shaping a genuine Christian worldview. The preliminary conclusion is that, because Tutu listened carefully and obediently to God’s threefold revelation, he succeeded in proclaiming both an integral and a relevant Christian worldview. This worldview is not dualistic in nature, dividing life in secular and sacred domains; it emphasises God’s sovereignty over everything and religion as an all-encompassing service to God and our neighbour. The relevance of Tutu’s worldview can not be confined to the apartheid era – it offers valuable perspectives and directions for Christian life in our increasingly secularised contemporary world.
Highlights
The focus of the article is not on Tutu as a person or his theology, but provides an overview of his Christian worldview
An exposition is given of its six basic components: (1) Tutu’s idea of God; (2) of God’s laws for creation; (3) of time and history and (4) of our natural environment
Tutu gee sy lewensvisie nie ’n naam nie, iets wat ons sou kon help om dit van die verskeidenheid ander Christelike lewensvisies te onderskei
Summary
Op 27 November 2002 ken die Potchefstroomse Universiteit vir CHO die graad philosophiae doctor honoris causa toe aan aartsbiskop (emeritus) Desmond Mpilo Tutu op grond van sy Christenskap en sy bydrae tot die Christendom in Suid-Afrika, Afrika en die res van die wêreld. Dié twee komponente van sy lewensvisie sal sáám in die artikel wat hierna volg, aan die orde kom, omdat Tutu in sy geskrifte self daaraan die meeste aandag gegee het en dit dan ook as sy besondere bydrae tot ’n Christelike lewensbeskouing gesien kan word. 1997:24) dat die Bybel nie bedoel is om vir ons presies te sê hoe alles ontstaan het nie maar deur Wie en waarom dit geskep is. Samevattend die volgende konklusie: Omdat Tutu God se drieërlei openbaring ernstig bestudeer het, het hy daarin geslaag om nie net ’n integrale nie, maar ook ’n relevante Christelike lewensvisie te verwoord. Tutu gee sy lewensvisie nie ’n naam nie, iets wat ons sou kon help om dit van die verskeidenheid ander Christelike lewensvisies te onderskei. Moontlik spoor my “droër” weergawe lesers dus aan om Tutu eerder self te lees
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