Desmond Tutu Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ====SACC leadership==== {{Quote box | quote = We in the SACC believe in a non-racial South Africa where people count because they are made in the image of God. So the SACC is neither a black nor a white organization. It is a Christian organization with a definite bias in favour of the oppressed and the exploited ones of our society. | source=— Desmond Tutu, on the SACC{{sfn|Gish|2004|p=75}} | align = right | width = 25em }} After John Rees stepped down as general secretary of the [[South African Council of Churches]], Tutu was among the nominees for his successor. John Thorne was ultimately elected to the position, although stepped down after three months, with Tutu's agreeing to take over at the urging of the [[synod]] of bishops.{{sfnm|1a1=Du Boulay|1y=1988|1p=120|2a1=Gish|2y=2004|2p=69|3a1=Allen|3y=2006|3pp=164–165}} His decision angered many Anglicans in Lesotho, who felt that Tutu was abandoning them.{{sfnm|1a1=Du Boulay|1y=1988|1p=121|2a1=Gish|2y=2004|2p=69}} Tutu took charge of the SACC in March 1978.{{sfnm|1a1=Du Boulay|1y=1988|1p=130|2a1=Gish|2y=2004|2p=72|3a1=Allen|3y=2006|3p=167}} Back in Johannesburg—where the SACC's headquarters were based at Khotso House{{sfnm|1a1=Gish|1y=2004|1p=74|2a1=Allen|2y=2006|2p=170}}—the Tutus returned to their former Orlando West home, now bought for them by an anonymous foreign donor.{{sfn|Allen|2006|pp=169–170}} Leah gained employment as the assistant director of the [[South African Institute of Race Relations|Institute of Race Relations]].{{sfn|Allen|2006|p=170}} The SACC was one of the few Christian institutions in South Africa where black people had the majority representation;{{sfn|Allen|2006|p=168}} Tutu was its first black leader.{{sfn|Gish|2004|p=72}} There, he introduced a schedule of daily staff prayers, regular Bible study, monthly Eucharist, and silent retreats.{{sfn|Allen|2006|p=169}} Hegr also developed a new style of leadership, appointing senior staff who were capable of taking the initiative, delegating much of the SACC's detailed work to them, and keeping in touch with them through meetings and memorandums.{{sfn|Allen|2006|p=171}} Many of his staff referred to him as "Baba" (father).{{sfn|Gish|2004|p=73}} He was determined that the SACC become one of South Africa's most visible human rights advocacy organisations.{{sfn|Gish|2004|p=72}} His efforts gained him international recognition; the closing years of the 1970s saw him elected a [[Fellow#Academia|fellow]] of KCL and receive honorary doctorates from the [[University of Kent]], General Theological Seminary, and [[Harvard University]].{{sfnm|1a1=Du Boulay|1y=1988|1p=169|2a1=Gish|2y=2004|2pp=89–90}} As head of the SACC, Tutu's time was dominated by fundraising for the organisation's projects.{{sfnm|1a1=Du Boulay|1y=1988|1p=154|2a1=Gish|2y=2004|2p=73}} Under Tutu's tenure, it was revealed that one of the SACC's divisional directors had been stealing funds. In 1981 a government commission launched to investigate the issue, headed by the judge [[Frikkie Eloff|C. F. Eloff]].{{sfnm|1a1=Du Boulay|1y=1988|1pp=172–177|2a1=Gish|2y=2004|2p=82|3a1=Allen|3y=2006|3pp=192–197}} Tutu gave evidence to the commission, during which he condemned apartheid as "evil" and "unchristian".{{sfnm|1a1=Gish|1y=2004|1pp=83–84|2a1=Allen|2y=2006|2pp=197–199}} When the Eloff report was published, Tutu criticised it, focusing particularly on the absence of any theologians on its board, likening it to "a group of blind men" judging the [[Chelsea Flower Show]].{{sfnm|1a1=Du Boulay|1y=1988|1p=178|2a1=Allen|2y=2006|2pp=197–199}} In 1981 Tutu also became the rector of St Augustine's Church in Soweto's [[Orlando West]].{{sfnm|1a1=Du Boulay|1y=1988|1p=135|2a1=Gish|2y=2004|2p=75|3a1=Allen|3y=2006|3p=215}} The following year he published a collection of his sermons and speeches, ''Crying in the Wilderness: The Struggle for Justice in South Africa'';{{sfn|Gish|2004|p=144}} another volume, ''Hope and Suffering'', appeared in 1984.{{sfn|Gish|2004|p=144}} Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page