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! ===Joining the clergy: 1956β1966=== [[File:St Albans, Golders Green-2.jpg|thumb|right|Tutu first ministered to a white congregation at the Church of St Alban the Martyr in Golders Green, living with his family in the curate's flat]] In 1953, the white-minority [[National Party (South Africa)|National Party]] government introduced the [[Bantu Education Act, 1953|Bantu Education Act]] to further their [[apartheid]] system of racial segregation and white domination. Disliking the Act, Tutu and his wife left the teaching profession.{{sfnm|1a1=Du Boulay|1y=1988|1pp=41β45|2a1=Gish|2y=2004|2pp=20β21|3a1=Allen|3y=2006|3pp=60β61}} With Huddleston's support, Tutu chose to become an Anglican priest.{{sfnm|1a1=Gish|1y=2004|1p=23|2a1=Allen|2y=2006|2p=61}} In January 1956, his request to join the Ordinands Guild was turned down due to his debts; these were then paid off by the wealthy industrialist [[Harry Oppenheimer]].{{sfn|Allen|2006|pp=61β62}} Tutu was admitted to [[Federal Theological Seminary of Southern Africa|St Peter's Theological College]] in [[Rosettenville, Gauteng|Rosettenville]], Johannesburg, which was run by the Anglican [[Community of the Resurrection]].{{sfnm|1a1=Du Boulay|1y=1988|1p=46|2a1=Gish|2y=2004|2p=25|3a1=Allen|3y=2006|3pp=63β64}} The college was residential, and Tutu lived there while his wife trained as a nurse in [[Sekhukhuneland]]; their children lived with Tutu's parents in [[Munsieville]].{{sfnm|1a1=Gish|1y=2004|1p=26|2a1=Allen|2y=2006|2p=64}} In August 1960, his wife gave birth to another daughter, Naomi.{{sfn|Allen|2006|p=68}} At the college, Tutu studied the Bible, Anglican doctrine, church history, and Christian ethics,{{sfnm|1a1=Du Boulay|1y=1988|1p=47|2a1=Allen|2y=2006|2pp=64β65}} earning a [[Licentiate of Theology]] degree,{{sfn|Du Boulay|1988|p=47}} and winning the archbishop's annual essay prize.{{sfnm|1a1=Du Boulay|1y=1988|1pp=62β63|2a1=Gish|2y=2004|2p=35|3a1=Allen|3y=2006|3p=72}} The college's principal, Godfrey Pawson, wrote that Tutu "has exceptional knowledge and intelligence and is very industrious. At the same time, he shows no arrogance, mixes in well, and is popular ... He has obvious gifts of leadership."{{sfn|Allen|2006|p=67}} During his years at the college, there had been an intensification in anti-apartheid activism as well as a crackdown against it, including the [[Sharpeville massacre]] of 1960.{{sfnm|1a1=Gish|1y=2004|1p=26|2a1=Allen|2y=2006|2pp=68β69}} Tutu and the other trainees did not engage in anti-apartheid campaigns;{{sfnm|1a1=Du Boulay|1y=1988|1p=49|2a1=Allen|2y=2006|2p=70}} he later noted that they were "in some ways a very apolitical bunch".{{sfn|Allen|2006|p=70}} In December 1960, [[Edward Paget (bishop)|Edward Paget]] ordained Tutu as an Anglican priest at [[St Mary's Cathedral, Johannesburg|St Mary's Cathedral]].{{sfnm|1a1=Du Boulay|1y=1988|1p=54|2a1=Gish|2y=2004|2p=28|3a1=Allen|3y=2006|3p=74}} Tutu was then appointed assistant curate in St Alban's Parish, [[Benoni, Gauteng|Benoni]], where he was reunited with his wife and children,{{sfnm|1a1=Du Boulay|1y=1988|1pp=54β55|2a1=Gish|2y=2004|2p=28|3a1=Allen|3y=2006|3p=74}} and earned two-thirds of what his white counterparts were given.{{sfn|Allen|2006|p=75}} In 1962, Tutu was transferred to St Philip's Church in [[Thokoza]], where he was placed in charge of the congregation and developed a passion for pastoral ministry.{{sfnm|1a1=Du Boulay|1y=1988|1pp=55|2a1=Gish|2y=2004|2p=28|3a1=Allen|3y=2006|3p=76}} Many in South Africa's white-dominated Anglican establishment felt the need for more black Africans in positions of ecclesiastical authority; to assist in this, Aelfred Stubbs proposed that Tutu train as a theology teacher at [[King's College London]] (KCL).{{sfnm|1a1=Du Boulay|1y=1988|1p=57|2a1=Gish|2y=2004|2p=31|3a1=Allen|3y=2006|3p=77}} Funding was secured from the [[International Missionary Council]]'s Theological Education Fund (TEF),{{sfn|Allen|2006|p=81}} and the government agreed to give the Tutus permission to move to Britain.{{sfnm|1a1=Gish|1y=2004|1p=31|2a1=Allen|2y=2006|2pp=79β81}} They duly did so in September 1962.{{sfn|Du Boulay|1988|p=57}} [[File:Bletchingley Church in September 2010.jpg|thumb|left|During his master's degree, Tutu worked as assistant curate at St Mary's Church in Bletchingley, Surrey]] At KCL, Tutu studied under theologians like [[Dennis Nineham]], [[Christopher Evans (theologian)|Christopher Evans]], [[Sydney Evans (priest)|Sydney Evans]], [[Geoffrey Parrinder]], and [[Eric Mascall]].{{sfn|Allen|2006|p=86}} In London, the Tutus felt liberated experiencing a life free from South Africa's apartheid and [[pass laws]];{{sfnm|1a1=Du Boulay|1y=1988|1p=58|2a1=Gish|2y=2004|2p=32|3a1=Allen|3y=2006|3p=87}} he later noted that "there is racism in England, but we were not exposed to it".{{sfn|Allen|2006|p=87}} He was also impressed by the [[freedom of speech]] in the country, especially at [[Speakers' Corner]] in London's [[Hyde Park, London|Hyde Park]].{{sfn|Du Boulay|1988|p=59}} The family moved into the curate's flat behind the Church of St Alban the Martyr in [[Golders Green]], where Tutu assisted Sunday services, the first time that he had ministered to a white congregation.{{sfnm|1a1=Du Boulay|1y=1988|1pp=57β58, 63|2a1=Gish|2y=2004|2pp=31, 33|3a1=Allen|3y=2006|3pp=84, 87}} It was in the flat that a daughter, [[Mpho Andrea Tutu]], was born in 1963.{{sfnm|1a1=Gish|1y=2004|1p=34|2a1=Allen|2y=2006|2p=88}} Tutu was academically successful and his tutors suggested that he convert to an [[honours degree]], which entailed his also studying [[Hebrew]].{{sfn|Allen|2006|pp=89β90}} He received his degree from [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother]] in a ceremony held at the [[Royal Albert Hall]].{{sfn|Du Boulay|1988|p=61}} Tutu then secured a TEF grant to study for a master's degree,{{sfnm|1a1=Du Boulay|1y=1988|1pp=61β62|2a1=Allen|2y=2006|2p=92}} doing so from October 1965 until September 1966, completing his dissertation on [[Islam]] in West Africa.{{sfnm|1a1=Gish|1y=2004|1p=35|2a1=Allen|2y=2006|2pp=92, 95}} During this period, the family moved to [[Bletchingley]] in Surrey, where Tutu worked as the assistant curate of St Mary's Church.{{sfnm|1a1=Du Boulay|1y=1988|1p=63|2a1=Gish|2y=2004|2p=35|3a1=Allen|3y=2006|3p=93}} In the village, he encouraged cooperation between his Anglican parishioners and the local Roman Catholic and Methodist communities.{{sfn|Gish|2004|p=35}} Tutu's time in London helped him to jettison any bitterness to whites and feelings of racial inferiority; he overcame his habit of automatically deferring to whites.{{sfn|Gish|2004|p=34}} 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