It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that allowed me to glean helpful leadership insights from Archbishop Tutu that relate to all our callings. Let me share a few of those insights. In many cases the most important gift we can offer others is our presence — not just our physical presence but being fully attentive to the person we are with.
I still marvel today that when the archbishop first met someone and talked with them no longer than a minute, that person felt they had spent an eternity with him. The archbishop was attentive to the person in front of him and made that individual his sole focus, even if just for a few moments. In contrast, I am always doing several things at the same time, and I suspect most others are as well.
The practice of really paying attention to others makes a difference. It helps others feel that we are fully invested in what is at stake when discussing challenging topics. As leaders we can relate to others more effectively by foregoing our tendency to multitask.
The archbishop reminded me of a truth often expressed by the elders in the church. We are all children of God. This statement sounds simple but has profound implications. If I truly believe you are a child of God, then I must treat you as such. I cannot demean, vilify, or seek to embarrass you. I observed the archbishop continually extend grace and treat others like children of God no matter how they approached him. Tutu continues to add his voice to global crises where human rights violations are involved.
If the political price of your ascension to the highest office in Myanmar is silence, the price is surely too steep. Despite the views of the Anglican Church , Tutu has promoted a non-judgmental approach to same sex relationships including that of his own daughter. In refusing dying people the right to die with dignity, we fail to demonstrate the compassion that lies at the heart of Christian values. Tutu embraces everything noble in Aristotelian virtue ethics and African philosophical systems.
Aristotelian ethics would argue that a person who possesses character excellence knows what the right thing to do is, how to do it and when to do it. African philosophy embraces humanism and interdependence which typify Tutu. The consistency and integrity he has displayed in all facets of his life, including his relationships with his children and grandchildren, has earned him the iconic stature, respect and admiration he so richly deserves.
But Tutu himself will be the first to acknowledge that he too has an Achilles heel like anybody else. Others describe Tutu as a theologian, a preacher, and a church leader for a peaceful change in South Africa Pieterse a By contrast, according to Crompton , 47, 52, 71, 77 , critics also gave Tutu derogatory names.
They sometimes called him a hypocrite, and a 'job jumper'. The apartheid government described him as a gadfly at most; they viewed him as not very important as far as the government was concerned.
Furthermore, during the apartheid regime, some conservative Whites swore at and insulted him. His critics also called him rabble-rousing priest because of being vocal in his standpoint against the apartheid policy.
According to Tutu , 53 , in political circles during the apartheid era, his critics used to call him a political hothead, because he criticised apartheid; to some Whites, he was an irresponsible radical fire-eater who should have long been locked up, banned, had something equally horrible happen to him, an ogre, and a pastor trying hard to be a politician. During the apartheid era, the young Black youths criticised his pacifist ideas as inadequate for the s.
As a TRC chairperson, he was criticised for his merciful and compassionate ways toward old leaders of the apartheid system and for using the TRC to prosecute former struggle activists such as Winnie Mandela.
According to Tutu and Clarke , , , some sectors of his church and other Christian sectors criticised him. Independent Christian structures such as the Independent Reform Churches, the Dutch Reformed Church and the Christ League of South Africa criticised Tutu for his statements during his leadership ministry, especially during the apartheid era.
Tutu's critics did not simply use name-calling and derogatory descriptions; some also physically threatened him and his family to deter him in his course. Tutu received horrifying letters and telephone calls, and his family was threatened by obscene and demented calls Crompton ; Tutu Tutu's house was once subjected to sounds of hooters and lights by unknown people who intend to intimidate him Clarke Tutu's contribution towards development in South African society.
Development is intrinsically related to diakonia, hence Phiri and Kaunda argue that the focal point of development and diakonia is upholding of the human value. To achieve that, both development and diakonia need to conscientise human beings about the potential manipulation and exploitation by the surrounding social forces and structures. Not only that, development and diakonia must also provide skills and strategies to confront the evil social forces and structures and develop an alternative solution.
According to WCC , paragraph 4 diakonia involves both actions of care, relief and service, including confronting the root causes of injustices. This confrontation of the injustices must both be transforming and prophetic. It is transforming when it effects deep change in people, systems and concrete situations of life of those who are marginalised.
It is prophetic when it confronts the evil structures, the powers and principalities that oppress, exploit and wound all who are created in God's image. Moreover, diakonia promotes development of human beings to be able to address the human needs in crisis situations, and for advancing the course of justice and economic development of those in need WCC , paragraph 6. Hence, one can say diakonia and development function well when they focus on human development.
Development when integrated with diakonia and driven by the motives of gospel values, it becomes part of the mission of the local church. This we realise when development enables human beings to live life in fullness and being courageous to confront injustices that hinder life in fullness. Hence, development must engage humanity and confront social injustices. Tutu was passionate about the development of the South African society. In this article Korten's four-generation development theory will be used to analyse the contribution of Tutu's leadership ministry in the development of the South African society.
This Korten's four-generation development theory has four strategies of social development related with each generation theory. Swart adapted this Korten's four-generation development theory to be used to analyse the social involvement ministry by the church. Korten says that in this strategy, one volunteers and act to provide relief to an emergency.
The kind of help offered to the beneficiaries is humanitarian aid to address the immediate need of food, health care, and shelter. To sustain this kind of help, it depends on availability of funds, staff and administrative capability. The disadvantage with this approach is that it promotes passivity on the part of the beneficiaries, and a paternalistic attitude on the part of the benefactors.
This is because the relief is a temporary alleviation of the needs and do not contribute much to development assistance Korten Tutu , 46 , through various structures of the SACC. He contributed to the welfare of families of banned political prisoners and of those suffering from the injustices of the apartheid government. This he did by providing them with work to earn a living, money for burial and food to sustain them through difficult times and with legal aid to assist in the proper administration of justice against the apartheid government.
Furthermore, Tutu , 31 in addressing these immediate needs of the families of the political prisoners, he was inspired by the scripture and encouraged others to partake in offering this kind of help to those in need. For example, "we qualify ourselves for heaven by whether we have fed the hungry, clothed the naked, visited the sick or those imprisoned Isa ".
Tutu's contribution to the development in South Africa did not end with the welfare strategy to address the immediate needs. He was willing to shift to a better development approach, hence he had courage to challenge other institutions like the WCC to shift from this welfare approach.
This he did by warning the WCC that continuous humanitarian aid does not alleviate suffering Webster Rather, it encourages the recipients to acquiesce in their condition and incites the almsgiver to avoid confronting and changing the basic situation that elicited the need for alms Clarke Korten states that this strategy focuses on community self-help actions in various sectors of the economy, culture, and politics.
The purpose is to help people with skills that they can use to address their own human needs and become self-reliant. Factors like tradition, lack of education and others may be hindrance towards becoming self-reliant Korten To overcome that, external intervention towards self-reliance and self-advancement should be through empowerment, partnership and offer opportunity for the beneficiaries to partake in decision making and implementation so that the community members may realise their potential.
In this strategy the agent of intervention plays a role of a facilitator, or mobiliser. The problem with this approach is that the external intervention needs to ensure that the skill addressed is relevant and appropriate for self-reliance. This is because often the interventions done are given as sophisticated guise of handout, which give a lip service to self-reliance and make beneficiaries dependent on the donor.
Another challenge in this strategy is that the scope of impact of development is limited to the local area and does not influence the national or international policy makers and institutional designers.
Through the SACC, Tutu also used self-help projects for sustaining the lives of the victims of the apartheid regime. Tutu used SACC as a vehicle to contribute to alleviation of unemployment rate through helping people to produce income through self-help projects. Again, Tutu was willing to partake in community projects that would make available community services such as tarred roads, proper sewerage, and paved sidewalks. According to Korten this strategy focuses on matters beyond the local community because of the challenge that self-reliance of community members is possible only if it is linked to supportive national development policies and institutions.
He argues that to achieve this link with supportive national policies and institution, the external intervention has to facilitate change in the systems, policies and institutions that hinder development so that there would be justice, sustainable and inclusive development.
To bring this desired change, there is a need for collaboration and confrontation of the hindering systems, policies and institutions. This should happen whilst at the same time building capacity on the people to enable them make demands on the system to reap the required benefits Korten Again, in achieving this desired change, the external intervention should facilitate the relationship between the community and potential key players in the system, develop in-depth knowledge of the system and build awareness of the need to transform the critical institution or system.
In summary, the main goal of sustainable development strategy is to challenge dysfunctional policies, systems and institutions on all levels for the benefit of those affected on a wider scale.
The disadvantage of this strategy is that it is not always easy to change policies, systems and institutions that have existed for a long time.
In relation to this strategy, Tutu viewed apartheid as unjust, immoral and unchristian system. As a result, he challenged the nationalist government thinking, repressive policies that destabilised South Africa and hinders the practice of justice, peace and equality between both black and white Webster Some of the actions he did to challenge the Apartheid regime was writing letters to Apartheid government officials, marching in the street, and calling for economic sanctions against South Africa Tutu In his confrontation and condemning of the Apartheid system he was inspired by his Christian values, hence he says "As Christian we need to evaluate policies of the nationalist government, critique every political system and test it against gospel standards.
If certain laws do not agree with the gospel we must agitate for their repeal in all peaceful means. This strategy focuses on human growth in the context of values such as peace, justice and inclusiveness.
It engages critical theories to challenge social injustices and links local development efforts with larger structures that directly influence the efforts. It is about empowering people to drive social change through shaping of their thoughts, spirituality, actions on the matters like environment, human rights, peace and justice Korten It strives for decentralisation of structures of power to allow decision-making and control to be on the local level so that the benefits are used for enabling the beneficiaries to control their own sources.
This strategy has a vision towards common good and mobilising people towards independent action by individual and organisation Korten This independent action is the result of awakened conscience and public consciousness raised through common vision. The role of the external intervention could be to empower, motivate, share ideas and necessary resources to people movement Korten Again, the other role could be to influence members of the community towards alternative vision through ideas, vision and communication.
Tutu believed that alone he cannot win the struggle for justice. Hence, he focused on empowering and motivating other people to partake in the struggle against the Apartheid regime in their own context. Tutu's human empowerment was usually done from interpersonal relationship and public platform. For example, while at SACC he delegated some of his responsibilities to his senior staff members and often used spiritual practices like prayer and Eucharist and the scripture to direct people towards renewing their relationship with God and the other.
Even though he acknowledged the iniquity of humanity, he had relatively a positive view about human beings. Hence, he says, each of us has potential to do good, and God relies and depends on us to become agents of transformation that God uses to transform the world.
To help empower humanity to become partners of God and agents of transformation Tutu conducted numerous public teachings and wrote a lot about forgiveness, reconciliation, transformation of humanity and society. These teachings of Tutu were driven by his philosophy of change, which he believed should be through peace, the pursuance of justice, and non-violence. But what kind of change in humanity did Tutu desired to achieve? Tutu did want to see deep spiritual change in humanity.
A change that would enable South Africans to share, and value human dignity, spirituality, justice, and reconciliation Clarke In summary, Tutu's leadership ministry touched on Korten's four strategies of social development but not all to the same degree. His participation in development of the members of the South African community was motivated by the scriptures, not necessarily political motive.
The militant and the violent nature of the Apartheid regime and the tension it caused between itself and members of the black community, forced Tutu leadership to function more often on a welfare level to address the immediate humanitarian needs. However, it did not end there, as he always strived towards better approach to develop the members of the community of South Africa.
When opportunity arises he, used a faith-based organisation like SACC to facilitate community self-help projects. Even these self-help projects were not enough for Tutu to bring sustainable human development.
Hence, one can say Tutu's leadership engagement also functioned more at the systemic and structural level whereby he confronted Apartheid political power on-behalf-of the South African people. Tutu's leadership ministry did not only strive towards confronting the unjust rules and policies of apartheid, but also went deeper to challenge the thinking and the vision of separate development on a racial basis.
He mobilised the local and international communities to condemn and call for transformation of the unjust Apartheid policies, structures and officials. While confronting the unjust Apartheid system Tutu also facilitated empowerment of the members of the South African society through his interpersonal interaction and public lectures. For example, he introduced his spiritual practices to his staff member at the SACC, and by delegating some of his leadership responsibilities to them SAHO ; Clarke As Archbishop in Cape Town, he most of the time use a consensus leadership approach in order to avoid conflicts Allen As Bishop of Lesotho, he also groomed a Lesotho national, Philip Mokuku, to succeed him SAHO hence one can say Tutu's social involvement did not end with the development of the South African society but went even beyond the border of South Africa.
From development to transformation in society. According to Bragg , development is distinct from transformation. Bowers-Du Toit argues that hope and spiritual transformation distinguish forms of development from ministry of transformation.
According to Bragg, in order to shift towards a transformation of society, the following aspects need to be considered: life sustenance, equity, justice, dignity and self-worth, freedom, participation, reciprocity, cultural fit, ecological soundness, hope, and spiritual transformation. Intense study of the life narrative of Tutu proves that, Tutu's leadership in social development did endeavour to engage majority of the aspects mentioned above by Bragg.
Some of the above-mentioned aspects by Bragg are discussed elsewhere in the article, due to lack of space only hope and spiritual transformation will be discussed as essential elements of social transformation. To Tutu, religion and church must give hope to those who are hopeless Tutu Without a deep change of inner being, humanity remains self-centred. Bowers-Du Toit , argues that, in order to contribute towards social transformation, the agent, be it a church or an individual, must first be transformed in order to become a transformative agent in society.
For authentic transformation to happen, the church or the individual must engage the structure and spirituality of the system in order to transform relationships. Personal transformation must be prioritised before social transformation Du Toit , Tutu's spirituality empowered him to act as a transforming agent for the church, the organisations and the society he served. He wanted to see the change brought by his leadership ministry in the South African society.
This change was not simply a cosmetic change or a re-arrangement of things, but a fundamental change of humanity Tutu ; Clarke For example, Tutu criticised reckless Black taxi-drivers who despise themselves and other Black people but fear White people and the police in town.
He says those maverick and reckless taxi-drivers need to be spiritually liberated not to despise themselves and other Black people, because the latter must have pride and self-respect Tutu During the apartheid era, Tutu implored the White people to change.
For example, he urged them to voluntarily change their high standard of living and their attitude, as Black people are also human Tutu , Briefly, Tutu did insist on pursuing spiritual transformation in order to transform some of the human actions in society. In his sermons, social actions and personal devotion, Tutu often mentioned hope as part of the religious or church activities in society.
Based on his leadership ministry through sermons, social action and personal devotion, Tutu always insisted on having hope for the future and striving for transformation of relationship with each other, God and the environment and of the unjust social system and policies of the nationalist government. How did Tutu understand transformation? Tutu preferred to use transfiguration to delineate transformation.
Tutu argues that transfiguration is divine transformation. It is a process of releasing one from bondage and opens us to glorify God.
To Tutu transfiguration is radical transformation, not just cosmetic change or rearrangement of structure. Transfiguration it goes deeper to remove that which is festering, it cleanses, cauterises so that new beginning becomes possible. For his explanation of transfiguration, Tutu favoured metaphors such as when winter gives way to spring; wine and bread lifted to a higher order of being, and channel for divine life. According to Tutu, the principle of transfiguration says nothing; no one, no situation cannot be transfigured.
Transfiguration avers that an erstwhile persecutor can become the greatest missionary Paul , one who denies that his master can become the prince of apostles Peter. After the demise of Apartheid regime in and the potential challenges of AIDS, poverty and unemployment in South Africa, Tutu argued that transfiguration does not end with Apartheid regime, but it is an ongoing event to engage new problems of individuals and situation.
Furthermore, Tutu vii,viii,15,16 believes that God is the author of transformation in us and the world. To transform the world God uses us as partners and agents of transformation. This is despite our flaws because God knows our capacity and potential we must achieve and perform His will in the world.
Lessons derived from Tutu's leadership ministry. Considering the above discussions, we realise that Tutu was one of the vessels that God used to serve the world, be the advocate of the oppressed, and confront the perpetrators during the apartheid regime in South Africa, in order to transform the situation towards what God intends it to be. Tutu is an astute theologian, unflagging servant of the Lord, caring father, and a compassionate and transforming leader with a humorous and courageous personality and spirituality.
He adores not only personal devotion to God, but also concrete social involvement. First, Tutu's theology was influenced by African, liberation and Black theologies, resulting in his leadership ministry being radical, contextual, critical and relevant to the situation of South Africa. These theologies helped Tutu to challenge the hidden or visible powers within the public systems, structures and policies.
These theologies influenced Tutu to take a stand of understanding religion and God as not neutral but taking side especially of the weak and marginalised. Second, effective Christian leadership is characterised by clear theology of social action and mobilising humanity towards a transforming relationship with God.
Tutu's leadership engaged in social action on congregational, social and even global levels. The activities for his social ministry contributed to the social, economic, political and environmental development of the South African society.
Furthermore, through his integrity, prayer, Bible study and sermons, he continuously endeavoured to mobilise the South African society to develop hope and trust in God for freedom and a peaceful, non-violent transition to a new South Africa. Third, Tutu's leadership functioned within and beyond the church boundaries. Tutu refused to yield to the critiques that Christians, Christian religion or a church should focus on personal devotion at the expense of concrete action against social injustices.
He believed that Christians, Christian religion or a church must be involved in transforming unjust situations and give hope to the poor and the marginalised. Hence his leadership ministry challenged the stereotyped ministry of his church when he practised ministry that is non-racial and concerned with context beyond the church borders. He sternly criticised the apartheid government and its policies. Internationally, Tutu was a member of various organisations, enabling him to visit various countries to promote peace, reconciliation and justice and mobilise against the Apartheid regime of South Africa.
Fourth, to Tutu, the motive for our social involvement was to be driven by the imperatives of the gospel, not the human selfish agenda.
Tutu had a good knowledge of scripture Romans ; Ephesians ; Genesis 1,2; Isaiah that justified his actions towards the social development and transformation of the South African society.
Fifth, Tutu's leadership engaged all the strategies of Korten's four-generation development theory though one cannot say he used all theories to the same degree.
He gave food, money, and employment, and even challenged the policies and laws that contribute to the unjust situation of the poor and the oppressed on both national and international level. Tutu's development of the South African society engaged human empowerment and growth; this was a people-centred African development. For this reason, it can be said that Tutu's social development was localised and invested not necessarily in structures, but also in the ability of the South African community to bring out its members' potential, so that they can mobilise towards their own direction Speckman To Tutu it is important to empower people to develop their own future.
Tutu rejected or challenged whatever impeded this goal. For example, he knew the negative impact of continuous aid, as it promotes dependency of the recipients. Tutu may have been aware of the other negative consequences of continuous aid: delayed institutional maturation, retarded growth, it kills initiative, and encourages one to be a beggar Speckman , Sixth and lastly, Tutu's leadership never ended with human development, but he also strived towards both external and internal transformation.
Tutu's leadership strived for a fundamental change of the laws, rules, and policies of apartheid, human need for aid to self-empowerment and freedom, and thinking and vision. Furthermore, he strived to change the relationship of humanity with God, the environment and other human beings.
He challenged the thinking, vision, values and practices of the apartheid government, as well as both Black and White races by encouraging different races to reconcile and live in peace and by using radical theology and key biblical concepts of reconciliation, justice and peace to mobilise humanity towards having a transforming relationship with God.
He condemned the discriminatory practices of apartheid government officials, the vision of apartheid as separate development of different races, the police, and the evil structures of apartheid such as the homelands and the Bantu education system.
In conclusion, Tutu's leadership went beyond the development of the South African society towards giving hope to the poor, and promoting spiritual empowerment that strives for social transformation, and challenges social injustices. Christian leadership and churches are faced with complex, rapid and discontinuous change from both their immediate context and internal ministry. This has caused conflict and tension in the role of the church and Christian leadership in the development of society.
Some vow for religious piety with less concrete action, while others support social activism often without spiritual discernment. During this uncertainty and tension, Tutu's leadership provided some guidance and an example of how Christian leadership can practise effective ministry in the development and transformation of a society through churches or parachurches.
Tutu's leadership contributed to the development of the South African society during and after the apartheid era. For the effective development of South African society, Tutu's leadership invested considerably in an understanding how Christian leadership could use Christian religion to contribute towards development and transformation of a South African society. Hence, Tutu's leadership emphasised the practice of personal devotion that influences our public life and mobilises towards social action.
Tutu's leadership made a formidable impact on the social, political, economic and environmental development of the South African society and the world.
Tutu's development of the South African society impacted on various levels, namely the congregation, society, and the global society.
In his congregations, he modernised liturgy, and challenged the stereotype thinking when he advocated for women ordination and the rights of gays and lesbians. In society, he challenged the unjust practices of the nationalist government, in both Black and White communities. Globally, he was outspoken against Apartheid regime, and against countries and organisations that perpetuate global injustices.
Tutu's leadership impact did not end with the development of the South African society. He strived for transformation of society. This involved deep change from a spirituality that favours personal piety towards the one that extends personal piety to social action, hope, and a deep change from apartheid's vision of separate development of races to a vision that strives for justice, unity and reconciliation of races, and the change of rules, policies and laws that perpetuate injustices to those that promote justice and peace.
In summary, Tutu's leadership contributed to the social, political, economic and environmental development and transformation of the South African society. Tutu's leadership is a model of Christian leadership from which we could learn about how Christian religion, and churches should influence our practising of Christian leadership, especially in this society.
Tutu's leadership was and is effective in many aspects, namely in human empowerment, in confronting unjust social structures, facilitating humanitarian aid and in transforming a violent and tense context into a peaceful one. The South African churches, society, and social policies benefited from Tutu's leadership ministry. The social, political, and economic development of the South African society were engaged by Tutu's leadership for the purpose of transformation. Lastly, the development and transformation practices of his leadership targeted local structures such as the church and society on both national and international levels.
In conclusion, Tutu's leadership did contribute towards the social development and transformation of the South African society. Allen, J. Rabble-rouser for peace: The authorised biography of Desmond Tutu. London: Rider.
Bowers-Du Toit, N. Moving from development to social transformation: Development in the context of mission. In: I. Swart, H. Rocher, S.
0コメント