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Desmond Tutu's daughter leaves clergy after marrying female partner | |
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The daughter of one of the world’s best-known Christian leaders has given up her right to officiate as a priest in South Africa following marriage to her female partner. | The daughter of one of the world’s best-known Christian leaders has given up her right to officiate as a priest in South Africa following marriage to her female partner. |
Mpho Tutu-van Furth – whose father, Desmond Tutu, won the Nobel peace prize in 1984 for the struggle against apartheid in South Africa – said the move had been forced on her following her wedding to a Dutch academic. | Mpho Tutu-van Furth – whose father, Desmond Tutu, won the Nobel peace prize in 1984 for the struggle against apartheid in South Africa – said the move had been forced on her following her wedding to a Dutch academic. |
“The canon [law] of the South African church states that marriage is between one man and one woman,” she said in a statement. After her marriage, the South African bishop who had given her permission to officiate as a priest in his diocese “was advised that he must revoke my licence. I offered to return my licence rather than require that he take it from me,” she added. | “The canon [law] of the South African church states that marriage is between one man and one woman,” she said in a statement. After her marriage, the South African bishop who had given her permission to officiate as a priest in his diocese “was advised that he must revoke my licence. I offered to return my licence rather than require that he take it from me,” she added. |
She was “still a priest in good standing in my home diocese” in the United States where she was ordained, Tutu-van Furth. | She was “still a priest in good standing in my home diocese” in the United States where she was ordained, Tutu-van Furth. |
Although South Africa legalised same-sex marriage in 2006, the Anglican church in the country teaches that marriage is a union of a man and woman. The church will decide this year whether to adopt guidelines drawn up by its bishops on welcoming members who have entered into same-sex civil marriages. | Although South Africa legalised same-sex marriage in 2006, the Anglican church in the country teaches that marriage is a union of a man and woman. The church will decide this year whether to adopt guidelines drawn up by its bishops on welcoming members who have entered into same-sex civil marriages. |
The South African church is deeply divided on LGBT issues. However, Thabo Makgoba, the archbishop of Cape Town, has said: “We overcame deep differences over the imposition of sanctions against apartheid and over the ordination of women, and we can do the same over human sexuality.” | The South African church is deeply divided on LGBT issues. However, Thabo Makgoba, the archbishop of Cape Town, has said: “We overcame deep differences over the imposition of sanctions against apartheid and over the ordination of women, and we can do the same over human sexuality.” |
The global Anglican communion has threatened to split over the issue. This year it imposed de facto sanctions on the US Episcopal church, which allows its clergy to conduct same-sex marriages. | The global Anglican communion has threatened to split over the issue. This year it imposed de facto sanctions on the US Episcopal church, which allows its clergy to conduct same-sex marriages. |
Tutu-van Furth married Marceline van Furth in a civil wedding in the Netherlands in December. The couple – both of whom are divorced and have children – held a second ceremony at a vineyard owned by Richard Branson in Franschhoek this month. | Tutu-van Furth married Marceline van Furth in a civil wedding in the Netherlands in December. The couple – both of whom are divorced and have children – held a second ceremony at a vineyard owned by Richard Branson in Franschhoek this month. |
Desmond Tutu, who won global respect and admiration for his part in the struggle against apartheid, was permitted to give the couple a “father’s blessing”. | Desmond Tutu, who won global respect and admiration for his part in the struggle against apartheid, was permitted to give the couple a “father’s blessing”. |
The former archbishop of Cape Town has campaigned in favour of gay rights and has backed same-sex marriage. “I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say sorry, I mean I would much rather go to the other place,” he said at the 2013 launch of the Free and Equal campaign in Cape Town. “I would not worship a God who is homophobic and that is how deeply I feel about this.” | The former archbishop of Cape Town has campaigned in favour of gay rights and has backed same-sex marriage. “I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say sorry, I mean I would much rather go to the other place,” he said at the 2013 launch of the Free and Equal campaign in Cape Town. “I would not worship a God who is homophobic and that is how deeply I feel about this.” |
He added: “I am as passionate about this campaign as I ever was about apartheid. For me, it is at the same level.” | He added: “I am as passionate about this campaign as I ever was about apartheid. For me, it is at the same level.” |
Tutu-van Furth, who was ordained in the US in 2003, is the executive director of the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation. Van Furth, an atheist, is a professor of paediatric infectious diseases at Vrije University in Amsterdam. She also works with the Tutu foundation. | Tutu-van Furth, who was ordained in the US in 2003, is the executive director of the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation. Van Furth, an atheist, is a professor of paediatric infectious diseases at Vrije University in Amsterdam. She also works with the Tutu foundation. |
“My wife and I meet across almost every dimension of difference. Some of our differences are obvious; she is tall and white, I am black and vertically challenged,” Tutu-van Furth told City Press. | “My wife and I meet across almost every dimension of difference. Some of our differences are obvious; she is tall and white, I am black and vertically challenged,” Tutu-van Furth told City Press. |
“Ironically, coming from a past where difference was the instrument of division, it is our sameness that is now the cause of distress. My wife and I are both women.” | “Ironically, coming from a past where difference was the instrument of division, it is our sameness that is now the cause of distress. My wife and I are both women.” |
The Franschhoek celebration was conducted by Charlotte Bannister-Parker, a clergywoman from Oxford and a friend of the family. Clergy in the Church of England are banned from conducting same-sex marriages. | The Franschhoek celebration was conducted by Charlotte Bannister-Parker, a clergywoman from Oxford and a friend of the family. Clergy in the Church of England are banned from conducting same-sex marriages. |
The diocese of Oxford said in a statement that “the event was not a wedding, and nor was it a blessing of the couple. It was simply a celebration of a wedding that took place in the Netherlands in December last year.” | The diocese of Oxford said in a statement that “the event was not a wedding, and nor was it a blessing of the couple. It was simply a celebration of a wedding that took place in the Netherlands in December last year.” |
Andrew Symes of Anglican Mainstream, a conservative grouping, called on Bannister-Parker to also resign as a priest. She had “acted in a manner contrary to her ordination vows where she promised to uphold the doctrines of the church and abide by the teachings of scripture”, he wrote in a blog. | Andrew Symes of Anglican Mainstream, a conservative grouping, called on Bannister-Parker to also resign as a priest. She had “acted in a manner contrary to her ordination vows where she promised to uphold the doctrines of the church and abide by the teachings of scripture”, he wrote in a blog. |
Cape Town bishop Raphael Hess said he was “vexed” by the need for Tutu-van Furth to renounce her clerical duties, but that he hoped it would be short-lived. | Cape Town bishop Raphael Hess said he was “vexed” by the need for Tutu-van Furth to renounce her clerical duties, but that he hoped it would be short-lived. |
“The time has come for us to exercise pastoral care, for us to demonstrate a shift that is reflected in the law,” he told the Daily Telegraph. “At the moment she cannot [minister] and she has accepted that but we are hoping that there might be a window for us to change it.” | “The time has come for us to exercise pastoral care, for us to demonstrate a shift that is reflected in the law,” he told the Daily Telegraph. “At the moment she cannot [minister] and she has accepted that but we are hoping that there might be a window for us to change it.” |