wfn.org | ARCHBISHOP TUTU SPEAKS OUT ON CHURCH-STATE RELATIONS

[Audrey Whitefield <a.whitefield@quest.org.uk>]

Oct. 21, 1997
ANGLICAN COMMUNION NEWS SERVICE
Canon Jim Rosenthal, Director of Communications
Anglican Communion Office
London, England

[97.10.2.2]

AFRICA REGIONAL: ARCHBISHOP TUTU SPEAKS OUT ON CHURCH-STATE RELATIONS

(ENI) Archbishop Desmond Tutu, has warned that Churches must not be the
"lap-dog" of the state.

Former Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town and now chairman of South
Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Desmond Tutu said that
Churches must always reserve the right to be "in critical solidarity"
with the state.

Archbishop Tutu, who became famous internationally for his vocal
opposition to apartheid, was speaking at the opening day of the All
Africa Conference of Churches' (AACC) 7th general assembly, being held
in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, from 4 to 10 October.

The AACC is one of the world's biggest regional ecumenical bodies,
bringing together 142 Churches from across the continent.   More than
300 voting delegates are gathered in Addis Ababa, as well as another 500
observers, many of them representing Churches and related agencies
outside Africa. Archbishop Tutu, AACC's president, made his remarks in
reply to the welcoming speech by Ethiopia's president, Dr Negasso
Gidada.

Thanking Churches around the world for their past assistance to
Ethiopia, Dr Gidada encouraged Africa's Churches to use their moral and
spiritual authority to enhance development and teach toleration and
common understanding.

Declaring that the international community was not doing enough to help
Africa eradicate poverty, hunger and disease, President Gidada said the
Churches were called upon to exert maximum efforts towards the
mobilisation of resources from inside and outside Africa.

Archbishop Tutu praised President Gidada's vision, but warned that
uncritical cooperation with the state was a trap for Churches. "A Church
that agrees to be co-opted into the government system is a lap-dog and
is not a Church of God," he said.

The Archbishop reminded the President and AACC delegates that the Church
was created not to do the will of the state but to carry out "the will
of God".