What church did Desmond Tutu belong to? Faith and religion explored as anti-apartheid hero dies aged 90

Desmond Tutu, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, passed away on December 26, 2021, at the age of 90. The news of his death was confirmed by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa:

“The passing of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu is another chapter of bereavement in our nation’s farewell to a generation of outstanding South Africans who have bequeathed us a liberated South Africa.”

Recognized for his work as a human rights activist, Tutu was helmed as an anti-apartheid hero. President Ramaphosa also called him “a patriot without equal” and “a leader of principle and pragmatism who gave meaning to the biblical insight that faith without works is dead.”

Tutu belonged to the Anglican Church and followed Anglicanism, as he believed in its “tolerance and inclusivity.” He often regarded the Anglican Communion as his family. The activist was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1997 and 2005 and suffered from several health issues.

Tutu was frequently admitted to hospital between 2015 and 2016 for infections related to his previous cancer battles. He reportedly passed away at the Oasis Frail Care Centre in Cape Town.

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All about Desmond Tutu’s religion and theologian career

Desmond Tutu was the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town (Image via Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)

Desmond Tutu was born in a Christian family on October 7, 1931, in Klerksdrop, South Africa. He was baptized into the Methodist Church as a child in June 1932. However, his family later changed their denominations to the African Methodist Episcopal Church and then to the Anglican Church.

He was confirmed at the age of 12 and was deeply inspired by Bishop Trevor Huddleston during his time at Johannesburg Bantu High School. He underwent teacher training at Pretoria Bantu Normal College and graduated from the University of South Africa in 1954.

The Klerksdrop-native worked as a high school teacher for three years but gave up his job to train as an Anglican priest. He began studying theology and was ordained in 1960 as a deacon amid apartheid struggles in South Africa.

Tutu became a priest in 1961 and traveled to England the following year to continue studying theology at Kings College, London. He went on to receive a master’s degree in theology and returned to South Africa to teach at the Federal Theological Seminary in 1966.

He also taught at the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland between 1966 and 1972 and supported the anti-apartheid Black Consciousness Movement. The Archbishop returned to the UK as the Director for Africa at the Theological Education Fund of the World Council of Churches in 1972.

In 1975, Desmond Tutu returned to South Africa as the Dean of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Johannesburg, becoming the first black individual to hold the position. He also served as the Bishop of Lesotho between 1976 and 1978.

The activist also became the first black General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches in 1978. He gained recognition for his continued criticism of the apartheid system in South Africa.

Meanwhile, he also called for non-violent protests and requested the South African Government to end apartheid in the country. In addition to South Africa, he campaigned across England and North America, asking other countries to help support the anti-apartheid movement.

Desmond Tutu took a stand against the oppression of the black community and said that his actions were marked by religion instead of politics. He was a staunch believer of Anglicanism and attempted to merge black and African schools of Christian theology.

He addressed the United Nations in 1984 and also received the Nobel Peace Prize that same year. He was named the Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985. He also became the leader of the South African Anglican Church as the Archbishop of Cape Town in 1986.

Desmond Tutu was a contemporary of ANC leader Nelson Mandela and worked with him towards ending apartheid and introducing a multi-racial democracy. He was named the Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission following Mandela’s release from prison in 1990.

The committee worked towards investigating violations of human rights during the apartheid era. Following the submission of the commission’s report in 1998, Tutu began visiting several international universities as a guest lecturer.

He also received over 100 notable honors across South Africa, the USA, the UK and Germany, among others. He also published a collection of his sermons and other writings in seven books. Prior to his demise, Desmond Tutu lived in a retirement community near Cape Town with his wife, Leah.