Sabinet | Die Christelike lewensvisie van aartsbiskop Desmond M. Tutu (1) : &apos;n algemene oorsig : research article
n Koers : Bulletin for Christian Scholarship = Koers : Bulletin vir Christelike Wetenskap - Die Christelike lewensvisie van aartsbiskop Desmond M. Tutu (1) : &apos;n algemene oorsig : research article
Source : Koers : Bulletin for Christian Scholarship = Koers : Bulletin vir Christelike Wetenskap, Volume 68, Issue 1, Jan 2003, p. 15 - 33
The Christian worldview of archbishop Desmond M. Tutu (1) : a general review
In the light of the sad fact that Archbishop Tutu&apos;s writings are often neither known nor read by the Afrikaans-speaking community, this tribute intends to be a brief, academic but accessible introduction to his thought - especially in the light of the fact that the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education recently honoured him with an honorary doctorate for his significant contribution to Christian thought and life in South Africa and the rest of the world.
The focus of the article is not on Tutu as a person or his theology (which has been characterised in different ways), but provides an overview of his Christian worldview. Firstly, the different sources of his worldview are investigated. Secondly, an exposition is given of its six basic components : (1) Tutu&apos;s idea of God; (2) of God&apos;s laws for creation; (3) of time and history and (4) of our natural environment. The second article will deal separately with the two remaining components, viz (5) Tutu&apos;s view of being human and (6) of society, because they should be regarded as his most important contribution in shaping a genuine Christian worldview.
The preliminary conclusion is that, because Tutu listened carefully and obediently to God&apos;s threefold revelation, he succeeded in proclaiming both an integral and a relevant Christian worldview. This worldview is not dualistic in nature, dividing life in secular and sacred domains; it emphasises God&apos;s sovereignty over everything and religion as an all-encompassing service to God and our neighbour. The relevance of Tutu&apos;s worldview can not be confined to the apartheid era - it offers valuable perspectives and directions for Christian life in our increasingly secularised contemporary world.
In die lig van die feit dat die geskrifte van aartsbiskop Tutu nóg bekend is nóg gelees word deur die meeste lede van die Afrikaanssprekende gemeenskap, wil hierdie huldeblyk &apos;n kort, populêr-wetenskaplike inleiding tot sy denke bied - veral in die lig van die feit dat die Potchefstroomse Universiteit vir Christelike Hoër Onderwys hom onlangs met die toekenning van &apos;n eredoktorsgraad vereer het vir sy bydrae tot die Christelike denke en lewe in Suid-Afrika en daarbuite.
Die fokus van die artikel is nie op sy persoon of teologie (wat al verskillend getipeer is) nie, maar gee &apos;n oorsig oor sy Christelike lewensvisie. In die eerste plek word die bronne van sy lewensvisie ondersoek. In die tweede plek word &apos;n uiteensetting gegee van die basiese komponente daarvan : (1) sy Godsidee, (2) wetsidee, (3) idee oor tyd en geskiedenis en (4) oor die natuur. &apos;n Tweede artikel sal oor die twee oorblywende komponente handel : (5) sy mens- en (6) samelewingsbeskouing, wat beskou kan word as sy belangrikste bydrae tot &apos;n werklik Christelike lewensvisie.
Die voorlopige konklusie is dat, omdat Tutu noukeurig en gehoorsaam na God se drieërlei openbaring geluister het, hy daarin geslaag het om &apos;n integrale en relevante lewensvisie te verkondig wat die lewe nie in &apos;n sekulêre en sakrale terrein verdeel nie. Hierdie lewensvisie beklemtoon God se soewereiniteit oor alles en religie as allesomvattende diens aan God en ons naaste. Die waarde van sy lewensvisie kan ook nie beperk word tot die apartheidstyd nie - dit bied waardevolle perspektiewe en riglyne vir die Christelike lewe in ons toenemende gesekulariseerde wêreld.
Persistent Link : http://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC59083