Desmond Tutu's Daughter, Mpho Tutu-van furth, Out over same-sex marriage
Archbishop Desmond Tutu won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for leading part of the nonviolent struggle against apartheid in South Africa. His daughter, Reverend Mpho Tutu-van Furth, followed in his footsteps and became a minister in the South African Anglican Church in 2004. Tutu-van Furth has now been forced out of her position in the church due to the silliest of reasons: her recent same-sex marriage to her partner.
Tutu-van Furth exchanged vows with Professor Marceline van Furth in late December 2015 in a private ceremony in the Netherlands. Van Furth is a professor in Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the Vrije University in Amsterdam and the couple has four children.
The Anglican Church does not recognize same-sex marriage and maintains the position marriage can only occur between one man and one woman. Tutu-van Furth responded to the Church pressuring her out by stating:
“Because the South African Anglican Church does not recognise our marriage, I can no longer exercise my priestly ministry in South Africa.”
She explained that Diocese head Bishop Raphael Hess had been instructed to revoke her license, adding: “I decided that I would give it to him rather than have him take it, a slightly more dignified option with the same effect.”
Desmond Tutu has openly stated his opposition to homophobia and his words have been quite direct. In 2013, he stated:
“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...I would not worship a God who is homophobic and that is how deeply I feel about this.”
If only every religious person could be as understanding and as willing to stand up for what is right and moral in the realm of LGBT rights…
Continue reading at ReverbPress.com...