Desmond Tutu: God is not a Christian

‘Peace, prosperity and justice - we can have them all if we work together.
 There is no 'us' or 'them.'  God is not a Christian but neither is S(he) an
 adherent of any other religion because no religion has monopoly on God.’

This is the message of Bishop Desmond Tutu in a recent article posted on the Huffington Post website under the provocative title 'God is Not a Christian': http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/desmond-tutu/universal-religion-desmond-tutu_b_1926903.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

He goes on to say that ‘When we start to live as brothers and sisters and to recognise our interdependence, we become fully human.’  He then challenges us to ‘dare to be beautiful in our own truth.'  Whilst God, according to Bishop Tutu, is not a Christian, we’re left wondering in what sense the sentiments in his article are in any way representative of historic Christianity.

Gone, it seems, is the need to forsake one’s best efforts and to approach a transcendent yet personal God in repentance and faith.  Gone also is the need to trust in the historic death and resurrection of Christ in order to become ‘fully human.'  What we are left with looks like little more than a redoubling of our human efforts to achieve something that ever since Adam and Eve tried to ‘become like God’ has been well beyond our grasp.

Bishop Tutu pins his hopes for a planetary utopia on a global recognition of ‘our own truth.'  Is this not the antithesis of what the apostle Peter said was the cure for the human condition when he was first asked the question ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ (Acts 2:37).  He replied that day:

Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38)

The consistent witness of Scripture is that there is no other way to either personal or global salvation than through repentance and faith in the name of Jesus Christ.  Any attempt to relativise this claim is surely a deviation from what it means to be genuinely Christian.  Bishop Tutu is a great humanitarian, but in our estimation, therefore, can no longer be considered a great Christian.  In his desire for religious harmony, world peace and ecological fruitfulness he has compromised the heart of Jesus’ message – aptly penned by Paul in Colossians 1:20:

. . . through him (Jesus) to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood shed on the cross

Bishop Tutu’s comments on society today, in the same article, epitomise the agenda of the liberal left-wing of the so-called Christian church in the world today.  The issues he raises are genuine concerns: e.g. the rise in homophobia, discrimination, racism, attacks on minorities, and so on.  He’s not wrong to note that many of these are fuelled by far-right agendas.  The arrogant and intolerant spirit exhibited by extreme right-wing fanatics, especially religious ones, is ugly.  However, Bishop Tutu makes no mention of the equally arrogant and ugly spirit behind extreme left-wing politics.  Surely the atrocities of the Communist regimes in Europe – take Stalin for example - deserve a mention as well.  These were also driven by fanatics.

Bishop Tutu’s omission illustrates a growing trend amongst Christians to veer towards a left-wing, all-inclusive ideology, which smudges the distinctions between faith in Jesus Christ as the means of salvation and the well-meaning belief systems of other faiths.  This worldview believes the world will get better and it doesn’t matter what your religious belief, because so long as you’re sincere, everyone will enjoy it together (a view known as universalism).

Bishop Tutu remarks that all major religions have love and compassion at their core and most have their own version of the Golden Rule - treat others as you wish to be treated.  Sadly, this simplistic naivety and wishful thinking is so typical of many within the sleeping religious-left.  Radical Islam for example (some would say true Islam) seeks world domination.

We are disappointed that such a globally well-respected church leader should be an advocate of the popular liberal new spirituality which is gaining ground amongst Christians and doing a great disservice to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

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