Q&A with Archbishop Desmond Tutu: 'We are made for harmony'
Archbishop Tutu says he'll bear message of peace on Dallas visit
Friday, September 8, 2006

Desmond Tutu, the Anglican archbishop emeritus of Cape Town, South Africa, will speak at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration in Dallas on Wednesday. The 74-year-old bishop won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, a recognition of his struggles against apartheid. In Dallas, he said, he will bring a message of peace and reconciliation.

In a phone interview with Staff Writer Jeffrey Weiss, Archbishop Tutu explained why he sides with the Episcopal Church in America in its dispute with some Anglican leaders over homosexuality and the role of women; why the Anglican Communion should stay intact; and what lessons other nations can take from his experience in South Africa. Here are excerpts:

What do you plan to talk about in Dallas?

One of the most important things is reminding people that we are actually made for goodness. We are so, I think, overwhelmed. The media tend to inundate us with rather unpleasant news. We have the impression that evil is on the rampage, is about to take over the world.

We need to keep being reminded that there is a great deal of good happening in the world. Ultimately, good prevails. We seem in a way made for alienation, for disharmony. And the message of our religion, of the Bible, is that contrary to all appearances, we are in fact made for harmony. We are made for togetherness. Ultimately, we are really family.
The rest