TUTU TROUBLED BY CHURCH OF ENGLAND’S ‘HOMOPHOBIA’

SOME religious leaders in South Africa have reacted with outrage after the Church of England reportedly barred Reverend Mpho Tutu, the daughter of the late Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, from being present during her godfather Martin Kenyon's funeral, apparently because of her samesex marriage.

Kenyon, a long-time friend of Tutu's, died in London at the age of 92 recently. His daughter had asked Rev Mpho to preside at the funeral.

In a heartfelt letter denouncing homophobia in the Church, Rev Mpho's wife Dr Marceline Tutu van Furth detailed how her partner was not allowed to be present as a priest during the funeral.

“Martin was the one who helped the Tutu family when they came to live in London in 1962. Martin and the Tutu family became close friends. So, it was not a surprise to me that Martin's daughters had asked Mpho to preside at Martin's funeral. But, Mpho told me that the Church of England will not allow her to be present as a priest during the funeral because ‘priests of the Church of England aren't allowed to be in a same-sex marriage. However, they can be in a same-sex relationship and even live together'.

“I couldn't believe my ears. Our same-sex marriage is again a reason to hurt people for no reason. Out of love for my wife I wrote this letter. I feel it is my time to speak up for my wife. It is time for change in the Church of England concerning the homosexuality of clergy. They should allow clergy to marry any person they respect and love,” said Tutu van Furth.

Marceline and Mpho have been married for more than six years; they both live in the Netherlands.

“Our marriage did cause some upheaval in the rest of the world, to put it mildly. Mpho had to hand in her licence as a priest in South Africa. As an atheist, I really didn't understand what was going on, even after Mpho made various efforts to explain it to me. I did understand it was because of our samesex marriage. This made me feel very uncomfortable,” she said.

While the Church of England could not be reached for comment yesterday, the Dean of St George's Cathedral, the Very Rev Michael Weeder, said: “The issue that she raises is our church's intransigence around homo-erotic love expressed in the sacrament of holy matrimony – surely it breaks the heart of God. Being in love is such a gift and remaining in love is a struggle. Why must we, the Church, legislate people away from a sacrament that grants us the grace to sustain our relationships, to live life simply and in love? It is cruel to implement these rigid ‘fatwas' without taking cognizance of how it impairs someone's sense of dignity and their place in the church which had been a life-long home.”

Rev Sharon Cox of Triangle Project, a non-profit organisation challenging homophobia and transphobia, denounced the discrimination of people on the grounds of who they love.

“We will continue to raise our voices for a day, when the very institutions who should be holding fast to the greatest tenets of the faith, which speak of love, let go of their prejudice and discrimination which is rooted in anything but love. It is archaic and so far removed from sound theology, for the church to continue to discriminate against people on the grounds of who they love and in some cases, who they may marry,” she said.

South African Human Rights Commission Commissioner Andre Gaum said freedom of religion could not be exercised in a manner that violates equality and human dignity.

“May this be a reminder to the Church of England and governments of democratic states that cherish human rights. The struggle for human dignity, equality and freedom in South Africa, led by icons such as Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela, included an end to discrimination based on sexual orientation against all people. This prohibition against unfair discrimination is in our constitution.

“As the new head of the Church of England, with its vast influence around the world, King Charles III should play a significant role towards eradicating religiously sanctioned discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender,” Gaum said.