Black archbishop says Tutu shows us what respect means
-14/01/06
The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, has cited Desmond Tutu and the struggle against racial division as exemplars for the kind of ërespect' which can genuinely rebuild community.
Dr Sentamu, the Church of England's first black archbishop, was responding to the new government campaign to tackle anti-social behaviour and promote a positive culture to replace it.
Tony Blair's ërespect' initiative has received a mixed response, with some saying that it is a gimmick, and others pointing out that it ignores justice issues underlying many of the social problems it seeks to address.
In an interview with the BBC, Dr Sentamu said that Archbishop Tutu was profoundly influenced by the respect shown to his mother by the late anti-apartheid campaigner, Archbishop Trevor Huddleston - a white man defying a racist society.
He explained: "It was unheard of and certainly rare in the South Africa of those days for a white man to show such respect to a black woman. It showed that he really did believe that those created in the image of God, of whatever colour, were indeed creatures of infinite worth, precious to God.'
The Archbishop of York, who has played a key role in investigating high profile racist murders such as that of youngster Stephen Lawrence, went on: 'If we expect young people to be respectful, we should show respect. If they are not treated lovingly and forgivingly, they will be unforgiving.'
Dr Sentamu pointed out that 'the word ërespect' literally means ëto look back'. We need to look back with humility and attentiveness in order to assess adequately the present - and have a realistic hope for the future.'
He concluded: 'Jesus treated each person as a unique, God-made, individual. That is how he regards us and that is how we must regard one another.'
The archbishop has been on the receiving end of racist hate mail since his appointment was announced. He says that he has forgiven his tormentors, but remains resolute in opposing the prejudice they enact.
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