Sabeel on the passing of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a moral giant and champion of freedom

On the day when the Christian Church celebrates the great witness of Stephen, the first martyr, we give thanks to God for the witness of Archbishop Desmond Tutu.  As we grieve his loss, we celebrate his life.  Although he passed to be with the Lord, he still speaks and his voice and witness for justice and liberation are still heard.  Bishop Tutu spent his life actively struggling against apartheid and working for the liberation of his South African people.  Equally, however, he was committed to the liberation of the Palestinian people from the oppression and apartheid of the Israeli government in Israel and Palestine.   For many years, Bishop Tutu was the international patron of Sabeel and faithfully advocated for the achievement of justice, truth, inclusivity, equality, and liberation for all our Palestinian people.  We give thanks to God for his life and witness, and express our condolences to his family and to all our brothers and sisters in South Africa and to the church of South Africa in particular.

The Rev. Dr. Naim Ateek, Sabeel Board and General Assembly, and Sabeel Staff