On January 19th, Naomi Tutu opened the 2026 January Series at Calvin University with a powerful reflection on faith, justice, and recognising the image of God in every person. Drawing from her upbringing in apartheid era South Africa as the daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, she encouraged listeners to see how small, everyday choices shape a more just and compassionate world. Weaving together personal stories, theology, and lessons from Martin Luther King Jr., she emphasised that the most transformative acts are often quiet decisions made when no one is watching. A story about King responding patiently to a careless driver illustrated his refusal to dehumanise others, even in tense moments.
Reflecting on King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Tutu highlighted the call to confront injustice without denying anyone’s humanity, grounding that conviction in the belief that all people bear God’s image. She connected this to her own experience during apartheid, recalling a moment when she chose to see a young soldier at a roadblock not as an enemy but as a fellow human being. Acknowledging the exhaustion and grief that injustice can bring, she urged Christians not to withdraw but to become “drum majors for justice” in their everyday lives. The talk closed with a challenge: to live courageously in God’s love and to truly believe that every person carries God’s presence, a conviction that sustains hope and participates in God’s work of restoration.