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IL News 010/2020
Jakarta, April 15th, 2020

As part of Pancasila learning session at Indonesia Reformed Theological School (STTRI), Budi Setiamarga from the Leimena Institute conducted online lecture from Bandung. The lecture was held on Wednesday afternooon, April 15th, 2020, joined by 7 students. The topic is Pancasila and Christian Faith.

The ideology of a state not necessarily go along with Christian faith. For example the state ideology in Roman era, proclaiming “The King is God”, was against Christian faith that proclaims “Christ is God”.

Now, what about Pancasila? Does the ideology of Pancasila go along with Christian faith? This lecture discussed 2 stories: Nehemia who led Jerusalem wall construction and the parable of the good Samaritan. These two stories reflected the universal values of Pancasila.

How then are the universal values of Pancasila in harmony with the Bible teaching? It happens when the universal values are understood, translated, and implemented as part of the Christ teaching framework, which is to love our neighbours. Hence, Pancasila has taken the role as the real form of humanity law, to love our neighbour.

How then is Pancasila lived among the plural society? Example from Amos chapter 1 and 2 shows how God punished 6 nations in Palestine land who did not worship God, and also punished 2 nations (Yehuda and Israel) who worshipped God. How so? Because they all violated the humanity law by doing evil to their neighbours.

This way God shows the law of loving your neighbours must apply to everyone without exception. This is the role of Pancasila as the foundation of behaviour that go along God’s law to love our neighbours.

To implement Pancasila, Christians should develop peaceful theology so that all congregations ready to be a blessing for Indonesia. The efforts to alleviate poverty, advance the marginals, and various other efforts must be conducted in a framework of implementing Pancasila as the love law.