Overcoming Radicalization of Religion

IL News 015/2015

One Day Seminar (IL – GBKP – MUI SUMUT – UIN SUMUT)

Medan, North Sumatera. September 4^th, 2015

Leimena Institute, in cooperation with GBKP (Protestant Church of Batak Karo) Synode, MUI Sumut (North Sumatra Indonesian Ulama Council), UIN-SU (Islamic State University of North Sumatra), held a One-Day Seminar with the topic “Building Interfaith Teamwork to Overcome the Radicalization of Religion” on Friday, September 4th, 2015, from 09.30 am to 03.00 PM. This event was held in the Meeting Room of the Center for Arabic Language in UIN-SU Medan. The seminar was attended by around 70 participants from many religious groups, i.e. Protestant Church of Batak Karo, Indonesian Council of Churches-North Sumatra, Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI), Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia (PDHI), Jamaah Achmadiyah, Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia, GMKI (Indonesian Christian Student Movement) Medan, Baha’I Indonesia, Islamic State University of North Sumatera.

This one-day seminar was in a panel discussion setting with 5 panelists, who were Dr. Paul Marshall (Senior Fellow of Leimena Institute and Centre for Religious Freedom, Hudson Institute, USA), Dr. Phil. Zainul Fuad, MA (UIN Sumut), Dr. Arifinsyah, MA (MUI Sumut), Rev. Dr. Erick Barus (GBKP & Abdi Sabda Theological School-Medan), Drs. Jakob Tobing, MPA (President of Leimena Institute). The seminar was formally opened by Vice Rector III UIN-SU, Prof. Dr. Ilhamuddin, MA. In his speech, he emphasized the importance of being Indonesian citizens which are in friendly terms to one another.

After presentations from Dr. Paul Marshall and Drs. Jakob Tobing regarding the seminar topic, Dr. Arifinsyah from MUI-Sumut talked about the urgency for interpretations of the Holy Scriptures around the issue of radicalization of religion in todays context, so that the messages from the Holy Scriptures can appear more moderate remembering that Indonesia is our home together. Interfaith network then becomes important as a place to share information. Rev. Dr. Erick Barus from Abdi Sabda Theological School in Medan, emphasized the importance of developing a theological reflection that can be used as a benchmark for the future endeavour. He also emphasized the importance of prioritizing religious values and bottom-up approach so that we don’t have to face a situation where the religious elites are united meanwhile the grass-roots are in chaos. Dr. Phil. Zainul Fuad, M.A. from UIN-SU shared the importance of building social ties in public sphere. Pancasila can be developed as a “Public Religion”. The participants were then invited to learn about religion in transcendent way, so that religion will be truly understood spiritually and not just as a formality.

Many questions and critical responses were given by the participants, who basically yearned for a more conducive environment for plural religious living in Indonesia. Of course, an interfaith cooperation to handle the radicalization of religion is desperately needed.