Tearing Off the Walls that Separate the Church and the State

IL News 004/2017

In partnership with National Council of Churches in Indonesia (PGI), Leimena Institute organised the Church and State Strategic Forum (FSGN) on 24-26 January 2017, before the general conference of the Working Committee of PGI. This forum aims 1) to develop Christians’ thoughts on citizenship and the roles of religions in public space in Indonesia and the world, 2) to promote the constructive participation of the Church in consolidating the Indonesia democracy system. FSGN participants are strategic church leaders. They are strategic religious leaders such as chairperson, executive secretary, general secretary, PGI Working Committee, Regional Working Comittees of PGI, and delegates from different Christian universities and 28 synods representatives.

The forum was opened by Rev. Dr. Henrietta Tabita Hutabarat Lebang (Chairperson of PGI), Rev. Simon Julianto (Chairperson of the Operational Committee of Java Christian Church-GKJ), and Ir. Budi H. Setiamarga, Ph.D (Director for Centre of Religion and State Studies, representing Leimena Institute). The keynote speakers were national and international leaders: Rev. Dr. A. A. Yewangoe (Chairperson of the Steering Committee PGI), Dr. Maruarar Siahaan (Senior Fellow of Leimena Institute and President of Indonesia Christian University-UKI), Dr. Paul Marshall (Senior Fellow of Leimena Institute and Center for Religious Freedom Hudson Institute), Rev. Gomar Gultom, M.Th (General Secretary of PGI), and Rev. Dr. Henriette Tabita Hutabarat Lebang (Chairperson of PGI).

The topics covered: The Portrait of the Struggling Role of Religion in the Public Space in Indonesia, Christian’s Perspective on Citizenship, Church and Confession of Faith, Politics and Democracy, The Role of Religion in Public Space, The Comparison of Religion and State in the West and in Indonesia. We hope this forum would come up with a shared concrete work plan. One of those is “The Christian Credo about State, Politic, and Democracy.” We hope this Credo will then become the guideline for every churches in Indonesia. Based on the previous draft of the Credo as the result of previous consultation led by Dr. Yewangoe, this forum come up with the draft for the Credo of Faith about State, Politic, and Democracy. This draft has been proposed to the Working Committee of PGI for further studies.

All participants were enthusiastic during the conference. They all look forward to attending next strategic forum. One of them commented, “We need FSGN to create awareness of responsibilities of our church members towards our state and nation. Many Christians only focus on church matters.”

Rev. Marthina Nanlohy, a member of the Working Committee of the East Java Regional PGI, said, “I will suggest this program to Perwati (the Association of the Women Theologian in Indonesia) and Mupel.

They also hope such forum can also be held on synod levels and not just on the national forum. It is very needed in order to promote the awareness and sense of responsibilities towards the nation.