How inter-faith dialog can promote a plural society<\/p>\n
Th. Sumartana, Institute for Inter-Faith, Dialog in Indonesia,
\nYogyakarta<\/p>\n
Since its establishment in 1999, the Institute for Inter-Faith
\nDialog in Indonesia (Interfidei) has been fully engaged in
\npopularizing inter-faith dialog, particularly during the unstable
\nlate 1990s.<\/p>\n
Because of its nature, Interfidei has greater freedom to
\ndevelop its vision and mission.<\/p>\n
In January, Interfidei organized a seminar and workshop in
\nMalino, South Sulawesi, attended by some 80 people from about 56
\ninter-faith institutions. The crucial question was, what can
\nreligions do to adequately respond to social pluralism,
\nparticularly when it is accompanied by violence?<\/p>\n
Pluralism may be a blessing when it can be positively
\naccepted, but it can turn into a curse when rejected and
\nnegatively responded to. Clashes in Java, Papua, Aceh, East
\nTimor, Maluku, West, Central Kalimantan and Poso, Central
\nSulawesi, have proved our inability to change our attitudes and
\nmanage our pluralism. The community is pluralistic and dynamic,
\nbut we continue to apply a standard, as if we live in a
\nhomogeneous and static community.<\/p>\n
Our \"multi-dimensional crisis\" is a situation in which the
\nentire community finds it difficult to survive. We are going
\nthrough economic, cultural, political, security, religious and
\nother crises. These crises do not befall religions individually
\nbut all at the same time. Today, religions are bound and united
\nbut are also subjected to a common crisis.<\/p>\n
In the 1930s, the world was swept by an economic crisis of an
\nunusually great magnitude. This recession destroyed the pillars
\nof international life, paralyzing international relations.
\nInternational political and ideological relations led to
\nconfusion, prompted by racism, fascism, authoritarianism and
\ntotalitarianism. A world war became inevitable.<\/p>\n
Afterwards, there was a common desire to rearrange a common
\nlife in a new manner. The United Nations was set up and the Human
\nRights Declaration was issued. New international religious
\ninstitutions came into being, focusing themselves on efforts to
\nestablish inter-religious communication, peace and cooperation.<\/p>\n
We are in a similar condition today. In the face of the
\ncrises, there is a tendency toward communalism, partisanship,
\ntribalism, exclusivity, sectarianism and even fascism.<\/p>\n
The crisis has paralyzed all social institutions. Violence,
\nprejudice and animosity are widespread. The community has lost
\nits flexibility and disintegrated as there are no longer cohesive
\nelements. There is not a single sociopolitical institution
\ncapable of providing reconciliation.<\/p>\n
Religious institutions also tend to be isolated and remain
\nbureaucratic, dogmatic, exclusive and dysfunctional. They are
\nplagued by fragmentation. Religions are the storehouses of social
\nenigmas and contain paradoxes and ambivalences. Yet there is
\nstrong competition to recruit, due to political partisan
\ndisputes.<\/p>\n
There is no longer freedom to express differences of opinion.
\nOur community has lost its ability to anticipate and manage
\nconflict. There is no awareness of the need to cooperate. Worse
\nstill, religions have often played their part in aggravating the
\nsituation.<\/p>\n
It is now time to bring together our more promising common
\nideas on vision, mission and values. Our problem now is how to
\nplace the relationship of these two poles in a perspective that
\npromises hope. All this turmoil has come about because we have
\ninterpreted pluralism negatively and perceived it as a
\ndestructive force.<\/p>\n
For a long time, religions have not done their job properly.
\nHowever, there are still reasons why we must continue to support
\nthem. We must draw up a new map of how different religions fare
\nin our country, carefully taking into account the state of inter-
\nreligious communities. They are the seeds of reform.<\/p>\n
First, religions are the oldest institutions in our society
\nand also the most pluralized. These institutions contain a
\npotential balance of destructive and constructive forces.<\/p>\n
Second, religions are popular here. Religions exist as a way
\nto receive \"blessings for all creatures\" and all religions gain a
\nmoral legitimacy in their respective communities.<\/p>\n
Third, religions have undergone a revival and have given rise
\nto inter-faith communities.<\/p>\n
It is these inter-faith communities that serve as an arena
\nwhere religions \"vie with one another to be virtuous\". The
\nmorality of a religion is rooted in an awareness of
\nresponsibility. Hope lies in this awareness of responsibility and
\norientation to the future (eschatology). It is this moral value
\nthat we need to confront an immoral society, one which fears
\nchange.<\/p>\n
Why do we continue to pin hopes on an inter-religious
\ncommunity? First, such a community is trained in holding dialog
\nand therefore respects differences in opinion. Second, a
\nreligious path encourages people to compete in being virtuous.<\/p>\n
Third, it is a non-governmental organization, which involves
\nthe grass roots. Fourth, an inter-faith community is oriented to
\nthe future.<\/p>\n
The intrinsic nature of the morality of every religion is to
\naim to improve society. A religion may become an embryo for a
\ncivil society underlined by emancipation, democracy, human
\nrights, gender equality and so forth.<\/p>\n
Fifth, an inter-faith community is not inimical to formal
\nreligions and has no pretensions to replace a religion, but
\nserves instead as a force for social reform, which includes the
\nreform of religious people within their internal circles.<\/p>\n
The institutions for inter-religious dialog have become an
\nembryo for the emergence of a civil society in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Inter-religious dialog will at least be able to solve some of
\nthe country's problems. We face relentless challenges to reform
\nour society. It is in this transition that efforts must
\ncontinuously be made to translate our hope into reality.<\/p>\n
The above is a condensed version of the writer's presentation
\nat the seminar on \"Living in a Pluralistic Society,\" held last
\nmonth by Muhammadiyah Youth and the British Council in Jakarta.<\/p>",
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