Reciprocal Relationship between Church and State in Indonesia

Abstract

"Calvinist churches in Indonesia, unlike their Catholic sister, have consciously taken a position of not being directly involved in political matters. They have rather opted to make benign comments about political events that do not require a deep or serious involvement in politics. Such a position may be seen as being derived from Calvinist understanding of the division of church and state, but it is in fact mirroring the legacy of the ideology of the New Order regime. The authoritarian regime, by arguing that politics is exclusively a matter of the government, succeded in silencing anyone other than its own political ideal. The churches chose to live in accordance with the will of the regime so that it would not have to contradict the powerful government, and, at the same time, it would enjoy the protection of the government, however superficial it was. Now, as the times have changed and the country is in the transitional state to being a truly democratic country, the church should reconsider its position. Learning from Calvin’s doctrine of the kingdom of God and the relationship between Church and State, this article proposes endorsing a more active involvement of the church in politics. [...]", p. 231-232