HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies (Jul 2024)

Multicultural relation between religious communities in Indonesia

  • Theodorus Pangalila,
  • Christar A. Rumbay

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v80i1.9645
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 80, no. 1
pp. e1 – e7

Abstract

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Indonesia is a nation with different religious affiliations and this diversity has substantial implications for inter-religious relations. The multi-religious context presented challenges in the form of potential horizontal conflicts. Therefore, this study aims to analyse the significance of cultivating an attitude of openness and engaging in constructive dialogue among different faiths to address the challenges effectively. Traditions in Minahasa show various important values for religious moderation, which have the potential to contribute ideas to issues of relations between communities. This article is a qualitative descriptive analysis method. Several references such as articles, books and other related sources are the backbone to construct the ideas and insights of this work. The results show that the multicultural reality accompanied by fundamentalist attitudes has an impact on interreligious relations. This can be prevented and reduced with the concept of dialogue from the values and philosophy of si tou timou tumou tou and torang samua basudara. Contribution: This article serves as a valuable contribution to the religious discourse within the Indonesian community, particularly by incorporating the rich local values derived from Minahasa. It adds depth to the ongoing religious dialogue, fostering a nuanced understanding that embraces the diverse cultural and spiritual perspectives present in Indonesia.

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