Christianity and Indigenous Beliefs by Nina Mariani Noor

A Critical Response
By : Nina Mariani Noor/ICRS 2009

March, 8th 2010
Protestants and Catholics in Indonesia in 20th century
Readings: - Benny Giai, Zakheus Pakage and His Community
Sutarman Partonadi, Sadrach’s Community and its Contextual Roots
Subject : History of Religion in Indonesia Part II: 20th century

Christianity in Indonesia has been spread along with the coming of colonialism. Meanwhile, at that time, Indonesian people were having their own indigenous beliefs which are unique and mostly have far different cosmology from foreign religions. As result, those indigenous beliefs influence the practice of Christianity in Indonesia .
From the two readings, both Benny Giai and Partonadi talk about the development and characteristics of Christianity which is practiced by local people. Giai explored Christianity in Papua, whereas Partonadi explored Christianity in Central Java. The practice of Christianity in those two places shows the process of “syncretization” or a synthesis between Christianity and indigenous beliefs. I can say that this process of syncretism is quiet similar to syncretism between Islam and indigenous beliefs that also appear in Indonesia.
However, quiet bit different from Islam, the practice of the “syncretism Christianity” at that time was seen as “not purely Christianity” so that it should be condemned. It seems to me that “pure Christianity’ was it which is practiced by Westerns, so that indigenous people who embrace Christianity also have to practice what westerns practice. In my opinion, it can be said that the “spirit of colonialism” still embedded tightly on the mind of colonialists even in the practice of religion. I think, it was kind of coercion in the term of religion practice. It might be because Westerns at that time saw indigenous beliefs as inferior.
What makes me attracted is that those syncretism Christianity had succeeded in gaining many followers since people feel that it is more suitable for them although they face many resistance from some parties. And I can witness that Indonesia Christians today are influenced by those syncretism.