| |
Indonesia
After hundreds of years of relatively positive relations between Christians and Muslims, Indonesia has been rocked by many outbreaks of Muslim-Christian violence since the fall of Soeharto. Now Christians all over Indonesia are struggling to recover and maintain the mutual respect and cooperation that usually characterize relations between these two Abrahamic communities in Indonesia. A remarkable example is the founding of the Indonesian Consortium for Religious Studies in Yogyakarta (ICRS-Yogya) by the State Islamic University, DWCU, and GadjahMada University. Directed by PC(USA) mission co-worker Bernard Adeney-Risakotta, ICRS-Yogya offers the world’s first international doctoral program in interreligious studies that is sponsored by leading Muslim, Christian, and secular universities. Indonesian Muslim and Christian intellectuals are finding that they can walk humbly with their God not just alone or in their religious communities, but also together.
Timor-Leste
Timor-Leste, one of the world’s newest countries, is half of a small, poverty-stricken island in the midst of the sprawling Indonesian archipelago. The other half of the island, called West Timor, is part of Indonesia. The new nation’s first decade has been very difficult. The Protestant church has lost most of its clergy and half of its membership has left the country. The remaining pastors are targets of attacks.
In spite of its relatively small size (15,000 members) the Protestant Church of Timor-Leste (IPTL) continues to meet people’s needs during the country’s ongoing internal conflict. IPTL provides aid to many refugees from the violence. The church also operates a very successful clinic and has built an agricultural and technical training school. Yasona, the church’s community development agency, continues a variety of educational, agricultural, and health programs in rural areas.
Partners/Ministries [Indonesia]
Fellowship of Indonesian Churches and Communion of Churches in Indonesia: Rev. Dr. Andreas A. Yewangoe, general chairman, Rev. Dr. Richard Daulay, general secretary
Christian Church of Indonesia, Central Java: Rev. Willie Darmawan Susilo, general secretary
East Java Christian Church: Rev. Tjondro Firmanto Gadjito, general secretary
Christian Church of Indonesia : Rev. Jahja Sunarja, general secretary
Evangelical Christian Church in Irian Jaya
Protestant Christian Church of Bali: Rev. I Made Priana, general secretary
Christian Church of Java: Rev. Johanes B. Sudarmo, general secretary of the synod
Duta Wacana Christian University : Rev. Dr. Budyanto, rector, Rev. Yusak Tridarmanto, dean of the faculty of theology
Satya Wacana Christian University: Prof. Dr. Chris H. Timotius, rector Indonesian Christian University at Tomohon : Rev. Dr. Richard A. D. Siwu, rector
Theological Seminary of Jakarta: Dr. Jan Aritonang, principal
Partners/Ministries [Timor Leste]
Christian Church in East Timor
Christian Conference of Asia: Prawate Khid-arn, general secretary
PC(USA) General Assembly Staff
Angel Green, BOP
Rev. Bridgett Green, GAMC
Dear Lord, thank you for giving strength and grace to the church in Timor-Leste. Please help their leaders to be peacemakers who can work to build a new unity founded on justice. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Ps. 47, 147:12–20 Ps. 68, 113
Dan. 2:31–49
1 John 2:18–29; Luke 3:1–14
|
|
