Gotong Royong: a Study of an Indonesian Concept and the Application of Its Principles to the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Indonesia
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertation Projects DMin Graduate Research 1975 Gotong Royong: A Study Of An Indonesian Concept And The Application Of Its Principles To The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Indonesia Jan Manaek Hutauruk Andrews University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin Part of the Practical Theology Commons Recommended Citation Hutauruk, Jan Manaek, "Gotong Royong: A Study Of An Indonesian Concept And The Application Of Its Principles To The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Indonesia" (1975). Dissertation Projects DMin. 354. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin/354 This Project Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertation Projects DMin by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary GOTONG ROYONG: A STUDY OF AN INDONESIAN CONCEPT AND THE APPLICATION OF ITS PRINCIPLES TO THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH IN INDONESIA A Project Report Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Ministry by Jan Manaek Hutauruk March 1975 Approval ACKNOWLEDGEMENT A work of this kind is a work of dependence. Without the support of several important people this study would have been impossible. Truly what the author has accomplished is the result of gotong royong— a group work. Dr. Gottfried Oosterwal has given the author guidance, advice, and encouragement; Dr. Robert Johnston has read the paper through and given his criticism to improve it; Dr. Fadeley has given generously many hours of help, and willingly spent much time with the author and helped with the English; and Dr. Leona G. Running spent many hours proofreading the paper. Some formal and informal helps through correspondence, interviews, discussions, and contacts with professors, fellow Indonesians, and missionaries who had been working in Indonesia have contributed much to this project. The author fbund an excellent help in the person of Mrs. Joyce Campbell who typed this paper through. To all those who are mentioned and others who are not mentioned by name, the author expresses a big and heartfelt THANK YOU. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS P a g e INTRODUCTION ........ 1 The Task .............................. 1 Gotong Royong .......................... ....... 2 Procedure ............................................. 2 PART I GOTONG ROYONG AND THE INDONESIAN NATIONHOOD Chapter I. BACKGROUND ......................................... 5 Cultural Background of Indonesia ................ 6 Religious Background . .................... 7 Unity in Diversity............................ 15 Religious Mixture and Tolerance .............. 17 Eastern and Western Cultures .................... 18 Dutch Ethical P o l i c y .......... 21 The People's Council .......................... 24 East and West on Indonesia's Unification .... 25 Minority Groups in Indonesia.................. 27. A Search for I d e n t i t y ........................ 30 Gotong Royong .................................. 33 What is Gotong R o y o n g ........................ 33 Gotong Royong on a Higher Level .............. 35 Panca S i l a .................................... 36 Why Does the Author Choose Gotong Royong? .... 4® II. GOTONG ROYONG PRACTICES IN INDONESIA .......... 44 Various Kinds of Gotong Royong .................. 4^ iii TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Chapter Page II. (Continued) Gotong Royong as a Family Affair .............. 46 Gotong Royong in Village Societies ............ 55 Various Factors for Modern Changes .............. 73 I s l a m .................. 75 . Christianity.......................... 78 Indonesian Independence ...................... 82 III. GOTONG ROYONG AND THE INDONESIAN NATIONHOOD .... 87 The Indonesian Elements of Nationalism .......... 88 Pre-Nationalism (Elements of Nationalism) . 88 National Movement and Gotong Royong .......... 106 The Indonesian National Independence ............ 122 The Event of the Proclamation................ 124 Gotong Royong During the Revolution .......... 127 S u m m a r y .................. 133 Application .................................... 135 PART II APPLICATION OF GOTONG ROYONG TO THE SDA CHURCH IN INDONESIA IV. CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS IN INDONESIA, THE NT CHURCH, AND THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY AS BACKGROUND AND SUPPORT TO THE APPLICATION OF GOTONG R O Y O N G ................ ................ 138 Some Historical Background of the SDA Work in I n d o n e s i a ........................ 138 Christian Churches in Indonesia .............. 139 The Roman Catholic Church .................... 141 The Lutheran C h u r c h .......................... 149 The Reformed C h u r c h .......................... 154 The SDA Chu r c h................................ 160 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Chapter Page IV. (Continued) The NT Church, SOP, and Go tong R o y o n g .......... 171 The NT C h u r c h ................................ 172 The Remnant Church as Portrayed by Ellen G. W h i t e .................. 176 V. A STUDY OF THE VARIOUS REASONS FOR THE APPLICATION OF GOTONG ROYONG TO THE SDA CHURCH IN I N D O N E S I A ........................ 182 Reasons for Applying Gotong Royong to the SDA Chu r c h................................ 182 Gotong Royong Declined ........ 183 Church Growth Problems Require Gotong R o y o n g .............. 185 Difficult Times Require Gotong Royong ........ 187 Other Reasons for Gotong R o y o n g .............. 188 Some Examples of Gotong Royong Found in the SDA C h u r c h .................... 191 Responsibility to the Nation ................... 197 Nation-building Interests .................... 198 The National Language ........................ 200 Inter-marriage ................................ 201 Multi-Christian Religions .................... 201 VI. APPLICATION OF GOTONG ROYONG TO THE SDA CHURCH IN I N D O N E S I A ............................ 205 How to Apply Gotong Royong to the SDA Church . 205 Gotong Royong ................................ 206 Relationship .................................. 225 Reciprocity.................................. 230 Equality...................................... 234 U n i t y ........................ 238 Brotherhood.................................. 242 Sense of Responsibility...................... 246 Participation ................................ 250 Mushawarah.............................. .. 254 Cooperation.................................. 257 Interdependence .............................. 261 Hospitality............................ 265 Flexibility.................................. 268 Identity...................................... 271 v TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Chapter Page VI. (Continued) Informality . .............. 276 Cultural Values .............................. 280 Joy of Achievement............................ 284 Mutual H e l p .................................. 287 The Challenge of Gotong Royong to Modern Indonesia .............................. 300 Applying Gotong Royong for Church Growth .... 300 Gotong Royong a Real Challenge ................ 301 VII. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION........ ................. 306 S u m m a r y ........................................ 306 Conclusion...................................... 310 APPENDIX ...................................... 314 BIBLIOGRAPHY............ 343 Vi. LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Map of Indonesia.......................................viii 2. Indonesia's Coat of A r m s ................ 14 3. The Change and Development of the Indonesian SDA Church Administration Historically T r a c e d............................................ 161 4. The Map of Indonesia Showing Union Boundaries........................................ 190 5. The SDA and Some Other Protestant Churches in Indonesia Compared on Church Growth Based on 1965 F i g u r e s ............................ 202 6. Spring of A c t i o n .................................... 204 7. Organization Structure .............................. 292 v i i FIG. 1. MAP OF INDONESIA viii Source: Information Service, Indonesian Consultate, Penang, Malaysia. INTRODUCTION The author's .interest in the understanding of the church and its ministry has awakened his mind to a further investigation of the nature of the church. He found that the church is people who are not separate individuals but people who are a group, a body. As a body, the church is people in relationship. Before the church can minister, the church must be a body and, to exist as a body, the church must be in good relationship. There are reasons and causes for a good relationship to exist. Familyhood and brotherhood are causes for a close and good relationship. A reason for familyhood is that there is one Father, and for brotherhood, is that those who are brothers belong to the same family. Familyhood and brotherhood are causes and reasons for a good relationship. A good relationship makes unity, harmony, cooperation, participation, identity, and other good qualities of a group life possible. These thoughts have directed his attention to a cultural group life which is commonly practised especially in the Indonesian rural communities called gotong royong. The Task The purpose of this study is to investigate the possible relevance of the concept of gotong royong to church growth with special applications of its principles to the Seventh-day Adventist church (SDA)