VU Research Portal Eikon and Ayat Subandrijo, B. 2007 document version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Link to publication in VU Research Portal citation for published version (APA) Subandrijo, B. (2007). Eikon and Ayat: Points of Encouter between Indonesian Christian and Muslim Perspectives on Jesus. General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. E-mail address: [email protected] Download date: 03. Oct. 2021 EIKŌN AND ĀYAT Points of Encounter between Indonesian Christian and Muslim Perspectives on Jesus Bambang Subandrijo VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT EIKŌN AND ĀYAT Points of Encounter between Indonesian Christian and Muslim Perspectives on Jesus ACADEMISCH PROEFSCHRIFT ter verkrijging van de graad van Doctor aan de Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, op gezag van de rector magnificus prof.dr. L.M. Bouter, in het openbaar te verdedigen ten overstaan van de promotiecommissie van de faculteit der Godgeleerdheid op woensdag 19 december 2007 om 10.45 uur in het auditorium van de universiteit, De Boelelaan 1105 door Bambang Subandrijo geboren te Yogyakarta, Indonesië promotoren: prof.dr. M.E. Brinkman prof.dr. K.A. Steenbrink EIKŌN AND ĀYAT Points of Encounter between Indonesian Christian and Muslim Perspectives on Jesus CONTENTS Page Acknowledgements …………………………………………………… i Introduction …………………………………………………………… 1 1. General statement of the problem …………………………. 1 2. A set of problems and the title of the study ………………. 12 3. Assumptions …………………………………………………. 13 4. Research method …………………………………………….. 14 Chapter 1: The Christology of Indonesian Reformed Churches and Its Roots ……………………………………………… 17 1. The ecumenical heritage …………………………………….. 18 1.1. The Apostle Creed ………………………………………. 19 1.2. Nicene and Constantinopolitan Confessions …………. 21 1.3. The Creed of Chalcedon ………………………………… 28 1.4. The Athanasian Creed …………………………………... 30 2. Reformed Christology ……………………………………….. 34 2.1. The Belgic Confession …………………………………… 34 2.2. The Heidelberg Catechism ……………………………… 38 2.3. The Canons of Dordt …………………………………….. 40 3. The Creeds of Indonesian Reformed Churches ……………. 43 3.1. PGI or CCI and its Common Comprehension of Faith .. 44 3.2. Confessions of Faith of some members churches of the PGI 49 4. Concluding remarks …………………………………………. 62 5. Reflective notes ……………………………………………….. 63 Chapter 2: Indonesian Muslim Perceptions of Jesus …………….. 65 1. Qur’ānic perceptions ………………………………………… 67 2. Two foreigners: Egyptian Abu Zahra and Pakistani Ulfat Azizus Samad ……………………………… 69 Sheikh Muhammad Abū Zahra ………………………. 69 Ulfat ‘Azizus Samad …………………………………… 72 3. Indonesian Muslim perceptions about Jesus ……………… 76 Classical perceptions …………………………………… 76 3.1.1. Nūr Al-Din Al-Rānīrī ........................................... 77 3.1.2. A Javanese classical text about Jesus …………. 80 Some modern apologetics views on Jesus ……………. 88 3.2.1. Hasbullah Bakry ………………………………… 88 3.2.2. Arsjad Thalib Lubis ……………………………... 91 3.2.3. Hazairin ………………………………………….. 93 3.2.4. Sidi Gazalba ……………………………………… 96 3.2.5. Nurcholis Madjid ……………………………….. 99 3.2.6. Behind the fatwa on Muslims’ attendance at Christmas celebrations ………………………… 101 3.2.7. Ahmadiyah ……………………………………… 103 4. Concluding remarks …………………………………………. 104 5. Reflective notes ………………………………………………... 105 Chapter 3: Monotheistic Christology: An exegetical analysis of Colossians 1:15-20 …………. 109 1. Monotheistic Jewish faith: a common background of the New Testament …………… 113 2. Hellenistic influence ………………………………………….. 117 3. Christ-hymn of Colossians 1:15-20, a monotheistic Christology 124 3.1. Special background of the epistle ……………………… 124 3.2. Background of the hymn: a monotheistic faith ………. 129 3.3. Exegetical analysis ………………………………………. 132 4. Interpretation …………………………………………………. 145 5. Concluding remarks …………………………………………. 149 Chapter 4: Jesus the Son of Mary: Qur’ān Surah Maryam (19):16-40 ………………………. 154 1. General background of the rise of Islam …………………... 154 2. A study on QS Maryam 19:16-40 ….………………………… 159 2.1. Structure and Content …………………………………... 159 2.2. Literary form …………………………………………….. 164 2.3. Exegetical analysis of Surah Maryam 19:1-40 ………… 167 3. General remarks ……………………………………………… 189 Parallelism with the Gospels and apocryphal writings 189 A new branch of Jewish-Christian tradition? ……….. 191 The miracle of virgin-birth and the names for Jesus … 193 Controversy over Christmas Greetings ……………… 195 4. Concluding remarks ………………………………………… 196 Chapter 5: Proposal of a New Understanding of Jesus: An Experiment in Inclusive Theology …………………… 198 General review and reflections ……………………………………… 198 Reflection ………………………………………………………….. 199 1. Jesus’ honorific titles: Word, Spirit, and Son of God ………….. 203 1.1. The Word of God ………………………………………….. 204 1.2. The Spirit of God ………………………………………….. 215 1.3. The Son of God ……………………………………………. 221 1.4. Critical notes ………………………………………………. 229 2. Jesus’ ministerial titles: Messiah, Servant, Prophet, and Sign of God 231 2.1. Messiah ……………………………………………………. 232 2.2. Servant of God …………………………………………….. 237 2.3. Prophet of God …………………………………………….. 240 2.4. Sign of God ………………………………………………… 245 2.5. Critical review ……………………………………………… 249 3. Some notes on Jesus’ titles ……………………………………… 250 Chapter 6: Epilogue …………………………………………………….. 252 Summary ………………………………………………………………… 257 Samenvatting ……………………………………………………………. 261 Appendices ………………………………………………………………. 265 Abbrevations ……………………………………………………………... Bibliography …………………………………………………………….. 280 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This dissertation would not have been possible without the help of many people, who have given me great attention, guidance, criticisms, suggestions, and advice. They provided valuable comments and contributions. I would like to thank all those who made this work possible and an enjoyable experience for me. First of all, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Prof. Dr. Martien E. Brinkmann, my supervisor (promotor) at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands, for his patient guidance, fruitful discussions, useful suggestions and insightful comments. He has undoubtedly given me immensely valuable advice seeking the best outcome for my writing. I am also indebted to Prof. Dr. Karel A. Steenbrink, my co-supervisor (second promotor), for his constructive criticisms and indispensable advice. He contributed so much to the improvement and accomplishment of this dissertation. I admire his patience in guiding me in every step of the study. I would like to thank Prof. Dr. Abraham van de Beek, the Dean of the Theological Faculty, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and Dr. Eddy Van der Borght, for their useful suggestions, comments, and lectures, especially during the period of my Master’s research. They all really broadened my horizon for developing some further research that flowed into this dissertation. I am very grateful to Dr. Simon Rae, an English native speaker, for his willingness to correct the whole manuscript of this dissertation. Patiently and carefully he corrected the wordings, terms, idioms, and many grammatical errors of the manuscript. His contribution to the “finishing touch” of this writing cannot be minimized. Special thanks are also due to Mrs. Ninik S. Mahar for having read and provided thorough corrections on drafts of the manuscript, in order to improve and refine the language. High appreciation goes to Luzan Werts, Piet Oliemans, and all the staff of the Theological Faculty, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, for their help during my stay and study in the Netherlands. I am very much impressed with their kindness and hospitality. I would like to thank the late Dr. Radius Prawiro, Mrs. Leonie Prawiro Supit, Dr. Th. Kobong, the Oties Latumaerissa family, the KIA (Kerk in Actie), the Yayasan Satyabhakti Widya and its staff for affording me the opportunity to finish my study at the Theological Faculty, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. I gratefully acknowledge and thank them for their support and help throughout my study. It is a great pleasure to acknowledge the encouraging motivation and cooperation of all my colleagues. My cordial thanks especially go to Silas Barbosa Dias, Gudor Botond, Alida Sewell, and Steve Gaspersz for their comradeship and friendliness. Finally, I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the constant support, understanding and love that I received from my wife Widyastuti and my sons Mahas, Hanin and Jalu. I have tried to keep a record of those who helped, but undoubtedly I have missed some and I apologize to them. The wisdom, commitment, and help of many people made this dissertation possible, but for any shortcomings and errors that may remain, I alone am responsible. Bambang Subandrijo INTRODUCTION 1. General statement of the problem Christian-Muslim relations in Indonesia Indonesia is the country with the largest Muslim population in the world. They form about