Strengthening communion relations in Indonesia

Bishop Dr Robinson Butarbutar, Ephorus of the Protestant Christian Batak Church (HKBP) and chairperson of the KN-LWF, reflected on the importance of gathering as churches in Indonesia together with LWF general secretary.

Recalling a visit by the then-LWF general secretary Ishmael Noko in 1999 – which helped lay the foundations for the formation of KN-LWF in the year 2,000 – Butarbutar observed the effect of that visit as bringing churches in Indonesia closer than they had been before, and said he hopes the present visit of general secretary Burghardt may have a similar effect. He also expressed his hope that this visit will strengthen women’s leadership in Lutheran churches in Indonesia.

Butarbutar noted that the work of the National Committee has been strengthened in recent years, and took stock of the global dimension of Lutheran interchurch relations today.

“When you know that 150 member churches all around the world are praying together, and praying for you, you are strengthened, energized and you are given hope. And you rejoice, knowing that you are not alone,” Butarbutar said.

Strengthening Lutheran identity is a priority for Indonesian churches

“For the churches in Indonesia, we see as a key priority in the years ahead the question of how to strengthen a shared Lutheran identity,” said KN-LWF director Rev. Dedi Pardosi. “This is not to say we strive for uniformity, but a stronger sense of shared identity.”

Additional priorities for the churches include capacity-building on gender justice and inclusivity both within the churches and society at large, Pardosi explained.

“But also, climate change and disaster preparedness. Our communities are affected every year by disasters – floods, landslides, earthquakes – so we are working together now to strengthen our capacity for crisis response,” he added.

For Rev. Mika Purba, head of the Ecumenical Bureau of HKBP, a key focus ahead is to explore possibilities for joint concrete action among the Indonesian member churches, to give the best possible service and ministry to the communities they serve.

“We are different churches, yes, but we share the same problems, for example in relation to the environment,” Purba observed. “How can we solve these problems together and use our voices to speak up publicly to call for solutions to these issues?” she asked.

“As Christians in Indonesia we are in minority, but we want to show that we are together, to give hope to future generations,” Purba concluded.

Rev. Dr Humala Lumbantobing, general secretary of the Christian Protestant Church in Indonesia (GKPI) – a church of some 268,000 members across 1,126 parishes – reflected that Burghardt’s contribution to the conversation was significant.

“It is important to hear about global issues in relation to our work as local churches and see how we can all work to realize the vision and mission of the LWF,” he said.

Encouragement for upcoming ecumenical year

The church leaders’ meeting coincided with a cultural evening hosted by HKBP at the church’s main office, bringing together more than 1,000 congregants from Tarutung and the surrounding area in prayer at the adjacent Pearaja church.

General secretary Burghardt, invited to offer a reflection on the theme of HKBP’s upcoming ‘Inclusive Ecumenical Year’ – held under the theme of “Presenting God’s goodness to all (Matthew 5:45)” – noted that this “is a missionary theme. It calls us to be true disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live out the gifts of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22) to give good witness of our faith,” Burghardt said.

“How can churches, how can we as LWF, as a worldwide communion of Lutheran churches, present God’s goodness to all? What does it mean in practice?” she asked, urging a holistic approach to the life and ministry of the Church.

“For presenting God’s goodness to all, all aspects of holistic mission need to be involved: proclamation, worship, advocacy, and diakonia. They all need to include the understanding that God wants us to contribute to making the new creation more visible in the world, reconciling all things in Jesus Christ,” she said. “This includes standing up for human dignity; promoting respectful and mutually supportive relationships between women and men where both are given equal opportunities; care for creation and raising the voice for the oppressed.”