ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the situation of Christians in Indonesia through an examination of three issues: denominational and organizational development, interfaith encounters, and Christians’ place in political and economic life. Until the beginning of the twenty-first century there were fifteen major denominations, each with its unique history and organization. The Persekutuan Gereja-gereja di Indonesia (PGI, Communion of Churches in Indonesia) aspires to unite all denominations across Indonesia. With regard to interfaith encounters, the chapter shows that the beginning of the New Order (1966 onwards) was marked by tensions between Muslims and Christians. However, since the 1970s interfaith dialogue has also intensified. Since the fall of the Suharto regime in 1998, many incidents have disturbed interfaith and especially Muslim-Christian ties; these were not purely inter-religious conflicts but also involved political-economic interests. With regard to Christians’ place in political and economic life, the article notes that Christians have been appointed to high government positions in Indonesia for most of the republic’s history. Nevertheless, the appointment of the Christians in high-ranked positions has not always gone smoothly, as illustrated in the recent legal and mobilizational campaign against Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or Ahok’s case, the Christian Chinese governor of Jakarta prosecuted for “religious defamation.”
