TOWARD A PLURALIST PUBLIC THEOLOGY: Negotiating Faith, Power, and Identity in Indonesia’s Public Sphere

Abstract

This article explores the tensions and transformations within public theology in Indonesia by responding to Fr. B. Hari Juliawan’s account of Southeast Asia’s socio-political challenges. While Juliawan outlines issues such as labor, migration, and democratization, this response insists that theology must go further, it must interpret and engage, not simply describe. In Indonesia, public theology has often remained insular, framed either by a “theology of nationality” during the New Order or a post-Reformasi “theology of religious identity.” Both models, however, tend to treat the public sphere as a battleground for dominance rather than a space for shared responsibility. Through a critical reflection on events like the political rise and fall of Ahok and the symbolism of Christian presence in public life, the author illustrates how public theology in Indonesia has often failed to address the country’s pluralism and widespread poverty. Drawing on Asian theologians such as Felix Wilfred, Aruna Gnanadason, and Peniel Rajkumar, the article advocates for a pluralist public theology, one that moves from the center to the margins, from contestation to solidarity. Such a theology, rooted in humility and justice, holds promise for a more inclusive and dialogical engagement in Indonesia’s complex religious and political landscape.

Keywords: Public theology; Indonesia; pluralism; religious identity; social justice; marginality; democratization