FROM COUNCIL OF NICAEA THROUGH THE REFORMATION TO ISTIQLAL DECLARATION: THE CHURCH’S EFFORTS TO FOSTER RELIGIOUS ENCOUNTERS FOR PEACE

Abstract

Employing a positive approach to historical interpretation, this paper seeks to depict religious encounters within a religion or inter-religions, particularly Islam and Christianity. Religious encounters serve as a means of building reconciliation. The Council of Nicaea and the Reformation represent a religious attempt within a religion to resolve differences in belief. These two events provide evidence that religions possess a spirit of building peace rather than conflict. Meanwhile, Deklarasi Istiqlal (the Istiqlal Declaration) represents a religious encounter between religions that shares a similar characteristic with the Council of Nicaea and the Reformation: building peace. Based on this analysis, this paper concludes and encourages that, in order to build peace, the church needs to develop a renewed ecumenical character based on ecumenical hermeneutics. There are three important things that the church needs to develop: (1) a critical-ecumenical method of interpretation, by opening itself to receiving and appreciating religious traditions, (2) building visionary and open church leadership, and willing to undertake a critical-ecumenical hermeneutical process, and (3) a willingness to engage in dialogue and discussion with the spirit of seeking truth together to give birth to an understanding of God that is open to loving all.