| 4 September 2010 |
| Jesus and the little people |
Jesus dan Wong Cilik: Praksis Diakonia Transformatif dan Teologi Rakyat di Indonesia, Josef Purnama Widyatmadja, Jakarta: BPK Gunung Mulia, 2010.
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| By James Haire
This book, which might be entitled: Jesus and the Little People: the Praxis of Transformative Diaconal Ministry and the Theology of the People in Indonesia in English, is of great significance. It is the fruit of a lifetime of service. It does not just contain the theological reflections from the academic ivory towers of theological irrelevance. Rather in this volume are the considered theological thoughts of the praxis of a life of diaconal service. The author played a major part in the development of diaconal service for the church in Central Java, particularly in Surakarta. He then served, from 1999 to 2007, as Executive Secretary of the Urban Rural Mission of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA). I had the honour of serving with him, as a member of the Executive Committee of the CCA during some of those years.
Much of the material is based on his work both in Surakarta and in the CCA. He is heavily influenced by forms of Liberation Theology, both in content and in style. The style is particularly clear as that of a Liberation Theologian, in that it reflects on the praxis of the people, especially of the oppressed, in their daily lives. However, it is clearly a work in the Liberation Theology tradition with a strong Indonesian and South-East Asian flavour. This is not only because that is the world from which it comes, but also because it makes real challenges and moves towards practical implementation of needed reforms in society.
The writings come from the author’s theological and practical struggles. They focus on the fundamental theological topics of God’s mission in the world (Missio Dei), social and communal sin, the kingdom (basileia) of God, solidarity with the poor, human conflict, a new humanity in a new world, and the diaconal carrying-out of the demands of the gospel. It also points forward to liberating partnership in mission, transformative spirituality, and vocation in the twenty-first century. In the Liberation Theology tradition, the volume is also highly contextual, both in using indigenous stories of the people, many from Indonesia, but also in bringing about interaction between the biblical stories and the stories of the people. Rather that impose a specific theological framework for interpreting the people’s stories and the biblical stories, the author rather lets the two types of story interact with each other.
Widyatmadja offers his critique of traditional diaconal service. If it is merely reformative, as in the past in Indonesia it has often been, then it is inclined to reinforce current power, and restrict any real change. Sometimes this is referred to as “ameliorating capitalism”, rather confronting it. However, if it is truly transformative, then it can be truly liberating. The author then advocates for the transformative nature of diaconal service, looking at the liberation of structures and popular cultures. This is indeed the church’s participation in the very mission of God in the world. From this he goes on to look at examples, and so to examine globalization, fundamentalism, terrorism and the situation of migrant workers. Here indeed are the issues of truly empowering people, in a renewed humanity living in harmony in peace under God.
The author has very important theological reflections on the interaction between donor and receiving agencies in international development. These again need to be not simply reformed, but, more than that, truly transformed.
Here is a volume in the truly Reformed theological tradition of Widyatmadja’s background. He looks for theological answers to his diaconal questions. He is not afraid to look into the eyes of evil and oppression, both in society and even in the church’s structures. He engages in a theology of the people. I would prefer to call it a theology with the people. The danger of speaking of a theology of the people is that we can patronise the people, as if we are the agency or medium through which they speak.
I hope that this fine book will be translated into English for the edification of other parts of Asia, and of the church ecumenically throughout the world. It is an important contribution to Asian contextual theology, and to international contextual theology more generally. It is a challenging and confronting book, and one that is deeply rooted in biblical witness, in human honesty and frankness, and in the selfless service of the author.
Dr. James Haire is professor of theology, Charles Sturt University, Canberra, Australia.
He is also the executive director, Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, and a minister, at the Evangelical Christian Church in Halmahera, Indonesia.
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