Saturday, October 10, 2009

Benedict XVI and Islam: Indonesian Public Reactions to the Regensburg Address

Benedict XVI and Islam: Indonesian Public Reactions to the Regensburg Address

Author: Al Makin a
Affiliation: a International Consortium for Research in the Humanities, 'Dynamics in the History of Religions between Asia and Europe', Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
Published in: journal Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations, Volume 20, Issue 4 October 2009 , pages 409 - 421

Abstract

This paper examines the responses of the Indonesian public sphere in the reform era to Pope Benedict XVI's call for interfaith dialogue in his speech made in Regensburg on 12 September 2006. It explores five op-ed (opinion and editorial) columns published by Indonesian newspapers (Republika, Harian Pikiran Rakyat, The Jakarta Post and Gatra), a piece posted by the online Wahid Institute, and an interview posted online by Eramuslim. Not only do the arguments contained in these pieces offer a glimpse into the 'battle' between opinions in the public realm in Indonesia, but they also portray the relationship between Muslims and Christians in the country. This paper will present the Muslim responses to the Pope's speech and the 'reassertion' of his original message conducted by two Catholic priest-intellectuals.

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Indonesians really need to have a `Noah's Ark'

Indonesians really need to have a `Noah's Ark'

Al Makin , Bochum | Thu, 10/08/2009 11:54 AM | Opinion, The Jakarta Post

Indonesians take religion and faith in God seriously. Thus, it is worth pondering for a moment to relate the current series of natural catastrophes - e.g. earthquakes, floods and volcanic eruptions - to religious traditions.

Religion in its very early form, according to those who study theology, had to do with nature. Religion, for those who hold the spirit of "positivism" under the light of European Enlightenment, served as an answer for humans to solve mysteries related to nature.

Religion was an early form of "science", which at least fulfilled the needs of human curiosity and, more importantly, of salvation.

It is therefore unsurprising that various early religious texts preserve the stories of natural disasters which involve God's intervention in human affairs. The relationship of man and God is often overshadowed by nature.

The Old Testament and the Koran are no exception to this, as various verses of both tell us that the concepts of God and nature are undivorceable.

The Koran clearly says on many occasions that nature itself stands for the sign of the existence and the greatness of God, which are as sacred as the Scripture itself. Thus, we should respect nature as carefully as we do the Bible and the Koran.

Let us recall here the great story of the Flood, which both the Bible and the Koran perpetuate. This account is even found in the older Sumerian and Babylonian texts. The Athrahasis epic, for example, tells us the deluge was caused by gods who were disturbed by the noises made by humans. However, the god Enki betrayed the plan, by revealing it to the hero, Athrahasis, who then constructed an ark to save humans.

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What can Sharia banking offer?

What can Sharia banking offer?

Al Makin , MONTREAL | Tue, 03/10/2009 10:52 AM | Opinion The Jakarta Post

A slump in global markets around the world has led political leaders everywhere to tap creative and innovative ideas. In the past few months, the word “bailout”, adopted as a financial policy in both developed and developing countries, has appeared repeatedly in newspaper headlines.

Muslim leaders, who attended the fifth World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) in Jakarta recently, have sought to unearth wisdom from Islamic traditions, that is, the Islamic financial system of Sharia banking, which is gaining increasing popularity in Indonesia.

President Susilo Bambang Yu-dhoyono stated, “Islamic banking should take a front seat because it has not been affected by the crisis.” Likewise, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, pinpointed the “unbridled greed” in the current conventional financial system which has caused this global economic crisis, saying the “Islamic financial system” could be a solution.

In view of the heterogeneous modern world, such an effort is not entirely new. The current modern world constitutes various elements of Chinese, Indian, Roman, Greece, Arabic, Malay and many more traditions. No one can claim theirs a dominant tradition; nor can one ignore certain elements of another’s.

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