Indonesian Journal of Religious

Spiritual Experience and Character Formation

Widjaja Sugiri — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The article explores the imbalance in Pentecostal spiritual formation, where the focus on personal experiences with the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and healing, often overshadows the importance of deep theological education, spiritual disciplines, and character formation. The aim is to highlight the gaps in spiritual formation within Pentecostalism and propose ways to integrate emotional experiences with doctrinal understanding for a more holistic spiritual growth. The article uses a theoretical approach, reviewing existing theological perspectives and spiritual practices, referencing scholars like Anderson, McGrath, and Banda. The results reveal several key issues: a lack of theological depth, neglect of regular spiritual practices, and insufficient emphasis on Christian character and ethics. It also points to the underdeveloped role of community and intergenerational learning in spiritual formation. The contribution of the article is in proposing a balanced approach to spiritual growth that combines emotional experiences with solid theology, regular spiritual practices, ethical living, and strong community involvement, ultimately offering a framework for more sustainable spiritual maturity within Pentecostalism.

Artikel ini membahas ketidakseimbangan dalam pembentukan rohani Pentakosta, di mana penekanan pada pengalaman pribadi dengan Roh Kudus—seperti berbahasa roh dan penyembuhan—sering kali mengesampingkan pentingnya pendidikan teologis yang mendalam, disiplin rohani, dan pembentukan karakter. Tujuannya adalah untuk menyoroti kesenjangan dalam pembentukan rohani di kalangan Pentakosta dan mengusulkan cara untuk mengintegrasikan pengalaman emosional dengan pemahaman doktrinal guna mencapai pertumbuhan rohani yang lebih holistik. Artikel ini menggunakan pendekatan teoretis dengan meninjau perspektif teologis dan praktik rohani yang ada, serta merujuk pada para sarjana seperti Anderson, McGrath, dan Banda. Hasilnya mengungkap beberapa masalah utama: kurangnya kedalaman teologi, pengabaian terhadap praktik rohani yang teratur, dan penekanan yang tidak memadai pada karakter serta etika Kristen. Artikel ini juga menyoroti peran komunitas dan pembelajaran antar generasi yang belum berkembang dengan baik dalam pembentukan rohani. Kontribusi utama artikel ini terletak pada usulannya untuk menciptakan pendekatan seimbang dalam pertumbuhan rohani yang memadukan pengalaman emosional dengan teologi yang kokoh, praktik rohani yang teratur, kehidupan etis, serta keterlibatan aktif dalam komunitas. Pendekatan ini pada akhirnya menawarkan kerangka bagi kematangan rohani yang lebih berkelanjutan dalam tradisi Pentakosta.

Living Christianity in a Rapidly Changing Context

Seth Ahmetmu Biwul — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Studies have continually revealed that the strength and center of world Christianity is moving from the North to the Global South. This shift presupposes that the Church in the Global South is the future for world Christianity. As such, with Nigeria situated in the Global South as the most populous country in Africa, a consideration of the socio-religious trends impacting Christianity, although negatively, is imperative. Religion in Nigeria is delicately interwoven into every sphere of society and culture. Hence, any significant religious imbalance influences every aspect of the society. To this end, this paper explores the impact religious violence is making on the social and religious experiences of Christians living in Nigeria. Modern scholarship that have so far attempted to address the subject of religious violence in Nigeria has failed to show how these violent experiences are negatively shaping and impacting Christian belief and practices in the public square. Laying emphasis on lived-out faith in the public square, this paper specifically considers the negative influences of religious violence and targeted terrorist attacks on the Christian society in Nigeria. It argues that the church has not adequately equipped the Christian community with viable theologies to enable them contend with the contemporary Nigerian lived experiences of religious violence and the orchestrated agenda of ethnic cleansing and land grapping. To this extent, it proposes some action steps towards preserving the Christian faith for the benefits of the next generation. This article contributes by analyzing the impact of religious violence on the social and spiritual life of Christians in Nigeria, and proposing steps to preserve the Christian faith amid the rapidly changing context and challenges of violence.

Berbagai studi terus menunjukkan bahwa kekuatan dan pusat kekristenan dunia sedang bergeser dari Utara ke Selatan Global. Pergeseran ini mengandaikan bahwa Gereja di Selatan Global merupakan masa depan bagi kekristenan dunia. Dengan demikian, karena Nigeria berada di wilayah Selatan Global dan merupakan negara terpadat di Afrika, maka perlu dilakukan kajian terhadap tren sosial-keagamaan yang memengaruhi kekristenan, meskipun dampaknya bersifat negatif. Agama di Nigeria terjalin erat dalam setiap aspek masyarakat dan budaya. Oleh karena itu, ketidakseimbangan religius yang signifikan akan memengaruhi seluruh tatanan kehidupan sosial. Berdasarkan hal tersebut, makalah ini meneliti dampak kekerasan agama terhadap pengalaman sosial dan religius umat Kristen yang tinggal di Nigeria. Kajian-kajian modern yang sejauh ini mencoba membahas topik kekerasan agama di Nigeria belum mampu menunjukkan bagaimana pengalaman kekerasan tersebut secara negatif membentuk dan memengaruhi keyakinan serta praktik kekristenan di ruang publik. Dengan menekankan pentingnya iman yang diwujudkan dalam kehidupan publik, makalah ini secara khusus menyoroti pengaruh negatif kekerasan agama dan serangan teroris yang menargetkan komunitas Kristen di Nigeria. Makalah ini berargumen bahwa gereja belum sepenuhnya membekali komunitas Kristen dengan teologi yang memadai untuk menghadapi realitas kekerasan agama dan agenda sistematis pembersihan etnis serta perampasan tanah yang sedang berlangsung di Nigeria. Oleh karena itu, makalah ini mengusulkan beberapa langkah praktis untuk mempertahankan iman Kristen demi kepentingan generasi berikutnya. Artikel ini berkontribusi dengan menganalisis dampak kekerasan agama terhadap kehidupan sosial dan spiritual umat Kristen di Nigeria, serta mengusulkan langkah-langkah untuk menjaga keberlangsungan iman Kristen di tengah perubahan konteks dan tantangan kekerasan yang semakin kompleks.

Empowering Creation in Freedom

Bobby Kurnia Putrawan, Favour C. Uroko — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Contemporary conceptions of divine power are frequently framed in terms of sovereignty and unilateral control. This article proposes an alternative theological model by examining the kenosis of the Holy Spirit within the context of creation. The central objective is to explore how the Spirit’s self-emptying presence constitutes a mode of divine empowerment that operates not through coercion but by enabling the freedom of creation. Employing a reflective theological methodology, this study integrates biblical exegesis—particularly of Genesis 1:2 and Psalm 104:30—with systematic theological reflection and critical engagement with the works of key theologians such as Jürgen Moltmann, Hans Urs von Balthasar, John Zizioulas, and Karl Barth. The analysis demonstrates that the kenotic action of the Holy Spirit should not be construed as divine absence but rather as a purposeful self-limitation that nurtures a relational and participatory cosmos. Accordingly, this study contributes to pneumatological discourse by articulating a paradigm of divine power grounded in relationality, humility, and ethical responsibility, offering constructive implications for theology, anthropology, and ecology.

The Distinction between Law and Gospel in its Significance for Political Theology

Robert Deinhammer — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This paper explores the theological distinction between Law and Gospel and its critical relevance for Political Theology. In contemporary debates, religion's role in shaping morality and politics is increasingly contested—secularists often view faith-based ethics as irrational or even harmful, while theologians argue that secularism itself may function ideologically. Within this tension, the study aims to clarify the relationship between faith, morality, and political power through a systematic reappraisal of the Law-Gospel distinction. Drawing primarily from Lutheran theology and engaging with Catholic perspectives, the author outlines how the Law—seen as God’s normative will—demands moral behavior and structures just political order, while the Gospel—God’s unconditional grace—empowers believers to fulfill the Law through love and trust, overcoming fear and self-interest. This theological lens is then applied to evaluate secular and religious political ideologies, arguing that the Law-Gospel dynamic provides a critical and liberating framework for Political Theology. The results highlight how distinguishing without separating Law and Gospel fosters a prophetic theology that both grounds normative ethics and upholds the transformative power of grace. The study contributes to Political Theology by offering a model that avoids legalism and moralism, while remaining ethically rigorous and theologically grounded, capable of engaging both secular reasoning and Christian faith in public discourse.

Tracing Theology and Historical Praxis in Early Muslim-Christian Relations

Moses Adeleke Adeoye, Muhammad Arifudin — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In an era marked by religious pluralism and socio-political tensions, constructive engagement between Muslims and Christians has become both a theological necessity and a social imperative. This paper explored the theological and historical praxis of charity in early Muslim and Christian communities as a basis for fostering deeper mutual understanding and cooperation. Employing a qualitative, historical-comparative method, the research draws on primary sources—including the Qur’an, Hadith, the New Testament, and early theological writings—supplemented by secondary scholarly interpretations. Through historical-critical analysis, theological exegesis, and comparative theology, the study examines how zakat and ṣadaqah in Islam, and agape-inspired almsgiving in Christianity, were developed and practised as religious imperatives and social ethics. Findings reveal that Islam conceptualises charity primarily as an obligatory act of worship and social justice, rooted in divine command, while Christianity emphasises voluntary, grace-filled giving as a manifestation of God’s unconditional love. Despite these differences, both traditions converge on the ethical imperatives of compassion, equity, and care for the marginalised. Furthermore, the study identifies practical pathways for interfaith cooperation, including joint educational initiatives, scholarly collaborations, leadership engagement, and grassroots charitable projects. The research concludes that charity offers a transformative platform for Muslim-Christian dialogue, serving as both a theological bridge and a social resource. It contributes to comparative theology and interfaith studies by demonstrating that shared commitments to charity can advance peacebuilding, ethical solidarity, and constructive coexistence in pluralistic societies.