n°20 - Catholics and Communism in Indonesia: Religious Alliances and Conflicts in the Shaping of National Identity
Gloria Truly ESTRELITA
IRASEC, Bangkok
January 2025, 17 p.
English text
This article outlines the key phases of the transformation of the Indonesian religio-political landscape, beginning with the aftermath of World War II as well as colonial emancipation and continuing to the present landscape, marked by the enduring legacy of the previous authoritarian regime’s era in 1998. As a competing force challenging the traditionally dominant Muslim religion, the Indonesian Catholic Church employed various strategies to establish itself and gain influence at every level of society. The diverse initiatives and internal debates within the Catholic Church eventually made it a direct observer and participant in the construction of the Indonesian state. In response to the growing influence of the Communists in the 1950s, Catholics and Muslims joined forces to safeguard their place in Indonesian society. The collaboration between these religious groups persisted throughout the subsequent anti-communist movements in 1965-1966.
However, in the following decades, this partnership between Catholics and Muslims became increasingly strained. On the one hand, the Catholics extended support to political prisoners accused of communism and made concessions to those in political authority. On the other hand, the Catholic Hierarchy appeared to maintain an ambiguous relationship with the new military regime led by Major General Suharto, commonly referred to as the New Order (1966-1998). This paper elucidates the ambiguity in Indonesian Catholics’ official stance, religious discourse, and actions, which raises inquiries into how the Catholic humanitarian initiatives represented the evolution of religio-political issues in Indonesia. It examines these developments through the lens of the contemporary Catholic community, which has been a direct witness and participant in the interplay between the state and religion in Indonesia’s ongoing religious and political discussions.
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Gloria Truly Estrelita is a PhD candidate in history at École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS), attached to Centre Asie du Sud-Est (CASE/UMR 8170). This work was carried out as part of a doctoral research project for which Gloria Truly Estrelita received a field research grant from IRASEC.