Christian kingdoms in Indonesia

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Christianity was present in the kingdoms of the Indonesian Archipelago from the 16th century. The emergence of these kingdoms was driven by the increasing sea trade traffic with Christian traders from the Portuguese and Spanish empires. [1] By the 1800s, Christianity's expansion had slowed. In the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century the foundations of the Indonesian churches that exist today were laid, such as in the island of Java. During the war of independence, the church also contributed to community life. Churches of this day, such as Gereja Kristen Indonesia (GKI), Gereja Kristen Jawa (GKJ), Gereja Kristen Pasundan (GKP), Gereja Reformasi Indonesia (GRI), and Gereja Isa Almasih  [ id ] (GIA) has been assimilated into the daily lives of the people and has become part of the journey of the Indonesian nation to this day. [2]

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Dutch missionary efforts

In 1901, the Dutch Ethical Policy was born which had a very big influence on the Dutch colonial areas including the Dutch East Indies and one of the impacts is the zending emergence. Zending is an effort to spread the Protestant Christian religion. Zending entered the archipelago through several waves. The first wave of arrival of zending to the Indonesian Archipelago was brought by the British and Dutch in the 17th century, more precisely by the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC). [3]

Dutch missionaries, including those the UZV (Utrechtsche Zendings Vereeniging) Evangelists, from sought to introduce Western education, health practices, clothing, attitudes/behavior, village planning, and roads. [4]

Sultanate of Ternate

In 1563, the Sultanate of Ternate under the leadership of Sultan Hairun prepared his son Sultan Babullah to spread power and influence Islam to North Sulawesi. But, Henriques de Sa, as the Portuguese ruler, preceded him and sent a small fleet with a priest, Diego de Magelhaes, to North Sulawesi with the final destination being Toli-Toli. This priest gave teachings for 14 full days and baptized the King of Manado as well as the King of Siau because he happened to be in Manado at that time. The political situation had a strong influence on the spread of the Gospel in the Nusa Utara  [ id ]. However, the spread of the Gospel, especially Catholicism, suffered a very deep decline. Many people have been baptized but do not receive further services because economically the Nusa Utara is not very productive, compared to the islands of Maluku, So the rulers of that era were more interested in living in Ambon and Ternate or Tidore. [5] The presence of Europeans (especially the Portuguese) in Maluku in general and Ternate in particular, the spices were only secondary and the spread of Christianity was of paramount importance. The Portuguese took advantage of Ternate as a spice producing region in the world to introduce Christianity to the Ternate people, both from the common people and the high officials of the Sultanate of Ternate, as well as other kingdoms in the Moloku Kie Raha region. [6]

Larantuka Kingdom

The Larantuka Kingdom was one of the largest Christian kingdoms in Indonesia. The Lamaholot town of Larantuka was previously inhabited by the kakang nuba (the king's companions) at that time. [7] Larantuka was named as a town belonging to Mary (Town of Reinha) in 1645, when the King of Larantuka named Olla Adobala was baptized by a Portuguese Catholic priest and given the name Don Fransisco Olla Adobala Diaz Viera Ghodinho (DVG). [8] The surrender of the King of Larantuka in the sacrament of baptism was accompanied by the symbol of handing over the golden scepter of the Larantuka Kingdom to Tua Ma (the local people's name for the figure of Mother Maria Reinha Rosari) which means that Larantuka is completely "Town of Reinha" (the queen) and the kings are representatives or servants of Tua Ma. [9]

Christian kingdoms in Indonesia

Kalimantan

Maluku Islands

Nusa Tenggara Islands

Sulawesi

Sumatra

Papua

Christian kingdoms in Malaysia

References

  1. ↑ Mengenal Siau, Kerajaan Kristen di Sulawesi Utara Abad 16 (in Indonesian). barta1.com. [ permanent dead link ]
  2. ↑ Kesuma et al. 2019, p. 69.
  3. ↑ Pradewi et al. 2019, pp. 154–155.
  4. ↑ Ahmad 2014, p. 84.
  5. ↑ Takaliuang 2019, pp. 5–6.
  6. ↑ Nomay 2014, p. 125.
  7. ↑ Subanpulo 2012, p. 247.
  8. ↑ Mulyati 2019, pp. 207–208.
  9. ↑ Lake et al. 2020, p. 87.
  10. ↑ Alputila 2014, p. 5.
  11. ↑ "Kekristenan di Negeri Soya". ebahana.com (in Indonesian). 17 December 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
  12. ↑ Bulu, Ester (2020). Sejarah Kerajaan Palla Pada Masa Pemerintahan Raja Yosep Bili Umbu Robaka Di Sumba Barat Daya Tahun 1940–1971 (Thesis) (in Indonesian). Kupang: Nusa Cendana University . Retrieved 19 September 2025– via Skripsi Prodi Sejarah Undana.
  13. ↑ "Sejarah Awal Masuknya Kristen ke Sulsel". sulsel.idntimes.com (in Indonesian). IDN Times. 26 December 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
  14. ↑ "Teminabuan dan Inanwatan dari Masa ke Masa". masroorlibrary.com (in Indonesian). Indonesia: Masroor Library. 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  15. ↑ Pouwer, Jan (2010). Gender, ritual and social formation in West Papua: a configurational analysis comparing Kamoro and Asmat. Leiden, The Netherlands: KITLV Press. p.  119. ISBN   978-90-04-25372-8. OCLC   808384659.
  16. ↑ Wanggai, Tony V.M. (2008). Rekonstruksi Sejarah Islam di Tanah Papua (PDF) (Thesis) (in Indonesian). South Tangerang, Indonesia: UIN Syarif Hidayatullah. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
  17. ↑ Saunders, Graham (1991). Bishops and Brookes: Anglican Mission and the Brooke Raj in Sarawak, 1848–1941. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0-19-588566-8.

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