 |
The East Java Christian Church (Greja Kristen Jawi Wetan (GKJW) in the Javanese language) is a congregation of Christian and Reformed churches based on Indonesian Javanese ethnicity, located in Java, Indonesia.
| |
The East Java Christian Church (Greja Kristen Jawi Wetan (GKJW) in the Javanese language) is a congregation of Christian and Reformed churches based on Indonesian Javanese ethnicity, located in Java, Indonesia.
There were two missionary fellowships active in East Java, the Nederlandsch Zendeling Genootschap (NZG) and the Java Committee. A decree from the NZG head office was signed by the Consul General T. Boetzelaer van Dubbeldam on 15 October 1931. This decree offered the formation of a united church for East Java as a missionary strategy.
The General Assembly was an equivalent of a synod offered by the Dutch missionary fellowship, which for over 100 years, oversaw the Javanese Christian congregation. This formation was the suggestion of Dr Hendrik Kraemer, delegate of Nederlands Hervormde Kerk (NHK), which worked for the NZG. His idea was to form a Christian congregation based on the Dutch East Indies territory as both a cultural and political movement. The Majelis Agung (MA) was then registered at the East Indies Assembly as a legal entity, which gave it authority to manage assets and act as an organization acknowledged by the government.
GKJW was established on 11 December 1931 in one of the oldest Javanese Christian congregations at the time, Mojowarno. A General Assembly (Majelis Agung) united the 29 ecclesiastical courts (Majelis Jemaat, in Indonesian or Raad Pasamuwan Alit, in Javanese dialect) in East Java. The church was under was socio-political pressure from growing Indonesian nationalism, alongside anti-Christian pressure in the country.
Its initial session convened 12 December 1931 at the Mojowarno congregation's church. The Javanese Christian delegates were senior activists of Javanese Christian congregation movements. They promoted GKJW independence through organizations such as Rencono Budiyo (founded in 1898), Mardi Pracoyo (1912), Perserikatan Kaum Kristen (1918), and Panitia Pitoyo (1924).
Prior to the session, a teacher from Mojowarno named Soetikno presented a home-made wooden gavel. On it is written in Javanese manjalmaning resi wadaning Kristus (the year of that session, 1931). Since then GKJW has made use of this gavel at every MA session a tradition. The initial session's theme was Philippians 4:4-9, with emphasis on verse 6 which reads, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God". [1]
The session was led by Dr. C.W. Nortier as the first MA Head. Raden Poeger was voted secretary, and Poertjojo Gadroen was voted treasurer.
During the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies (1942-1945), GKJW was under scrutiny because they were interpreted as Javanese people with Dutch affiliations.
Several Javanese Christians found it difficult to practice their beliefs, and after the torture of a number of Chinese and Christians at the Besuki Residence, support grew to find refuge within the Japanese government in Indonesia.
For this purpose, Raad Pasamuwan Kristen (RPK) was founded in 1943 in East Java. This led to a rift, because both RPK and GKJW had followers.
Many Javanese Christian figures were arrested at the end of World War II, including Rev. Driyo Mestoko, Rev. Tasdik, DR. B.M. Schuurman, and Yeruboham Mattheus. Because of this both RPK and GKJW were left without leadership until Japan surrendered on 14 August 1945. Reconciliation was achieved through an MA session at Mojowarno on 4–6 August 1946.
This reconciliation was symbolized in a communion service on 5 August 1946, which is now recognized as Hari Pembangunan GKJW (GKJW Awakening Day).
At present, GKJW has around 153,000 members, divided into 136 congregations across East Java. These congregations are coordinated under ecclesiastical courts (Majelis Daerah), under the GKJW MA. The GKJW organizational structure is a co-ordination system. Member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches. [2] [3]
GKJW believes in God and in the Holy Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. GKJW believes the Bible as the word of God, consisting of the Old and New Testament, and that the Bible is a witness of His work. GKJW accepts the Credo as a form of faith. [4] [5]
The Sultanate of Mataram was the last major independent Javanese kingdom on the island of Java before it was colonised by the Dutch. It was the dominant political force radiating from the interior of Central Java from the late 16th century until the beginning of the 18th century.
The Catholic Church in Indonesia is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the pope in Rome. Catholicism is one of the six approved religions in Indonesia, the others being Islam, Protestantism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. According to official figures, Catholics made up 3.12 percent of the population in 2018. The number of Catholics is, therefore, more than 8.3 million. Indonesia is primarily Muslim, but Catholicism is the dominant faith in certain areas of the country.
Muria Christian Church in Indonesia is one of three Indonesian church synods which are members of Mennonite World Conference (MWC). The church reports more than 16,000 members living in Java, Bali, Sumatra and Kalimantan.
Javanese Mennonite Church Indonesian injili di Tanah Jawa is one of three Mennonite-related church synods in Indonesia
Protestantism is one of the six approved religions in Indonesia, the others being Islam, Roman Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. It constitutes the bulk of Christianity in Indonesia, which is the second largest religion in the country after Islam. According to CIA statistic, in 2000 5.7% of the population of Indonesia were Protestant. A nationwide census of 2018 noted that 7.6% (20,250,000) of the population considering themselves Protestant, largest in Southeast Asia.
The State of East Indonesia was a post–World War II state formed in the eastern half of Dutch East Indies. Established in December 1946, it became part of the United States of Indonesia in 1949 at the end of the Indonesian National Revolution, and was dissolved in 1950 with the end of the USI. It comprised all the islands to the east of Borneo and of Java.
The Indonesian Christian Church is an Indonesian church of Presbyterian denomination. It adheres to Calvinist theology.
Pieter Jansz (September 25, 1820 - June 6, 1904) was the first Dutch Mennonite missionary in Indonesia. He arrived in Central Java in 1851 and began his missionary work. He encountered constraining influences from Islam throughout the area, recognizing the lack of religious freedom to become a Christian. He felt compelled to search for new methods in order to evangelize; in which he developed a theory that Christians should be evangelized in colonies, as a solution. He was also known for his ability to translate the Bible into various languages which allowed the Javanese people to have access to the Bible.
The Synod of the Christian Churches of Java, founded on 17 February 1931, is a mutual bond of Javanese Christian Churches which amounts to 307 churches in 32 presbyteries, spreading in 6 provinces in the island of Java: Yogyakarta, Central Java, East Java, West Java, Jakarta, and Banten. Its theological orientation is Reformed and has Presbyterian church government.
The United States of Indonesia, was a short-lived federal state to which the Netherlands formally transferred sovereignty of the Dutch East Indies on 27 December 1949 following the Dutch–Indonesian Round Table Conference. This transfer ended the four-year conflict between Indonesian nationalists and the Netherlands for control of Indonesia. It lasted less than a year, before being replaced by the unitary Republic of Indonesia.
Christian Church of Sumba is Calvinist church in Indonesia, a member of World Communion of Reformed Churches. The denomination was established on 15 January 1947. Today, the church has congregations in various cities outside the island of Sumba.
The Protestant Church in Indonesia is a Reformed church; it is a member of World Communion of Reformed Churches.
The Protestant Christian Church in Bali is a Reformed denomination established on 11 November 1931 in Bali, Indonesia. It was a fruit of the efforts of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, but the Dutch Reformed Church and the Church in East Java participated in the work. Significant development took place after 1950. The denomination adopted its current name on 21 April 1949. The church is located in Bali, Java, West Nusa Tenggara. There are also churches located in Hamburg, Germany and two churches are in Bern and Amsterdam.
The Pasundan Christian Church was officially established in Indonesia on 14 November 1934. It has 51 congregations and 33,000 members. It is a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC).
The Christian Church of Southern Sumatra is a Protestant church in Indonesia, based on the southern part of the island of Sumatra, the Provinces of Lampung, Jambi, South Sumatra, and Bengkulu. The synod office is located in Lampung. The denomination was officially founded on 6 August 1987. It has 30,000–35,000 members, 65 parishes, 40 house fellowships and 13 Classis. The church reported steady growth. The church connected and established formal link to the Protestant Church in the Netherlands.
St. Joseph's Church, also known as Gedangan Church, is a Catholic church in Semarang, Indonesia, the first such church in the city. Administratively, it is part of the St. Joseph's Parish in the Archdiocese of Semarang.
Hermanus Johannes de Graaf was a Dutch historian specialising in the history of Java, Indonesia, the world's most populous island. Trained as historian at Leiden University, he moved to Batavia to take a government job, and later became a teacher for various schools in Indonesia. At the same time, he pursued his interest in the history of Indonesia and published books and articles on the topic. After a brief assignment at the University of Indonesia, he returned to the Netherlands. He taught at various institutions, including Leiden, until 1967 and continued to publish scholarly works, even after his retirement. He suffered a serious stroke in 1982 and died two years later.
Basuki Probowinoto was the founder and chairman of the Indonesian Christian Party, and a reverend from the Javanese Christian Church. He was also a member of the Central Indonesian National Committee since 1945.
