Religious Education

This is a grant that looks at the way in which Indonesia and the US handle religious diversity.  The term “religious diversity” has a nice, polite, social science “lets all just love each other” feel but, in fact, coping with it has been an enormous historical challenge. It is about peace and war; belief, tolerance, and salvation.

Not a simple stew.

Both countries are large, religious, diverse, democracies.

The US takes a “negative” approach to religion – government stays away from issues of conscience and religion is not taught in a devotional way in the schools.  This system is not without controversy; many of  the more stringent forms of separation are recent; and, if given the chance, many in the US would make changes such as allowing prayer in the schools.

Indonesia takes a “positive’ approach. There is a “Ministry of Religious Education” responsible for religious education in the schools.  Public schools all require religious education, and students pray each day (in a way – Islam, as the dominant religion, sets the schedule) and schools routinely have us visit the school Mosque (I haven’t been to a school without one) as well as the collection of Catholic or Christian students learning about their religion and praying.

The approaches are so different as to stun students when they hear about the other's practice – but they are rooted in history and culture and both are good faith efforts to solve the very difficult dilemma presented by the conflict between belief and freedom.

One freedom not evident in Indonesia (and this is an observation, not a criticism) is the freedom not to believe. You must declare a religion – it goes on your ID card (Islam, Christian, Catholic, Hindu, Buddhist, and Confucian).

I remember one school where we visited the Christian students while they were praying. There were 10 to 12 students and a teacher. The room was sparse but had a cross and a small Christmas tree. The call to prayers was very loud in that vicinity and one had the impression of a somewhat embattled minority – but I don’t think, in this case, that my impression was right. The students did not feel left out (although one girl said she could date a Muslim boy but not marry him, and she felt sad) and, overall, the system often works.