Contextual theology, empowerment in NTT, Indonesia

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Contextual Theology and Empowerment Paradigm shifts in East-‐Indonesian theology Ds. J.M. van den Berg-‐Meelis Revised version 20 June 2014

Map 1: Indonesia1

Introduction This paper2 is an exploration in the field of contextual theology of East Indonesia. Through studying the local context and contextual theology it prepares the theologian for the mission field and makes him reflect on it from his own background. In this paper I will study three dissertations from the region of Nusa Tenggara Timor3 (NTT) and Sulawesi. These dissertations are written by female theologians Mery Kolimon, Asnath Natar and Aguswati Hildebrandt Rambe. Mery Kolimon writes about traditional healing practises in West-‐Timor, Asnath Natar about empowerment of women in Sumba and Aguswati Hildebrandt Rambe about grieving ceremonies in Sumba and Sulawesi. Through their eyes and through their dissertations I would like to study the contextual theology, the culture and history of the region of East Indonesia where I will work the coming years. This region is NTT and it consists of the islands east from Lombok (which is part of West Nusa Tenggara) as seen on the map on the next page.

1 Source: http://www.undp.or.id/general/maps/region-‐map.jpg 2 Mandatory for Dutch ministers working in the mission field abroad. PKN Church Ocrder, article 15.2. 3 Nusa Tenggara Timor; East Nusa Tenggara province in Indonesia.

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Map 2: Province of Nusa Tenggara Timor, consisting of the islands Sumba, Flores, Sabu, Alor, Rote, West-‐Timor and many smaller islands.4

Mission History of NTT In the following paragraphs I want to give a short introduction of the history of mission in NTT and the clash of church and East Indonesian culture.5 In the 15th and 16th century this region was ‘discovered’ by the Portuguese and Dutch traders, but of course the indigenous people already lived there for centuries and centuries before. The oldest artefacts of human settlement in Timor go back to 10.000 years BP. For trading purpose Portugal and Holland arranged to divide Timor in West and East Timor. Evangelisation started from the 18th century. The missionary organisations from mainland churches also divided the territory for their missionary activities (Cuius region, eius religio). Therefore Flores became catholic territory, Sumba reformed protestant and Timor protestant. Since the independence of Indonesia in 1945 (recognized by the Netherlands in 1949) also the churches became independent. Each region had their own synod. Knowing that around 90% of the Indonesian population is Muslim; the question arises why the Christian mission in East Indonesia has been so successful compared to the rest of Indonesia? One of the oldest factors that played an important role was the economic and political advantage of becoming Christian in this region. Besides that, NTT has always been seen as periphery, in contrast to Java or Sumatera. The area is arid, has not much to offer and has therefore always struggled with poverty.6 Therefore the area was not interesting for Sultan kingdoms, nor for Hindu settlers. One of the more recent factors for this region’s high percentage of Christians (Timor, Sumba and Flores are 90+%) is that the Indonesian government only recognizes six main religions.7 All other, mostly indigenous, religions were denied. After the 19658 mass killing of (Chinese and) communists and ‘assumed’ communists, people abandoned their local religion, for fear of being regarded atheist and

4 Source: http://goseentt.com/Photos/NTT%20map%202.jpg 5 Derived from the mission history of Timor, Sulawesi and Sumba, as described in the three dissertations. 6 Mery Kolimon, A theology of empowerment, Reflections from a West Timorese Feminist Perspective. 2008, page 155. 7 These six are: Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Khong Hu Chu. 8 During this time the militia started killing ‘communists’ and assumed communists. This resulted in an estimated total of 500.000 death and many more imprisoned.

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therefore communist. Branding somebody as communist was an easy explanation for killing that person.9

Map 3: religions in Indonesia, with NTT in yellow (Protestantism) and pink (Catholicism)10 In the last 150 years the mission in this region has flourished. The focus, however, has always been on growth, on the dominance of Christian culture and on church education similar to the Dutch tradition. Nowadays Sunday service is still almost an exact copy of the traditional Sunday service in the Netherlands. Because of the dominant and exclusive focus on Christian tradition the traditional rituals and beliefs have more and more faded away or have simply been banned when in conflict with church beliefs. This cannot be said in general for the whole of NTT, but at least in the main cities and capitals of the island this is the case. The more rural and further away from main cities, the more local traditions still play an important role in daily life.

Problem statement: The need for contextual theology and empowerment Traditional culture and empowerment of rural people, i.e. women, have been relatively new subjects of theological studies in NTT, Indonesia.11 One may ask himself the question: Why is there a need for contextual theology, for studies of the local context and to stress the importance of traditional culture and empowerment within the field of theology? G. Singgih, one of the leading Indonesian theologians, answers this as follows:12 ‘At the most basic level of either social action or theological reflection, what is essential is the

9 Kolimon, page 177. 10 Source http://www.undp.or.id/general/maps/Map_religions.jpg 11 See for instance the introduction of feministic theology, liberation theology and empowerment in Indonesian theological faculties. Besides that there is an outspoken need to find new paradigms for dealing with local culture, traditions, symbols and rituals. 12 Singgih, ‘Dari Israel ke Asia. Masalah hubungan di antara kontekstualisasi teologis dengan interpretasi Alkitabiah’ (translation: From Israel to Asia. The question of the relation between contextualisation of theology and biblical interpretation), page 236.

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welfare and the interests of the people. If our interpretations are not helping them in their struggle to have a better life, then we should change our assumptions. (...) Whether we are undertaking social analysis or theological reflection, we should be critical, even of ourselves, and be open to new horizons.’

Kolimon also searches for a new Christian Asian identity, as she states: “Only by willingness to lose its old identity, Christianity in Asia might be transformed into truly Asian Christianity”.13 This transformation should also include empowerment and equality for women. Therefore the question is to look for positive examples from the local culture and to use feministic and liberation theology as well. Asnath Natar underlines this when she writes that the search for a contextual Asian Christianity has an important existential level of empowerment of women: “For a woman to study, to be self-‐dependant and choose whom to marry was certainly not possible within the traditional context.”14 There is a social stratification in traditional NTT culture, where specifically women are in lower ranks. The introduction of Christianity in NTT and the patriarchal relations in Indonesian church have not helped or improved this low social status of women. There is a recent trend however that the number of female theological academics is increasing.15 One of the first female theologians from Indonesia is Septemmy Lakawa. In a recent seminar she said:16 “The world church is no longer ruled by Western theology from Europe and America by man but is ruled from Asia, Africa and Latin America by women.” The first conclusion of this paper is therefore that if I want to support conditions for people, specifically women, to empower themselves in my mission context, I must search for contextual Asian theology that combines (suitable) local culture and beliefs to overcome hierarchal imbalance between men and women. The insights received from this study I would like to use in my theology classes at UKAW17, Kupang and in my workshops for congregations and ministers in the region. Methods How to look for new ways of contextual theology that overcome the traditional dichotomy between traditional culture and Christianity? The three before mentioned theologians each in their own way try to find new ways to incorporate local beliefs and traditions from this region in the Christian theology and practises. To summarize each dissertation:

• Mery Kolimon explores empowerment from a cross-‐cultural perspective. She traces this notion in the text (the Bible and Christian traditions) and explores concepts and applications of empowerment in global and local (local healing practises in West

13 Mery Kolimon, A theology of empowerment, Reflections from a West Timorese Feminist Perspective, page 158. 14 Ashnat Natar-‐ Möglichkeiten und Perspektiven einer Feministischen Seelsorgeberatung für die Frauen auf Sumba. 2012, page 15. 15 Since 10 years 70% of the students at UKAW is female. 16 Oase seminar and book launching of the dissertation of A. Hildebrandt Rambe on 8th February 2014 in Makassar, Sulawesi, Indonesia. 17 Universitas Kristen Artha Wacana (Christian university in Kupang).

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Timor, Indonesia) contexts. By using both written and oral sources she explores new ways of doing theology ‘from below’.18

• Aguswati Hildebrandt Rambe explores the traditional rituals of death and grieving the death on Sumba and Sulawesi. By studying these rituals she looks for ways to include a Christian interpretation and to promote dialogue instead of prohibition of traditional beliefs and rituals.19

• Asnath Natar explores the position of women in Sumbanese context. From their experiences of domestic violence, discrimination and cultural and religious challenges she wants to develop a creative and emancipatory pastoral counselling for women. She combines feministic theology, liberation theology, contextual theology, intercultural theology and practical theology to find new perspectives on pastoral care for women on Sumba.20

With this paper I want to identify new methodologies to overcome the dichotomy of theological praxis and traditional culture and beliefs. Within these new methodologies I want to identify possibilities for empowerment and overcoming the hierarchy between men and women. Derived from these objectives are the following questions, that I want to answer by using the three before mentioned dissertations, combined with my own study and recent experience in the East Indonesian context. Questions 1. What are positive contextual theological methodologies that:

• Include positive aspects, beliefs, symbols of traditional culture and beliefs that empower traditional culture?

• Include positive aspects, beliefs and symbols of traditional culture and beliefs that empower women?

2. How can I implement these new ways of contextual theology and empowerment in my work in NTT?

18 Mery Kolimon, A theology of empowerment, Reflections from a West Timorese Feminist Perspective. 2008. 19 Aguswati Hildebrandt Rambe, Traditionelle Toten-‐ und Trauerriten als Herausforderung für Theologie und Praxis der protestantischen Kirchen auf Sumba und in Mamasa. Ein interkultureller theologischer Beitrag zur Begegnung zwischen ostindonesischen lokalen Religionen und christlichem Glauben, Makassar, 2011. 20 Ashnat Natar-‐ Möglichkeiten und Perspektiven einer Feministischen Seelsorgeberatung für die Frauen auf Sumba. 2012.

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Definitions and concepts in NTT culture and theology In this chapter I will describe cultural and theological notions that are used within the field of contextual theology and empowerment in this region. This will give an introduction and insight to be able to answer the questions of this paper in the next chapter. In this chapter I will start with the traditional culture of NTT then move on to paradigms of culture and Christianity. Finally I will introduce the notion of empowerment.

I Traditional culture It is difficult to describe the traditional east Indonesian culture as one culture because of all the nuances and differences that exist within the different islands and regions. On West-‐Timor alone, there are 14 different languages spoken besides the national Indonesian language. What makes a culture a culture and what makes it traditional? When I write about culture I keep the definition in mind by G. Hofstede that refers to the way people think, feel and act. You can call it ‘the collective programming of the mind distinguishing the members of one group of people from another.’ or more simple 'the unwritten rules of the social game'.21 The adjective ‘traditional’ refers to an orientation to the past, not the future, with a predominant role for custom and habit. In traditional cultures there is a lack of distinction between family and labour and labour is influenced primarily by age, gender and status.22

What do the traditional NTT cultures have in common that binds them? Oral tradition, cosmological belief, traditional healing, dualism in life and death, symbolism as seen in fabric and wooden artefacts, belief in ancestors, sacred places, mediation with the spiritual world, patriarchy, social stratification, collective rituals and thinking and strong attachments to traditional architecture, garb and culture to this day.23 Of course I am aware that this can be said almost about any non-‐western culture. My point in this paper is to define the NTT culture loosely and focus on the possibilities that overcome the dualism between traditional culture and Christianity.

Since the introduction of Christianity in this region, there has been tension between Christianity and traditional religion. The churches tried to look for solutions and compromises but until today the tension exists. There is prohibition and punishment on the one side but also the recognition that the Christian faith did not enter on a ‘blank page’, but in a context with systems and beliefs that are an important part of the NTT identity. It can often be observed that denial and idealisation of traditional culture can coexist, says Hildebrandt Rambe. In the history of mission in this region, she says, there is the view that notions within the traditional culture are judged as negative, neutral or positive. The negative elements are excluded, but the neutral and positive elements integrated in the Christian religion. While the traditional cultural forms could be kept as exterior, the core beliefs were replaced with Christian content.24

21 http://www.geerthofstede.com/culture. 22 S. Langlois, Traditions: Social, In: Neil J. Smelser and Paul B. Baltes, International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, Pergamon, Oxford, 2001, Pages 15829-‐15833. As found on: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_cultures. 23 As examples from my daily life: traditional garb is part of the school uniform of our children and it was the most popular garb at the students’ graduation day of the university where I teach. 24 Hildebrandt Rambe, page 124.

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When the gospel was preached and churches were built, the patriarchal organisation of the church strengthened the social stratification of patriarchal traditional culture. The traditional power difference between men and women can be seen in descendant line and rules of inheritance as well as in traditional religious system. This power difference is so thorough that women have internalized the feeling that they are inferior. Therefore gender inequality should also be a topic of concern in the studies of culture and theology. Fortunately there are also positive examples from the traditional culture. It must therefore be acknowledged that NTT culture has both positive and negative views on women, says Kolimon.25

Traditional culture also changes under the influence of capitalism and modernism. This can be seen in the tradition of bridal price and the esteem of women through the height of the bridal price. In recent times the focus of the bridal prices has become more on the economic benefit than on the result. Bridal prices have lost their symbolic meaning, says Natar.26 Men see their wife as something they bought, just like cattle, and treat her that way. This is one of the reasons why women suffer from domestic violence. Another consequence of the rise in bridal price is that many men are not able to pay this price. They postpone the traditional wedding and the church wedding, but do start having intercourse. The result is an unmarried pregnant girl and a large shame to her family. Couples like this are not allowed at the Eucharist, are not allowed to baptise their children and need to repent in front of the church during Sunday service.27 The church not only condemns these situations but also the widely practised polygamy.28 Natar tells of many sad stories of second or third wives. These women are ‘bought’, used as slaves and suffer from mental and physical abuse by the first wife. Practises like those above tend to sketch traditional culture as negative and backward. The church has not helped to improve this picture. But also NTT people themselves are welcoming modern culture as their new identity marker. Just recently, goods like cars, Coca-‐Cola, television, motorcycles and hand phones have become available in NTT. All these objects are seen as high status objects, where as traditional culture is considered backward and primitive.29 The question is how people in NTT can find new ways to keep local traditions and beliefs and benefit from modern culture as well. This is also a question that is important for theologians in this region. They stress the need to rehabilitate the position and function of traditional culture in relation to the Kingdom of God.30 Traditional cultures have their own truth and noble values, just like Christianity and they need to be appreciated by their own (Christian) communities. As a newcomer to this region there are also aspects within the NTT culture that strike me as different from my western perspective. One of these things is the duality between private and communal. This division can be seen in the naming of the rooms in the house: there are public rooms (ruang) for receiving and eating with guests and private rooms (kamar) for

25 Kolimon, page 9.6. 26 Natar, page 61. 27 Natar, page 72-‐3. 28 A man with more than one wife is not allowed at Eucharist or to join church board. 29 Kolimon, page 165. 30 Kolimon, page 42.

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sleeping, washing and toiletry. What happens in the private room stays private. Privacy in the public sphere is not ‘normal’, nor communal activities in the private sphere. The result of this dualism can be seen in the lack of individual pastoral care when treating and helping victims of domestic violence. This tendency to silence and privacy is reflected in the whole of society and is especially tangible in situations of collective or individual trauma. Kolimon therefore pleads for the transformation from a silent to a more direct and/ or open civilization. As an example she describes the recent stories and discussions about the killings in 1965 that have only recently come in the open. She states that there is a lot of hidden trauma as a result of this silent culture.

II Paradigms of culture and Christianity All three dissertations speak of ways to describe the relation between Christianity and the traditional culture of the context of their dissertation. Typical of the older type of models is that culture and Christianity are two entities and that the models are descriptional, like the five types of models Niebuhr:31

• Christ against culture, rejection of local culture. • Christ of culture, assimilation with local culture. • Christ above culture, synthesis, continuity and discontinuity between Christ and

culture. • Christ and culture in paradox, dualism and tension with local culture. • Christ the transformer of culture, conversion of sinful local culture.

When Kolimon describes the clash between the Meto32 culture and Christianity, she sees their relation as a paradox that need to be brought into dialogue with each other.

“The ordinary people tend to keep these two "systems" at the same time. They know that both systems are opposed to each other and they do not try to make harmony between them. Each of them has its own place and function in the Meto life. The Christian rituals, such as baptism and Eucharist, are for individual salvation in heaven, while rituals of folk religion are regarded as important for our life today on earth. Schreiter is right when he says, “many Christians are able to live with syncretism or dual religious systems without any real difficulty. [..]When Christianity came, it is not seen as replacing the way of living in the culture, but as something extra to add to the local situation.”33

From this point of view she looks for models that go beyond Niebuhrs models. She quotes Volker Kuester, who argues: “We are facing a pluralism of cultures and religions worldwide. Therefore we need to transfer Niebuhr’s typology to an intercultural discourse.” Based on this, Kuester suggests some other types of cultural encounter: exclusivism, accommodation, enculturation, and contextual theology. Bevans offers five models of contextual theologies: translation, anthropological, praxis, synthetic, and transcendental models. Robert Schreiter proposes some varieties of what he called local theologies. He distinguishes between translation, adaptation and contextual models of local theology. The translation model

31 Niebuhr, H.R., Christ and Culture, New York, 1951. 32 The Meto are the largest ethnic group in West Timor with their own Meto language. 33 Kolimon, page 215.

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departs from church tradition and adapts it to a local cultural setting. Adaptation models take local culture and its tradition more seriously, while respecting the integrity of the apostolic tradition. Contextual models are closely related to adaption models but acknowledge the cultural context as the locus where Christianity becomes rooted and starts to express itself. Kolimon states that the third model, ‘adaptation’ can be identified as the dominant approach among the Meto nowadays. Traditional healing is not regarded as contradictory to Christianity. People try to relate the healing done by Jesus and Meto traditional healing and try to find the God who has been and is still working through traditional healers.34

What all three dissertations agree on is the fact that turning towards a universal Christianity is not the answer.35 To become successful, there needs to come an Asian theology and local theologies. To get there, Kolimon stresses the use of dialogical or dialectic models, where traditional culture and Christianity have their truth. This is quite an open door. The real question is how to get there in this context. If one looks at the church practises in villages there is often a power imbalance between ministers, church leaders and local healers. Christian leaders tend to speak with authority from the bible, from the Tradition. Traditional leaders and healers are afraid of pastors because of the proselytising in the past.36 How can we overcome this dualism? This I want to find out in the chapter: ‘New ways of contextual methodology’.

III Empowerment From the previous topics of traditional culture and paradigms in culture and Christianity, it has already been highlighted that traditional culture and women in NTT have always played a submissive role. What is empowerment and why is it needed in NTT context? Kolimon has written a whole chapter on this topic, which I therefore use in this paper. There are many different definitions of empowerment, but what they have in common is that empowerment seeks to understand, to define and to redistribute power. The subjects of empowerment are the powerless. The powerless themselves are the poor, the illiterate, the indigenous and the women.

Kolimon uses G. Jacobs and A. Helsma to identify three dimensions of empowerment: personal, social-‐cultural, and political dimensions. The first dimension relates to autonomy, assertiveness, ability of one to help and to value one’s own self. The second to social-‐cultural issues of interaction between people, and difference between them, for instance; gender. The goal of the empowerment of women is equality between women and man at all levels.37 When looking at empowerment in Timor, Kolimon describes the need for own voice and own beliefs:38

34 Kolimon, page 218. 35 Es wird Zeit, etwas gegen den Universalismus „Alle Frauen sind gleich“ zu unternehmen, und alles in Indonesien abzuschaffen, was in diese Richtung weist. Man muss die so genannte „melting pot“ oder „Salad bowl“ Ideologie anklagen, die alle Kulturen in einer dominanten Variante einschmelzen will.Das bedeutet, dass alle Aspekte der Kultur, sowohl die Sippenord-‐ nung als auch die Sprachen der Minderheiten aufgegeben werden müssen, um mit der Mehrheitskultur eins werden. Page 104. 36 Hildebrandt Rambe, page 127. 37 Kolimon, page 31. 38 Kolimon, page. 46.

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“This is now the time to hear and to learn from the religious-‐cultural traditions of people in the Third World. Those religious-‐cultural traditions have their noble values. These must first be appreciated by their own communities and then by other people through cultural encounters. Through missionary activity one and half centuries ago, European missionaries taught the Third World people about God according to their experience and understanding. This is now the time for these people to learn how to formulate their own understanding about the God that was worshipped by their ancestors before the coming of white people. This is now the time to speak about the Deity that empowers them to survive in their hard life struggle.”

What noble values have these religious-‐cultural traditions for women? This question I want to answer in the next section about empowerment of women through traditional culture. As stated before Christian culture in NTT strengthened the patriarchal culture, so empowerment of women through traditional culture is not obvious. There are however positive examples within the traditional beliefs and culture that can be used in contextual methodologies and theologies to empower women.

Why empower women? All three dissertations speak of the hardship of women in rural life and the stress for educated women to combine their work with family life and to be accepted by society. Although higher education and high positions are now available in NTT, Natar stresses that women have little self-‐esteem to accept these positions. Pressure from family and community is high to prevent girl’s higher education because it reduces changes of marriage.39 The few women that I’ve met that are in high positions are quite often single.

A new hardship is the increasingly number of female migrant workers. Poor and poorly educated women move to big Asian or Arab cities to work as domestic or factory workers. A high number of these workers are abused, misled or suffer from physical violence.40 At the time of writing this paper two TKW (female migrant workers) from Kupang died as a result of physical strains. A third one was able to escape, but her reports to the police in Kupang did not result in actions.

Another reason to start with the empowerment of women is the role they play in church. Kolimon states that women are the agents of contextualization. Women embrace positive sides of both Christianity and their culture and they benefit from both for their own empowerment.41 Natar brings forwards that women in Sumba play an important role as the pillars of the household. Men give their wages to their wives so she can organize all the expenditure of the living costs. When the husband needs money he asks his wife for it.42 Also women play an important role in healing, justice and transition within communities, stated Lakawa during the seminar before mentioned. The role of women as faith transmitter should also not be overlooked. Their role in family life, religious education and taking part in rituals in church and pastoral care should be more appreciated. However there should also be more female role models in authority positions within church, such as church council, ministers, professors and synod members.

39 Natar, page 106. 40 Kolimon, page 185. 41 Kolimon, page 187. 42 Natar, page 81.

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III Empowerment of women through traditional culture As I stated in the previous section, using traditional culture to empower women in NTT is not obvious since both traditional culture and Christianity in NTT strengthened patriarchal culture. Therefore we need to scrutinize history, traditional culture and beliefs for positive examples for women. As Kolimon and Natar both write about empowerment and empowerment of women both writers have researched the Timorese and Sumbanese context for positive examples. When looking at the recent Timorese history (1948, 1965-‐1968) a good example are the revival movements in Timor that were lead by women. In these revival movements Meto women stood up, spoke with authority about their visions and told people to convert to Christianity. Kolimon states that by these revival movements Meto women claimed a position for women in church and reclaimed a position for local culture within the church. "The attendance of prayer groups through the revival movement can be understood also as a way for the local culture to survive in the face of political and cultural suppression. Christianity with its Western cultural background does not provide the space the Meto religiosity needs.”43 As women are voicing the need for participation within church and inclusion of Meto cultural elements they themselves are empowering themselves. These women in 1965-‐1966, the mothers’ generation of Kolimon, chose liberative aspects of both Christianity and Meto culture.44 They used the independence of female traditional healers in Meto culture and the equality between women and men preached by the church, to claim their place in the church and society. Another contribution for the empowerment of women in NTT context is the female metaphor in Meto trinitarian cosmology. Ama Uis Neno is the father and ruler. Neno Anan the son and Uis Pah the female metaphor when speaking about the Meto God. A female Timorese healer explains as follows: “In the local religion we worship Father the ruler of heaven (Ama Uis Neno) and Mother the ruler of earth (Ena Uis Pah). Uis Neno is far away, his house is in the heavens. Uis Pah, on the other side, is the one who takes us on her lap and carries us on her arm, nourishes us and feeds us with her hand. The ruler of heaven decides when we will die, the ruler of earth, our mother, receives us when we die and are buried. The earth is her house”, Yusmina Benu (57 years old, from Nasi, interviewed on 20 March 2006)45

As looking for points of contact and contribution within the Christian theology, Kolimon tries to connect this female metaphor of the Meto God to the Christian image of God the father as well as the Holy Spirit. When relating Uis Pah the mother to Uis Neno the father, Kolimon talks about the ‘wholeness of God’ being father and mother. This image could be used in the contextual theology to give God a female side. When relating Uis Pah to the Holy Spirit, Kolimon explains about Uis Pah’s immanence on earth46: “Uis Pah is with us in this world. Her immanent power takes care of us and protects us”. Just like African womanist 43 Kolimon, page 249. 44 Kolimon, page 251. 45 Kolimon, page 214. 46 Kolimon, page 227.

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theologians she explains the immanence of the Holy Spirit as a caring and leading mother, without whom creativity and life cannot exist. Therefore she claims to stop using the new Meto word for Holy Spirit but to start using the cosmological Uis Pah again. Just like Kolimon did for the Timorese context, Natar looks in the Sumbanese context for positive examples within traditional culture. Within the Sumbanese cosmology there is Mbiri Koni, the spirit of the rice who is the female daughter of an earthly mother and the God Pala Kawatas. This spirit is sacrificed to end a famine and to bring rain again. Through her death she is transformed to give life (food) to humanity.47 Natar tries to relate the suffering, sacrifice and rebirth of Mberi Koni to the story of Jesus. This can help women to improve their position. The experience of death and resurrection can bring hope and liberation for their struggle against injustice and violence. Natar points out that this story not only contains elements of oppression and sacrifice of women but also tells of their struggle, their transformation and their importance for life in Sumbanese cosmology. In daily Sumba life women are being called Mberi Koni for the luck and profit that they bring to the family and for providing offspring. Women are the source of life because they bring drinks and food to the thirsty and the hungry. This image of Mberi Koni can also add a female side to the traditional Christian image of Jesus. This female image of Jesus can therefore be an example and motivation for Sumbanese women not to remain passive but to struggle for their rights and protest against violence.48 This image can also be used in the liturgy and in pastoral counselling, of which Natar gives examples in her dissertation. Natar also researches other traditional rituals and pastoral methods in the Sumbanese context that could be used as a positive contextual theological methodology to improve the position of women. One example is the ritual that is performed by a traditional midwife at the 4th or 6th month of pregnancy. Both father and mother confess their sins in order to prevent illness or death at time of birth. This ablation gives peace and liberation to the parents and offers a new start for the couple.49 Another useful contextual methodology is the traditional wailing. Wailing gives voice to women, it gives voice to their suffering and brings women in their suffering together.50 In the following chapter I will explore these and other methodologies further.

47 Natar, page 222. 48 Natar page 223. 49 Natar, page 260. 50 Natar, page 265.

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New ways of Contextual methodologies As I described in the problem statement and previous chapter of this paper, most Indonesian theologians state the need to recognize, incorporate and implement local beliefs. This can also been seen from the curriculum of the faculty of UKAW and also from the viewpoint of teachers towards local culture.51 Theologians like Singgih and Lakawa see contextual theology as a source for empowerment and transition of local communities. Singgih for instance says that church should break with their one-‐sided worldview, an inheritance from the mission history, and accept the multi-‐religious context where Islam [and as I read it, indigenous beliefs as well] is a part.52 Kolimon adds that turning from syncretism to dialogue between Christian and Meto culture, it enriches each other and helps Christianity to cleanse herself from the distortions of her colonial interest.53 Also Natar stresses to look for Sumbanese cultural elements to enrich the pastoral methodologies ministers use in their congregation.54 Therefore the question is not do we need it, but which methodology is most useful. In this chapter I not only want to sum up new methodology derived from the three dissertations, but also give some examples derived from my own experience. First I explore the types of methodology and further on in this chapter I will explore how I can use them in my work. Approaches and methodologies:

1. Theology from below (Kolimon) 2. Individual space and communal space: story telling (Natar, Hildebrandt Rambe) 3. Models of mixed identity by Moltmann, Volf and Goroncy 4. Intermediate symbols (Hildebrandt Rambe) 5. Agents of change (Hildebrandt Rambe, Kolimon)

I Theology from below This method is brought forward by Kolimon, but is not introduced by her. Theology from below (as opposed to theology from above) wants to apply theology to the daily practises and concrete situations of the people involved in the daily life of church. But it also refers to the situation in Africa, Asia and South America where there is limited access to theological books and seminary training. Kolimon states that therefore they should use both written and oral sources from the Timorese culture. God has already revealed Himself in and through Timorese culture and beliefs.55 From the church or mission perspective in Indonesia I agree that she has a point there. For too long the focus of mission in Indonesia has been on teaching and disciplining from above (top-‐down). It has been a one-‐way communication. In recent times there is more interest in local cultural stories, beliefs and symbolism that can be used by theologians to construct 51 In the curriculum there are classes on theology and local culture, contextual theology, sociology and history of the church in this region. As for the class, theology and gender, that I started teaching, my co-‐teacher asked the students to name not only negative local cultural examples of oppression of women, but also to share the positive ones. 52 Singgih, G, ‘Globalization and contextualization’, 367, as quoted by F. Visser, page 40. 53 Kolimon, page 218. 54 Natar, page 31 55 Kolimon, page 218.

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contextual theologies. In the following paragraphs and concrete approach to work out the methodology I will explore these. When researching this idea of ‘theology from below’ on the internet56 I found a ‘from below’ definition on theology by Grenz, that focuses on the believing community instead of God who reveals Himself to the community.57 Therefore he states that theology is not the study of God's communication to the community, but the community's self-‐reflection upon itself and its beliefs. From this view it is easier to include their cultural background, beliefs and local stories in a local contextual theology. It is not opposed to a Christian theology but part of the history, identity and vision of the community.

II Individual space and communal space: story telling In the communal culture of Indonesia there is little space for individuality or privacy. Also in church the attention of the minister goes to groups of people; the young, the elderly, the grieving family of a deceased person. Since all three dissertations have been researched and (partly) written in Western Europe, they are also influenced by the European pastoral and therefore more individual practise. Both Natar and Hildebrandt Rambe try to incorporate notions of individual space, existential meaning and 1:1 pastoral care into the Indonesian church context that are new or different from the traditional culture. Hildebrandt Rambe pleads for two things58: The first is more attention to the individual life, his or her life narrative and the existential meaning of their life. The second thing she pleads for is a new appreciation of the confession and the confessional. In ones life narrative one can see how the traditional and Christian beliefs are interwoven and how both are meaningful and helpful. Ministers should look for more possibilities to look for time and physical space to talk with congregation members about their needs, grief, anger, guilt, questions and life story. Especially in pastoral need, in times of grief or illness this is useful and helpful. Natar also describes alternative ways for victims to express themselves through creative therapy and traditional expressions. The story does not always have to be told by words only.59 Creative expressions such as traditional weaving and painting can support or communicate when words fail. Besides creative therapy Natar also suggest the use of traditional lamenting, which is widely practised in the Sumbanese culture. These alternative ways of story telling can be practised in groups, but also alone.

56 See for instance the review by G. Johnson on theology from above and theology from below, http://gregscouch.homestead.com/files/hodgegrenz.html#_ftn1 found on 18-‐03-‐2014. 57 Stanley J. Grenz, Revisioning Evangelical Theology: A Fresh Agenda for the Twentieth Century. InterVarsity Press, 1993. 58 “Es müssen also Gelegenheiten und Räume geschaffen werden, bei denen die Trauernden einerseits ihr Ansehen nach außen bewahren, aber anderseits frei sind, ihre tiefen Bedürfnisse und Gefühle auszudrücken, so dass auch die Trauer zugelassen und ausgehalten werden kann ohne Rücksicht auf das, was die anderen denken und sagen.”, Rambe, page 251. 59 Seelsorgeberatung betont in der Regel als Methode das Gespräch. Es gibt aber in der Realität viele Frauen, die zu ihren Problemen nichts sagen wollen oder können, manchmal aus Mangel an Bildung, aus Scham oder auch weil unterstützende Konditionen fehlen. Deswegen ist die Verwendung von kreativen Methoden und Medien neben der verbalen Kommunikation in der Beratung hilfreich und förderlich.

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Another possibility of creating space in the communal culture is to open up society by story telling. As I wrote in the chapter on traditional culture, Indonesian culture has a strong division between the private and public. As Indonesia has experienced many traumas in the past, the usual response to this is by closing up and keeping the stories of hurt, grief and pain inside. Story telling and oral history however are very common and part of the traditional Indonesian culture. The combination of story telling and the opening up of communal grief may bring new ways of healing and justice to society. In a way the dichotomy between traditional beliefs and Christianity can also be seen as a conflict that needs reconciliation. These stories also need to be brought in the open to bring reconciliation between them. But not only the stories of trauma needs to come out. There is also a need for stories of healing, of positive change, reconciliation and justice to be brought in the open. In this way they can become an example for others. A third possibility of creating space can be derived from the theological notion of self-‐donation, as written by Volf.60 Volf uses this notion to create the possibility of reconciliation after conflict and as a method to deal with the otherness of other human beings. The central thought of self-‐donation, the fact that God gave Christ to the word for reconciliation, is defining the identity of a person and its relation to the other. Just like God gives Himself through Christ, so should people give themselves, especially for those who don’t seem to deserve this. The symbol of the cross creates space within oneself to receive the other and stop him from being the enemy. Both perpetrator and victim are victims of the system.

III Models of mixed identity In my academic theological study about ethnicity I have focussed on models that intermediate Christian and cultural identity. Especially when there is tension between groups with different cultural identities or tension between cultural and Christian identity. The systematic theologies by Moltmann, Volf and Goroncy present a different picture than the dualistic tension between culture and Christianity.61 All three use the social Trinity to overcome the dichotomy between culture and Christianity. Most interestingly this methodology can also be used for other dichotomies in culture, such as between man and women, traditionalism and modernism. Double belonging Moltmann explains the continuous tension that Christians live in is like in between two poles. Another frequently used expression is a ‘double belonging’. The Christian life lies in between these two poles, where as extremist position in either one of these poles is not right. A person needs both poles to lead a fruitful life, which is to follow the call of God in your own cultural setting. In this way Gods Word and Spirit are sanctifying the local setting and individual life. This is the true realisation of the Christian life, says Moltmann, to

60 Volf, Miroslav, Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness and Reconciliation.1996. Used in my paper about ethnicity and Christianity, 2013. 61 Goroncy, Jason, Social Identity, Ethnicity, and the Gospel of Reconciliation, discussion paper for the WCRC Network of Theologians. 2013. Moltmann, Jürgen, The Church in the Power of the Spirit: a contribution to Messianic Ecclesiology. London, 1977. Volf, Miroslav, Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness and Reconciliation. 1996.

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reincarnate this life.62 Reincarnation is the renewal of Christian life within the local context of an individuals’ life. In this view the Holy Spirit plays an important role. Not only as the renewer of life, but also as the one who overcomes the dualistic tension between Father and Son and other dichotomies in theological and anthropological identity. Trinitarian identity Both Moltmann and Volf use the concept of unity and diversity of the Trinity. The community of the Trinity is an eternal embrace, where each person of the Trinity is unique and itself, but also acknowledges that its identity is connected with the other members of the Trinity. Every member of the Trinity understands that he is like this-‐ as in difference with the others. In this way each of the three can embrace the other and its differences without taking over the other, nor to reduce their unity. Goroncy states that new identity is created through the Holy Spirit and that ethnic identity is a fluid construction that is constantly being renegotiated. Christian identity or ethnic identity is therefore never pure, but the interplay of historical and cultural factors.63 People can use this Trinitarian example to create a ‘new’ identity. No universal Christian identity To dismiss the ethnic or cultural identity, as done by past missionaries and church, is now viewed unjust. Each Christian must learn to live from Gods calling in their own situational setting. Each human individual is made in the image of God in its own race and ethnicity as an articulation of creation.64 Stories of dispersion and alienation are just as common in the Bible as stories of oneness and universal Christian identity. It seems that humans have the tendency to express, differentiate and connect with others human beings through their culture and ethnicity. This can also be seen in church. People feel the need to articulate their faith through their own language, worship and cultural symbols; as can be seen in the differentiation of cultural churches in one country. Therefore there are two processes that influence the world and human beings on it, says Moltmann65: the continuous creation and the eschatology that breaks in in the present. This results in the continuous creation and redefinition of human culture on the one hand and on transformation (consummation of creation) of the same culture by eschatology on the other hand. These two will always have a tension between them. Contextual theologies are an expression of this process, whereby one can feel the tension between ethnic diversity and unity in Christ.

IV Intermediate symbols The use of intermediate symbols can be seen as ‘theology from below’. It is a way of building a contextual framework that can be used in the daily Christian life and church practice. When used appropriately these symbols can bridge the traditional culture, the existential experience and Christianity. All three dissertations speak about the need to integrate the traditional culture into the religious practice instead of keeping them as separate practices. When researching the grieving and funeral ceremonies Rambe writes of

62 Moltmann, page 282. 63 World Council of Churches, Participating in God's Mission of Reconciliation, page 9. 64 From a biological sense natural diversity is explained by adaptation to the local context. Maybe contextual theology can be seen as an expression and articulation of the local context of creation. 65 Moltmann, page 282.

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the need for developing symbols that can be used in the funeral sermon, that bridge the local cultural context, act as biblical witness and give meaning to the existential experience.66 As a step towards this use she gives four examples of such symbols:

• Being on the road • Being at home • The Meal (Eucharist) • The community

All these examples carry deeper meaning in their own context, can be combined with texts from local tradition or Bible and can directly be applied to the pastoral practice, church ceremonies and service. From my own experience I can give the following symbol: While talking to Henk Olde, an former missionary who worked in Sumba, we discussed the Sumbanese context, rituals and beliefs. When explaining funeral rites, he described the Sumbanese tradition of covering the casket with (as many as possible) Sumbanese garbs. The wealthier you are, the more garbs are around the casket. The Sumbanese garb is an important and expressive symbol of the Sumbanese culture. Not only is the making of the garbs an important means of income, it expresses the identity of the person and the sub-‐tribe he or she is from. As Henk described the funeral of another Dutch Sumbanese missionary, he described the Sumbanese garb that had covered his casket. In this Dutch funeral service the Sumbanese garb showed that part of the missionary’s identity was Sumbanese. But this symbol was not only a part of the traditional Sumbanese culture and part of his own existential meaning, it could also be used as a biblical witness: God covers us as a cloak, to protect and warm us. This metaphor is used in the Dutch hymn by Huub Oosterhuis; “Zoals een mantel om mij heen geslagen, zo is mijn God”.67 Kolimon gives another example when she refers to the female side of God, which is a normal viewpoint in the Timorese culture.68 Instead of a dominant male picture of God, Kolimon speaks up for the female side of God, as a friend of the marginalized. In the past Christian perspectives from liberation theology have always favoured Jesus as a friend of the poor and weak. Learning and exploring from this Timorese view may help empowering women and women groups in the Timorese culture. Also it can give a new perspective to the Indonesian society and continuous power struggle. Social trafficking, as well as corruption and nepotism are all about who has power and who has not. Therefore it might be interesting to start with contrasting ideas of a God who’s essence is in love instead of masculine power and almightiness. V Agents of change Both Hildebrandt Rambe and Kolimon speak in their dissertations of people and churches 66 Dabei kann es hilfreich sein, eine Verkündigung mithilfe von Symbolen zu entwickeln, die eine Brücke zwischen biblischem Zeugnis, lokalem kulturellen Kontext und persönlicher existenzieller Erfahrung bilden können. Hildebrandt Rambe, page 253.

67 Hymn 221 in the New (Dutch Church) Songbook ; “Zo vriendelijk en veilig als het licht” by Huub Oosterhuis. 68 Kolimon, page 219.

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that are agents of liberation, agents of contextualization, agents of a new power, agents of the Kingdom of God, agents social transition and social justice.69 Lakawa also states this when she describes the goal of teaching theology:

“The basis of this course is to use the Bible study process as a process of transforming local congregations to be agents of peace and justice. The vision to build a transformative community is based on the vision of an open church, sharing with our daily experiences of living in the pluralistic society beset with multidimensional crises.” 70 Who can take this role and what are the possibilities of the concept of being an ‘agent of positive change’? Church, individuals and groups within church can act as agents of change. Kolimon also sees this role for traditional healers. There are several areas where churches and intermediaries can play an important role in NTT society: Social justice and empowerment for marginal and/or oppressed groups, equal rights and recognition for local religions71, the fight against human rights violations, strengthening interreligious dialogue and common concerns as well as ecumenical rapprochement. Singgih states that healing and reconciliation within the community is more important than church growth.72 The church should be a presensia in society, he says. Instead of dominating and banning traditional beliefs, the church should try to learn from traditional culture and beliefs. Actors in both belief systems should therefore mutually invite and engage in each other’s celebrations, but also in their combined struggle for equal rights.

Implementations and challenges How can I help to implement, teach, assist to empower and be a role model within the local theological context that I work in? This study has also made me realise my own cultural background and existential differences from the Eastern Indonesian people that I work with. But maybe I can also benefit from this ‘otherness’. It gives me a fresh look on church practise, contextual theology and traditional culture. It also gives me an opportunity to ask many questions why and how certain practises or rituals are being done. Of course my ‘otherness’ will become less within the years. But in return I can imagine or hope that the Timorese and Sumbanese culture may become part of my own identity, just like the missionary mentioned above. How can I make concrete use of the methodologies described in the first part of this chapter? My main work concerns with teaching theology to students and giving workshops (permanent education) to ministers and congregations in NTT. Therefore the main areas of communication will be through teaching, interaction, reflection, peer groups with colleagues and being a living example. In this part I want to focus on three levels on which I can address these practical issues:

1. The level of the individual: Story telling 2. The level of ministers in church: Intermediaries

69 Hildebrandt Rambe; page 156, 263 and 271. Kolimon; page 56, 59, 89, 110 and 136. 70 Septemmy Lakawa, ‘Teaching Theology and Gender Perspectives’, page 108-‐109, as quoted by F.Visser: Zending in de religious plurale context van Indonesie. Een verkennend en vergelijkend onderzoek naar de contextuele theologie van J.B. Banawiratma, E.G. Singgih, S.E. Lakawa. Scriptie PThU, 2013, page 55. 71 Rambe, page 263. 72 G. Singgih, Duta Wacana and Mission, 3; as quoted by by F.Visser, 2013, page 47.

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3. The level of church congregations as a community; Agent of change and safe haven I Story telling One of the most important needs in an individual’s life is to be seen, recognised and loved for who he or she is. Therefore the Christian narrative should connect with the emotional, rational and existential need of the people. If there is trauma or an important life event ministers should try to seek ways within the cultural background and belief system of that person to help him. Story telling can be used to give meaning, find meaning, give examples or come clear with trauma in the past. When writing this paper I witnessed the TKW workers and the victims of the 1965 killings who told their stories at the JPIT73 office. JPIT encourages women to tell their stories and share them in a group of women who experienced similar things. Through their stories JPIT wants to bring healing, justice, remembrance and commemoration. This reminded me of a poem by the Dutch poet, Leo Vroman:

Kom vanavond met verhalen hoe de oorlog is verdwenen en herhaal ze honderd malen: alle malen zal ik wenen.

Not only can stories open up individuals, they open up society. It connects people and people’s stories to bundle their power to overcome trauma or injustice. It gives recognition. Further on stories can transform society through showing what is important in their tradition and life. Of this I will give some examples: One story that travelled to Holland was the resistance of a women’s group against a marble factory. The factory wanted to mine marble from a local holy mountain in West-‐Timor. One woman started to protest by staying on the mountain site, fasting and weaving traditional garbs. After some time she was joined by women in her protest. They all took shifts. After some months the press got eye for their situation and the women’s story travelled worldwide. After all the media attention the factory stopped their preparation of the mining.74 Another story is by Asnath Natar when she speaks of using traditional stories that can be used to empower women to improve their status on Sumba. To express the status of the women by their family she quotes the following expression:”Perempuan jangan diserahkan laksana alu patah dan diulurkan seperti Lesung yang patah“.75 This expression is used when 73 Jaringan Perempuan Indonesia Timur-‐ Women's Network of Eastern Indonesia. This organization studies women, their faith and culture in NTT. 74 Story told by Cornelia Middelkoop, daughter in law of the locally well-‐known Dutch missionary Pieter Middelkoop. Cornelia herself also lived and worked in West Timor. 75 „Man darf die Frau nicht wie einen zerbrochenen Reisstampfer abgeben und wie einen zerbrochenen Mörser anbieten.“ Damit soll ausgedrückt werden, dass die Familie der Frau ihre Tochter für wichtig und für wertvoll ansieht, als eine Frau, die das Weiterleben von Generation zu Generation sichert, und dass sie dies durch die angemessene Gegengabe ausdrückt, A. Natar, page 59.

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the marriage arrangement and bridal price is being negotiated and it means that it is not allowed to give the woman away like a broken rice mortar. Not only can I help through my work and teachings to bring these stories out, I can also bring these stories to the Netherlands. I can share them with the congregations that support us, with our family and friends and other Christians in the Netherlands. So that we can learn from fellow Christians in East Indonesia, so that we can share in grief and joy in the knowledge that we are one in Christ. II Intermediaries In the process of ‘doing’ contextual theology and deriving meaning from both belief systems local ministers play an important role. They are the intermediaries between the life narratives of their congregation members and the ‘big’ stories of the gospel and the traditional beliefs. In their pastoral care, their preaching, bible studies, liturgy, women groups and ceremonies that they perform they can interweave these stories. Ministers can also play an import role as intermediates between modern and traditional culture, for instance around the bridal price. Many people tend to forget the meaning behind traditional culture was also to protect women, to harmonize social life and to strengthen village relationships. As an expert on tradition and social culture, a minister can help to explain and intermediate when the focus has become more on the economic benefit than on the result of the bridal price. Ministers can help in restoring meaning and restoring the status of women. When necessary ministers can help victims of domestic violence. Church ministers should not only be such intermediaries within church, but also within the wider community. They should build relations with different kinds of religious groups and non-‐religious organisations to advocate social justice, healing and strengthening the community. Instead of focussing on church growth, students and ministers should learn to focus on healing, reconciliation and on the multi-‐religious context of their community. Religion has become a stronger identity marker than it used to be, and thus also a stronger dividing marker, says Singgih.76 Even in the areas and island in NTT where the dominant religion is Christianity, there are many ecumenical and interreligious struggles. Through transmigration Islam is now upcoming in the big cities of NTT as well. In educating future ministers I can be part of the team that train theology students as ministers of change, as intermediate persons and persons who have eye for the powerless and the people on the margin. In the previous weeks of teaching ‘theology and gender’ I have already started this by using actual and recent case studies from daily NTT life. I questioned the students how they would deal with a case like the recent death of the human trafficking victims. How they could bring healing and justice and how they could speak up for the voiceless. I try to tickle the students’ mind to the idea that they themselves can bring change to the Indonesian system of power struggle, nepotism and corruption. That one reaps what one sows.

76 Singgih, As quoted by F. Visser, ibid, page 47.

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Within the academic curriculum Kolimon also stresses the point that we need to offer some space to theology from below. I agree with that. From my experience with the Dutch PThU77, there should also be a more thorough interdisciplinary approach. The practical, biblical and systematic theology should be in continuous dialogue with one another. Daily life questions of hardship, traditional faith practises and stories should be interwoven in the practical, systematic and biblical theological subjects in the curriculum. III Church as agent of change as well as safe haven The church community could be more present in the community and society. They can silently or publicly show through their actions that the community of Christ is of a different order. In what ways they want to voice and act upon this can be defined in their mission, vision and diaconal calling statement. Depending on the place and context each church can chooses their own calling. The church as an agent of change could make a statement about being a’ corrupt-‐free zone’, or have eye for the margins of society, against land grabbing or for the unseen in society. On a regional level or even a national level the regional church synods and national church synod could speak up more to act against problems in society. Instead of focussing completely on liturgy and bible studies local churches could answer their diaconal calling in their local neighbourhood. Church could become a neutral and safe place, where the weak, the poor and the hurt could run to, to find healing and help without being judged. In my workshops with church committees and in my trainings of future ministers I would like to act as a mentor to probe these questions together. I don’t want to give answers. I want to travel together on the road that God lays for us and help them in the process to understand their specific calling as a human being or as a church. I would like to empower them on this road that we travel together as pilgrims on the way. Learning from one another.

Conclusion In this paper I have researched the local context of East Indonesia and explored new methodologies for contextual theology and empowerment. My work is not new nor eye opening but stands on the shoulders of all the local theologians in this field and all the theologians and missionaries that went before me. I am grateful therefore that all three doctors in theology enthused in my effort to write this paper and let me use their dissertations. I realize that in their efforts for empowerment and contextual theology there is struggle and pain, but gladly most of all hope for a better future. In the years of work that lie before me I hope to be able to contribute to their hope and to the ongoing story of NTT, the people that live in it and their contextual theology and empowerment. In short I found new methodologies of empowerment and contextual theology in the dissertations of Asnath Natar, Mery Kolimon and Aguswati Hildebrandt Rambe. New methodologies lie in theology from below (Kolimon), individual space and communal space through story telling (Hildebrandt Rambe, Natar), Trinitarian models of mixed identity

77 Protestant Theological University in the Netherlands.

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(Moltmann, Volf and Goroncy), intermediate symbols (Hildebrandt Rambe) and being an agent of change (Hildebrandt Rambe, Kolimon).

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Literature Berg-‐Meelis, J.M. van den, “Theologische omgang met etniciteit” Paper Persoonlijk geloven en dogmatische reflectie, PThU, Leiden, 2013. Goroncy, Jason, Social Identity, Ethnicity, and the Gospel of Reconciliation, discussion paper for the WCRC Network of Theologians. Ruedlingen, Zwitserland, 2013. Hildebrandt Rambe, Aguswati. Traditionelle Toten-‐ und Trauerriten als Herausforderung für Theologie und Praxis der protestantischen Kirchen auf Sumba und in Mamasa. Ein interkultureller theologischer Beitrag zur Begegnung zwischen ostindonesischen lokalen Religionen und christlichem Glauben. 2011. Kolimon, Mery. A theology of empowerment, Reflections from a West Timorese Feminist Perspective. 2008. Moltmann, Jürgen, The Church in the Power of the Spirit: a contribution to Messianic Ecclesiology. London, 1977. Natar, Ashnat. Möglichkeiten und Perspektiven einer Feministischen Seelsorgeberatung für die Frauen auf Sumba. 2012. Pakpahar, Binsar, God Remembers, Towards a Theology of Remembrance as a Basis of Reconciliation in Communal Conflict, dissertatie VU. Amsterdam, 2011. Singgih, G. Dari Israel ke Asia. Masalah hubungan di antara kontekstualisasi teologis dengan interpretasi Alkitabiah. 1982. Visser, Femke. Zending in de religious plurale context van Indonesie. Een verkennend en vergelijkend onderzoek naar de contextuele theologie van J.B. Banawiratma, E.G. Singgih, S.E. Lakawa. Scriptie PThU, 2013.

Volf, Miroslav, Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness and Reconciliation. Nashville, 1996.

Contextual theology, empowerment in NTT, Indonesia

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