Indonesian Catholic patriotism: noble or ignoble?

Indonesian bishops with President Joko Widodo, 2018.

The Indonesian Catholic Church is no ordinary religious institution.

Despite representing only 3% of Indonesia's total population, the role of the Catholic Church in this Southeast Asia's largest Muslim country cannot be denied, for better or worse.

Fully Catholic, fully Indonesian

Founded by the Portuguese in the 16th century and persecuted by Dutch Calvinists for two centuries, the Catholic Church in the Indonesian archipelago is resilient and dynamic. In 1918, three decades before Indonesia's independence from Dutch colonial rule, Indonesian Catholics had developed a unique concept of nationhood. Msgr Albertus Soegijapranata, Indonesia's first bishop, later defined it with the motto "One hundred percent Catholic, one hundred percent Indonesian". The idea is that a devout Indonesian Catholic should be a good patriot. For this reason, during the Indonesian war of independence (1945-1949), Indonesian Catholics took up arms against the Dutch. And it didn't stop there.

Mgr Albertus Soegijapranata, the first native Indonesian bishop (1896-1963).

Always supporting the ruler

Years later, with the same patriotic fervor, many Indonesian Catholics took part in the so-called liberation of West Irian/Papua (1961) and East Timor (1975), which were actually expansionist campaigns for the Greater Indonesia envisioned by the country's founder, Soekarno. During the 32 years of Soeharto's military rule (1966-1998), the prophetic voice of the Indonesian bishops was barely heard. Sadly, the same bishops remained silent when the world was outraged at Indonesia's brutal occupation of East Timor. Just as the Indonesian government, the Indonesian Catholic Church does not recognize the genocide of 200,000 Timorese.

Catholic General Leonardus Benjamin Moerdani, dictator Soeharto's right-hand man.

Unwise Catholics?

Catholics are thriving in Indonesia and they are actively contributing to the country's development. However, to what extent do Indonesian Catholics practice the core Christian teachings of love and justice for the defenceless? According to a Litbang Kompas survey last February, the vast majority of Indonesian Catholics voted for dictator Soeharto's son-in-law and suspected war criminal Prabowo Subianto as the next president. This was after supporting Joko Widodo's decade-long presidency where nepotism was displayed without shame. 

Jakarta Cardinal Suharyo with Indonesian military and police officials.

Discarding dumb patriotism     

In 2021, as the humanitarian disaster caused by Indonesia's military operations worsened in West Papua, Jakarta Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo only responded with cold statements: "The official stance of the Catholic church on the Papua issue is very clear, which is to support the position of the Indonesian government, because it is guaranteed by international law." Such statement was not entirely true, since the Catholic Church has never opposed any resistance to oppressive regimes. Furthermore this is also guaranteed by international law! In the end, what is the point of maintaining an absurd nationalism of "One hundred percent Catholic, one hundred percent Indonesian"? Patriotism mixed with religious sentiment will only lead to a death of conscience that justifies state oppression.

Prabowo Subianto (left) at the Indonesian Bishops' Conference.