Religious Syncretism as a New Model for Interreligious Harmony: A Study of Tridharma in Indonesia
The government policy of the New Order era (1966-1998), which required uniformity in religious practices and had implications for the emergence of the Tridharma house of worship, significantly affected the religious practices of the Chinese community in various regions of Indonesia, creating a disti...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Africajournals
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Pharos Journal of Theology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.pharosjot.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_24_106_4__regular_issue_august.pdf |
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| Summary: | The government policy of the New Order era (1966-1998), which required uniformity in religious practices and had implications for the emergence of the Tridharma house of worship, significantly affected the religious practices of the Chinese community in various regions of Indonesia, creating a distinctive dynamic of syncretism. This study explains the impact of New Order Era government policies on religious uniformity in the syncretism of the Tridharma (Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism). This qualitative study employs a case study approach to analyze the effects of such policies on the practice of religious syncretism among Tridharma adherents. Data were obtained through in-depth interviews with Tridharma figures and an analysis of policy documents and religious practices. This study demonstrates that the Tridharma tradition is not simply a theological or ideological interaction between religions, but rather a complex space where power, identity, and socio-political strategies are negotiated. As a syncretic formation, the Tridharma emerged as a creative response to historical repression, while also serving as an expression of Chinese Indonesian religious culture within the framework of Indonesian nationalism. The Tridharma is not merely a passive blending of various traditions; it actively reconfigures the relationship between religion and state power, thus offering a distinctive model of syncretism shaped by certain socio historical conditions. This case highlights the potential of negotiated religious spaces to foster more inclusive and harmonious interreligious relations in a pluralistic society. These findings suggest that the practical syncretism of the Tridharma can serve as a constructive paradigm for managing religious diversity and encourage ongoing dialogical coexistence in contemporary Indonesia. |
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| ISSN: | 2414-3324 |