From top left to right: Special Pastor of the BPK Penabur Regional Synod Rev. Andy Agus Gunawan, General Chair of the BPK Penabur Foundation Adri Lazuardi, Executive Director of the Leimena Institute Matius Ho, and Chair of Jakarta Theological Seminary (STFT), Rev. Prof. Binsar Jonathan Pakpahan.
Jakarta, LKLB News – The Cross-Cultural Religious Literacy (CCRL) program is an effort to preserve the nation’s diversity through the role of teachers and educators. This reason encouraged the participation of 211 teachers from the BPK Penabur Foundation in the CCRL training held online on June 3–7, 2024.
Adri Lazuardi, General Chair of the BPK Penabur Foundation, expressed appreciation for the CCRL program attended by teachers from schools under the BPK Penabur Foundation in several cities, including Jakarta, Tangerang, Serang, Depok, Bogor, Bekasi, Bandung, Tasikmalaya, Indramayu, Cianjur, Cirebon, and Bandar Lampung. The keynote speaker of the CCRL training for BPK Penabur teachers was the Chair of Jakarta Theological Seminary (STFT), Rev. Prof. Binsar Jonathan Pakpahan.
“We hope that through today’s program, the 211 teachers will become the main inspirations who will return to their schools, weaving diversity, preserving pluralism, and making religious tolerance real in the life of BPK Penabur,” Adri said during his remarks in the International Certified Program: Introduction to CCRL for Christian Teachers.
The CCRL training for BPK Penabur school teachers was the 55th class out of a total of 58 CCRL training classes held by the Leimena Institute since 2021. The total alumni of the CCRL training now reaches 8,772 teachers from 37 provinces in Indonesia.
Adri stated that diversity is wealth, not something that should be put into conflict. Therefore, teachers need to be equipped with awareness to preserve the nation’s diversity. He recalled that the Jakarta Regional Election (Pilkada) in 2015 left a deep memory of division in society due to differences in ethnicity and religion. That is why BPK Penabur once raised the theme “Harmony in Diversity” at its 67th Anniversary on July 27, 2017.
“Diversity is a part we continue to preserve so that this nation can move forward,” Adri said.
The BPK Penabur Foundation was established on July 19, 1950, in Bandung, and is under the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) Regional Synod of West Java. To this day, BPK Penabur has established 164 schools spread across 15 cities in 4 provinces, namely West Java, DKI Jakarta, Banten, and Lampung.
Adri Lazuardi, as General Chair of the BPK Penabur Foundation, oversees 164 schools spread across 15 cities in 4 provinces, namely West Java, DKI Jakarta, Banten, and Lampung.
Meanwhile, Matius Ho, Executive Director of the Leimena Institute, expressed his gratitude to the BPK Penabur Foundation, which has supported the CCRL training since the beginning of its rather long process. The CCRL training with BPK Penabur was also made possible with the support of the General Secretary of the GKI West Java Regional Synod, Rev. Darwin Darmawan.
Matius said that the CCRL program is one of the results of the reflection and effort of the Leimena Institute to continue the thoughts, hopes, and exemplary life of the national hero, church leader, and statesman, Dr. Johannes Leimena. This founding father, familiarly called Oom Jo, was active in the national movement since becoming a member of the Youth Congress committee in 1928 which produced the Youth Pledge, until serving as Minister of Health and Deputy Prime Minister during President Soekarno’s era, as well as the figure behind the establishment of Community Health Centers (Puskesmas).
“Bung Karno often called him ‘dominee’ or pastor. Yet, he was able to work closely with all circles without distinguishing religions,” Matius said.
Rev. Binsar Pakpahan delivered his presentation as the keynote speaker.
The Purpose of the CCRL Program
According to Matius Ho, relations among religious and faith communities often come under the spotlight because of tensions, even conflicts, or at least reluctance to build relationships, let alone collaboration. Yet, the nation’s founding fathers had set an example of tolerance and mutual cooperation among people of different faiths. That is why our independence was achieved with slogans such as “United We Stand, Divided We Fall.”
Matius stressed that if the competencies and skills like those possessed by the founding fathers cannot be developed, then this vast and pluralistic Indonesian nation will find it difficult to progress, because it will always be easily shaken by provocations of religious, ethnic, and other sentiments. Bhinneka Tunggal Ika needs to be operationalized in competencies and skills that are strong, so that it does not become an empty slogan.
“This is the purpose of Cross-Cultural Religious Literacy, namely how we can have the competence and skills to build relationships and collaboration among followers of different religions or beliefs, while still respecting the differences we have,” said Matius.
Rev. Binsar Jonathan Pakpahan said that efforts to preserve diversity can be made through integration with the curriculum, curriculum development based on diversity, and teacher competency training. He also mentioned the importance of joint actions among religious communities for humanity, such as helping victims of natural disasters.
The CCRL training was held online (live interaction) using the Zoom application and independent learning with assignments. Graduation from the training was determined by several criteria.