The Methods and Criterion of Origen and Maximus Confessor’s Exegesis in Interpreting Scriptures’ Verses on Violence: its Relevance to Prevent Radicalism and Fundamentalism

Radicalism and fundamentalism, commonly characterized by acts of terror and violence, are considered as serious threats to Indonesia as a nation. One of the triggers of radical and fundamentalist movements is the misunderstanding on some verses about violence, war, and murder in the Scriptures. The radicals and the fundamentalists tend to interpret literally and use those verses to legitimate their actions. This paper has no intention to blame and to correct verses of the Scriptures that are literally provocative for violence, but to offer some inspiration from patristic tradition about how to interpret the Bible verses on violence. There are three methods and one criterion, that is, method of “esegesi orante”, method of allegorical-spiritual, method of the Scripture interprets Scripture, and the criteria of ὠφέλειᾰ (ōphéleia: benefit). These methods and criterion may also be applied to interpret and to understand Koran verses on violence, as there are some provocative verses in regard to violence in both Scriptures. Moreover, Muslims also have the Tafsir (exegesis, commentary) as a methodology for reading and explaining the Koran, even accepting hermeneutics as a method of interpretation that is very relevant to understand the message of the Koran.

Sacred Space and Cultural Symbol: Cultural Exegesis of Japanese Church Architecture

ne of the many challenges of inculturation is cultural exegesis. Different cultures can have different understanding about the sacred expressed through their symbols. Church architecture is one of those symbolic expressions. Cultural symbols of church architecture can be interpreted merely as ornamental symbols of faith rather than an invitation for understanding the underlying context of religious experience within a particular culture. To avoid this, we need to find categories which can serve as methodological components for a proper cultural exegesis. This paper will attempt to apply three categories of nature, community, and cultural tradition as the standards to understand the sacrality of a cultural symbol. Through the application of these three categories into the architecture of Japanese church, we can find that cultural symbol embedded in church architecture serves more than as a bricolage expressing a symbolic identity of faith. Instead, it serves as a marker for cultural values being transformed through experiencing the sacred. Cultural symbols in church architecture is, thus, more about revealing the experience of divine transformation of a culture rather than its appropriation to the Christian faith.

Theology of Independence as a Foundation of Developing Catholic Education in Indonesian Context According to Y.B. Mangunwijaya

Education is one of the forms of the Indonesian Church's apostolate. In the context of Indonesia that fought for its independence, Y.B. Mangunwijaya affirmed the importance of theology of independence as an anthropological foundation of developing a liberating education. By using analytical descriptive method, this research focuses on finding the main ideas of YB. Mangunwijaya about theology of independence as a foundation of education and learning process at school. There are three important things found in this research. First, theology of independence is the right formula that unites Christian values and the struggle for national life. It bases on the movement of Jesus Christ that is inclusive and universal for the sake of a more human life. Second, theology of independence becomes the foundation to develop a child-centered learning to develop or liberate themselves exploratively, creatively and integrally. Third, in order to develop liberating education, teachers who love children and dare to explore with the children for optimal child development are needed. Y.B. Mangunwijaya's thoughts provide a foundation for reconstructing the vision, mission and praxis of Catholic education in Indonesia contextually for a more liberating national life.

In Search of the Babayi: A cartography of a Distinct Filipina Theoethics

This paper on methodology is an attempt to find a distinct Filipino theology and ethics by retrieving the sense of the babayi (woman). The babayi comes from the ancient Asiatic script called the baybayin. Inspired by the courage and resiliency of the Filipina woman in the face of tragedy and war, the goal is to map out a theo-ethics that is uniquely reflective of the Filipino woman within the broader feminist and liberation ethics. As a method, it critiques the prevailing framing of Western feminism common among Filipino women writers. Following intersectionality, a paradigm that analyzes oppression as the crossroad of racism and poverty, this method locates the Filipina in the multiaxial framing of history, the struggle of poverty and discrimination, displacement, religion and dialogue, and ecology. This multidimensional approach considers the long history of oppression experienced by our people, reflects inherent Filipino values and provides a method for understanding the Filipina and her allies today.

Transfersal Transformation: From Personal Analysis to Social Analysis According to Calvin and Ricoeur

Two figures who live in different ages, Calvin and Ricoeur, have built their thinking by way of an experience of repentance or self-renewal. It is this experience what so-called as personal analysis. Calvin, with his experience of "sudden conversion (subita conversio)", was moved to undertake a better world transformation as the stage of God's glory. Ricoeur, with his concept of “self-consciousness", emancipated the open subject aimed at social emancipation. Their experiences are individual in character, but it isn’t closed, conversely opened and forwarded out to others through relationships with others in the context of living together. Its goal is a social analysis through the transformation of a good and just life. The shifting process from personal analysis to social analysis, I name it as a transfersal transformation, namely, a change in the private realm that is forwarded to the public sphere with a call to live a good and fair life together. In Asia, the shift from personal analysis to social analysis (transfersal transformation) is important for Asian theology to be contextual and design a good and just society.

Rethinking the Justice of God with Asian Sensibilities

This article proposes the need to rethink the concepts of justice with Asian sensibilities. For centuries the idea of justice has been read and interpreted along and within the classical Greek philosophical framework. In some ways, this Greek categorial framework is also seen in the concepts of biblical justice. However, in an Asian context, the character justice and its application need to be explored in the light of restoring harmony, with the self, other, cosmos and God, which is integral in many of the Asian spiritualities. In modern times, the theories of John Rawls and Robert Nozick are much quoted in studies regarding justice. However, Asian sensibilities call for a deeper exploration of justice for the purpose of harmony and that is the intent of this article.