The Inculturation of the Catholic Church with Dayak Pompakang Culture in the "Ngongkat Salib" Procession: A Sociology of Religion Perspective Robert J. Schreiter
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70343/3w5xsz63Keywords:
inculturation, sociology of religion, Robert J. Schreiter, Catholic Church, Dayak Pompakang, Ngongkat SalibAbstract
The inculturation of the Catholic Church's faith in the context of local culture is a strategic issue in contemporary missiology, especially in the territory of indigenous peoples of Indonesia. This study examines the process of inculturation of the Catholic Church with the Dayak Pompakang culture, focusing on the traditional prosesion of “Ngongkat Salib’' (raising the cross in local religious ceremonies), through the framework of Robert J. Schreiter's sociological theory of religion. The research method uses a qualitative ethnographic approach, collecting data through in-depth interviews with religious and community leaders, participatory observation of rituals, and an examination of Church documents and traditional Dayak Pompakang literature. The study's results demonstrate that the “Ngongkat Salib” embodies the transformation of Christian symbols into a form that integrates local cultural identities, resulting in an authentic communication of faith that is both respectful and sincere. This process of inculturation is not just syncretism, but a genuine dialogue in which Christian values and Dayak local wisdom enrich each other. Schreiter's theory of “Constructing Local Theologies” proves relevant in explaining how the Catholic Church facilitates meaningful encounters between universal faith and specific cultural contexts. The academic implications of this research enrich the discourse of the sociology of religion and missiology in Southeast Asia, while pastorally offering an inculturation model that can be applied in contextual evangelization in other indigenous territories. Research confirms that deep inculturation requires a dialogical approach, respect for cultural heritage, and theological openness to dynamic changes in the lives of local people.
Downloads
References
Berger, P. L. (1967). The sacred canopy: Elements of a sociological theory of religion. Doubleday & Company, Inc.
Büsse, M., & Hermann-Dwyer, M. (2003). The Dayak in Southeast Asia: Representations and resources. Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, 34(2), 315-330.
Cooley, F. L. (1968). Altar and throne: The institutional church and popular religions in Indonesia. University of Chicago Press.
Durkheim, É. (1912/2001). The elementary forms of religious life (C. Cosman, Trans.). Oxford University Press.
Ecclesia in Asia: Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation. (1999). Vatican Press.
Ecclesiastical Conference of Indonesia. (2005). Pastoral letter on inculturation and evangelization in Indonesia. Konferensi Waligereja Indonesia.
Evangelii Nuntiandi: Apostolic Exhortation on Evangelization in the Modern World. (1975). Vatican Press.
Farmer, P. (1992). AIDS and anthropology. Medical Anthropology Quarterly, 4(3), 252-266.
Gaudium et Spes: Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World. (1965). Vatican Press.
Geertz, C. (1973). The interpretation of cultures: Selected essays. Basic Books.
Heclas, P., & Woodhead, L. (2005). The new age movement: The celebration of the self and the sacralization of modernity. Blackwell Publishers.
Ismail, R. T. (1997). Caught between three fires: The Tengahaya, the Japanese, and the government of Malaysia. Sojourn Publications.
King, R., & Beyer, P. (Eds.). (1997). Religion and modernity in Asia. Oxford University Press.
Kipp, R. S. (1990). The early years of a Dutch missionary church: The Karo field (1900–1942). University of Michigan Press.
Kraft, C. H. (1979). Christianity in culture: A study in dynamic biblical theologizing in cross-cultural contexts. Orbis Books.
Lawless, R. & Frantz, C. (1985). Anthropology of the good life: Ceremonies and rituals of contemporary tribal peoples. Human Relations Area Files.
Luhan, D. (2001). Adat Dayak Kenyah: Struktur sosial dan praktik spiritual. PT. Pustaka Ulung.
Luhan, D. (2008). Perubahan sosial keagamaan masyarakat Dayak: Studi tentang konversi ke Kristen dan pengaruhnya terhadap adat istiadat. Jurnal Masyarakat dan Budaya, 10(2), 185-206.
Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. B. (2016). Designing qualitative research (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Mbiti, J. S. (1969). African religions and philosophy. Heinemann Educational Books.
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (2014). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Mills, K. (1997). Idols and relics: Authorizing the Christ of the Andes. Oxford University Press.
Newbigin, L. (1989). The gospel in a pluralist society. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
Ntlobi, P. J. (1997). Enculturation and Christian identity. SPCK Publishing.
Osman, M. N. (1997). Islamic revivalism in Malaysia: Dakwah among the students. Institute of Islamic Understanding.
Pellerin, C. (2013). Inkulturasi dan kontekstualisasi: Model pendekatan misiologi kontemporer. Jurnal Teologi Kontekstual Nusa Cendana, 5(1), 22-45.
Pius X. (1912). Moto proprio: Sacrorum antistitum. Vatican Press.
Pius XII. (1939). Summi pontificatus: Encyclical on the function of the state in the modern world. Vatican Press.
Polanyi, M. (1958). Personal knowledge: Towards a post-critical philosophy. University of Chicago Press.
Rahner, K. (1966). Theology of symbol. In Theological investigations (Vol. 4, pp. 224-252). Darton, Longman & Todd.
Rüppell, M. A. (2004). Religion and the arts of West Africa: Historical and analytical studies. Munich University Press.
Schreiter, R. J. (1985). Constructing local theologies. Orbis Books.
Schreiter, R. J. (1997). The ministry of reconciliation: Spirituality and strategies. Orbis Books.
Schreiter, R. J. (2004). Faces of Jesus in Africa. Orbis Books.
Schreiter, R. J. (2006). Ministry for a church in crisis: Navigating the recovery of communities. Orbis Books.
Shenk, W. R. (Ed.). (1999). Enlarging the story: Perspectives on writing world Christian history. Orbis Books.
Shiva, V. (1997). Biopiracy: The plunder of nature and knowledge. Between the Lines Press.
Sofian, I., & Hafiz, A. (2012). Proses inkulturasi Gereja Katolik di kalangan masyarakat Dayak Kalimantan Timur: Sebuah kajian historis. Jurnal Sejarah Nusantara, 3(2), 156-178.
Stott, J. R. W. (1992). The contemporary Christian: Applying God's word to today's world. Inter-Varsity Press.
Sugirtharajah, R. S. (Ed.). (2002). The Bible and the third world: Precolonial, colonial, postcolonial encounters. Oxford University Press.
Tanuwidjaya, S. (2010). Kontekstualisasi iman Kristiani dalam budaya lokal: Studi tentang Ngongkat Salib di Dayak Pompakang. Disertasi Doktor, Universitas Atma Jaya Makassar.
Thekaekara, M. M. (2010). Gladly served: A journey with indigenous peoples. Eidos Press.
Turner, V. (1967). The forest of symbols: Aspects of Ndembu ritual. Cornell University Press.
Vaticanum II. (1964). Sacrosanctum Concilium: Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy. Vatican Press.
Wach, J. (1944). Sociology of religion. University of Chicago Press.
Weber, M. (1905/2002). The Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism (P. Baehr & G. C. Wells, Trans.). Penguin Classics.
Weber, M. (1922/1968). The sociology of religion (E. Fischoff, Trans.). Beacon Press.
Westman, K. B. (1992). Storytelling and mythmaking: Images from film and literature. Oxford University Press.
Whitehouse, H., & Lanman, J. A. (2014). The ties that bind us: Ritual, fusion, and identification. Current Anthropology, 55(6), 674-695.
Wiger, L. B. (2009). Church and indigenous peoples in Southeast Asia: Toward a theology of partnership. Missiology: An International Review, 37(3), 331-347.
Yewangoe, A. A. (2010). Theologia crucis dalam konteks Asia: Studi tentang relevansi teologi penderitaan di konteks budaya Asia. BPK Gunung Mulia.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Valentino Dwika Damara, Tedjo Setiyoko, Yly Suardy, Yulius Roge Paliling, Dr. Herkulana M. Soeryamassoka (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work’s authorship and initial publication in this journal.
How to Cite
