DGI'S road to unity

Abstract

The (Protestant) churches of Indonesia began to stand as independent churches half century ago. This very young Christianity not only struggled to consolidate itself after experiencing various challenges during World War II, but also became directly involved in the movement for the unity of the churches. At the end of the beginning of this movement the churches of Indonesia decided to form "The United Christian Church in Indonesia", and it was agreed to set up the DGI, Council of Churches in Indonesia, as a "place for discussion and cooperation for the churches with a view to unity ..." The formation of this body for unity was supported by various factors, including the ecumenical movement throughout the world, the history of evangelism and church growth, in Indonesia, and the Indonesian national movement. The DGI undertook this noble task more than 30 years ago, but the ideal of unity cannot yet be achieved. Indeed the DGI as been struggling with it. Until 1964 the DGI tried to bring about uniformity, the content of unity which was decided on after the DGI was formed. After they became conscious that this concept was erroneous, they struggled with a new content and vision of unity, i.e. “unity in diversity", by compiling a draft constitutions of the Ecumenical Synod of Churches in Indonesia. It did not succeed. Then, since 1971 the PGI has, as it were begun again from below. Consultation were held, work teams formed, new vision developed, and the means of getting-down to work improved. As a follow-up to all this the most recent General Assembly of DGI in Tomohon, 1980, decided on a crash programme: "so that in four years' time the DGI and churches will truly be used to compile together and carry into effect, concrete programmes in stages, at the local, regional and national levels, in order to prepare for the formation of One United Christian Church at the 10th General Assembly of DGI." Study of the efforts of DGI (and the Indonesian churches) to form one United Church in Indonesia shows that the Indonesian churches must still be patient for a long time and do a great deal, as well as committing themselves more firmly to the Lord, the Head of the Church, before the ideals of unity are realized. M. de Niet, one of the pioneers of the movement for church unity in Indonesia, pointed out at a missionary conference in 1946: "One truly Indonesian Christian Church cannot be formed by a group of people or on human authority overnight or with acclamation or a majority vote. That Church must grow by the grace of God, and will do so, although its results will possibly be different from what the Christians who thinking more or less ecumenically and the leaders of churches and missionary have truly struggled to achieve.