Salvation according to Christianity and the teaching of Batak religion:

Abstract

Salvation is the main purpose of human life and it includes all aspects of human life. A variety of terms are found producing wide variety of meaning. The term salvation becomes vague as a result of limited understanding among ordinary church members. Therefore, a wider information about the biblical sense of the word salvation should be given. Chapter I tries to introduce some terms, that emerge in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament, based on the original meaning The Old Testament's "yasa" and "syalom..and "sozo" (so ter- ia)" and "eirene" according to the New Testament are basic terms being scrutinized. The main purpose of this thesis is to produce clearer concept about salvation based on those terms. By exploring those terms, it is clear that salvation is always presented in connection with humanity; nowadays and later. Salvation could be accepted by people only by God's grace and mercy, and it is the very nucleus of the hope of humanity, which contains peace, justice and truth. Salvation also includes redemption and forgiveness. Jesus Christ is The Savior, and only one through whom salvation could be carried out. That’s why it is said that salvation is not man's work, but it is God's grace and mercy which also point to real peace. Chapter II shows how the terms salvation has been developed throughout the history of dogma. At the beginning the aim of teaching about salvation was to answer many objections raised by the world outside the church, and now to formulate the teaching acceptable by majority. Salvation as taught by Jesus Christ eliminate polytheistic thinking and other kind of teachings, which maintain that salvation could also be achieved by knowledge (gnosis). On the other hand, it's true that salvation through Jesus Christ could not be separated from the dogma of Trinity. This way of thinking was to deny a variety of opinions about Jesus Christ within the early community of believers. It was due to those opinions too, that soteriology was also developed. We may mention the names of Ireneus, Athanasius, Augustine, Cyril and Pelagius as the first scholars of theology, especially salvation. During the middle ages, the names of Anselm and Thomas Aquinas also emerged as theological innovators of those days. While during the years of the Reformation we might not forget however, the names of Martin Luther and John Calvin, because of their basic thinking on church renewal. The twentieth century's theologians who adopted the theological way of thinking from those mentioned above, were Karl Barth and Paul Tillich. These two modern theologians tried to apply a new way of thinking on theology, not too conservative but also................ allowing new directions to meet the need of modern world. It is true that this new way of thinking opened the gate to modern theology. By doing so they really succeeded to influence theological thinking later on. Chapter III explains briefly the Batak ethnic group and its religion. The Batak tribe believes in the so-called Mula Jadi na Bolon (The Great Creator as their Highest God). He is the creator of everything. He is also t h e source of spirit and customs. The Batak words "horas"; "hipas"; "dame"; sonang" and "malua", if used separately, are supposed to have the same meaning as salvation. After having explorated each of those words, it could be concluded that there is certain connection with salvation, today and in the future. It includes hope on restoration of everything and forgiveness. Certain ceremonies are connected to those words, as well as to the so-called "salvation" itself. As a result of wrong doing against the customary law, peo- ple are considered guilty. That's why certain ceremonies ar e applied, such as "manguras" (to purify); "mangasetaon" (mangase= rites of remaking something whole; mangase taon= name of the New Year Celebration; to make the year successful, useful); "mangupa" (ceremony of strengthening the soul), which are supposed to bring the people back to the original direction. Through a short analysis, it is clear that certain elements have similarities with the biblical terms. It is also proved that the Batak culture seems to have implicit understanding of the future, such as salvation, also including hope and redemption, although rather different than salvation through Jesus Christ. As a conclusion of those facts mentioned above, we finally find in chapter IV the really how the Batak people apply their understanding of salvation in daily life. They value their adat or customs much higher than anything else, even above religion and faith. They may feel guilty or inferior if they aren't able to fulfil the demand of the adat. They have a very poor understanding about salvation, and that's the reason why the adat is strongly influencing their daily life. They understand salvation through Jesus Christ as a norm of Christianity but they do not live it up. A new and better understanding about salvation is therefore necessary, which might change their practice in their daily life. Their word "maradat" needs to be changed. It should be "maradat" in connection to Jesus Christ, by applying this kind of lifestyle only, the direction from doing all demands of the adat into living according to the will of God, could change their existence as real Christians There is a kind of ritual ceremony, called "manulangi" that is ritual feeding. By doing this ceremony, the person who presents the food to an older person, expects his or her blessing. Like this one, there are many ceremonies to be carried out during the life of a person. That's why it is very necessary to change that kind lifestyle. They should get better understanding about salvation, not only by listening passively to fundamental preaching, but also by enriching their theological under- standing actively through the congregational education program. Salvation is however not a result of carrying out the demands of adat, but it is absolutely God's grace and mercy. The context of salvation is therefore not only vertically but also horizontally. It means that people, in order to be able to serve God, should also be able to serve the neighbor. Only by doing that way, salvation as it was taught by Jesus Christ would be well understood and implemented.