Some still exist in some parts of Indonesia as either pure or syncretic. [48][55] In present-day Flores, the royal house of Larantuka formed the only native Catholic kingdom in Southeast Asia around the 16th century, with the first king named Lorenzo. Religions in Indonesia developed regionally rather than nationally because modern day Indonesia was neither unified nor independent until 1949. [109][110], In 2012, civil servant Alexander Aan was sentenced to 30 months in prison for writing "God doesn't exist" on his Facebook page and sharing explicit material about the prophet Muhammad online,[111][112] sparking nationwide debate. Eastern Orthodoxy is represented by the Indonesian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), which until 2019 was part of the Russian Orthodox Diocese of Sydney, Australia and New Zealand (Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia),[60] and then comes under the unified spiritual leadership of the Diocese of Singapore (Russian Orthodox Church). This is celebrated by … By far the majority of the Indonesian population is Muslim. The early maritime empire of Srivijaya on Sumatra served as a Buddhist learning center for Chinese monks in the seventh century. The Dutch East India Company (VOC) regulated the missionary work so it could serve its own interests and focused it to the eastern, Animist part of the archipelago, including Maluku, North Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara, Papua and Kalimantan. Digital Economy: Will Indonesia Soon Have Its Own Silicon Valley? Among the Indonesian Buddhists follow major Buddhist schools: Mahayana, Vajrayana, and Theravada. [63], Following the downfall of President Sukarno in the mid-1960s and the mandatory policy of having a religion,[75] founder of Perbuddhi (Indonesian Buddhists Organisation), Bhikku Ashin Jinarakkhita, proposed that there was a single supreme deity, Sanghyang Adi Buddha. [21], Islam was introduced to the archipelago in the thirteenth century. By far the majority of the Indonesian population is Muslim. Indonesia is officially a republic with a compromise made between the ideas of a secular state and an Islamic state. [81][80] Therefore, the status of Confucianism during the New Order regime was never clear. Many Portuguese had the goal of spreading Roman Catholicism, starting with the Maluku Islands in 1534. Around 95% of Indonesians are Native Indonesians, with 40%Javanese and 15% Sund The country’s regions, including Java, Sumatra, Bali, Lombok, and more, all feature similar but distinct religious histories. However - as appalling as it may be - such religious violence is the exception rather than the rule and it should be stressed that, by far, the majority of the Indonesian Muslim community is highly supportive of a religious pluralist and peaceful society. Every Indonesian is required to embrace one of these religions as it is mandatory personal data that is mentioned in official documents such as passports and other identification cards. It should be emphasized, however, that the Indonesian followers of above-mentioned religions do not form coherent groups. In 2000, Indonesia decided to separately categorise Confucianism only during the enumeration process, but did not actually list this option on the printed form. One clear example of the lasting impact of European influence and Dutch colonial power on Indonesian society is the presence of around 23 million Christians currently living in Indonesia. Totals and lefthand column per year are in millions of persons. Before 1945, there were about 2.000 Dutch Jews in Indonesia. We can see what the morals in Indonesia are from the religion that people believe in. Historically, immigration from the Indian subcontinent, mainland China, Portugal, the Arab world, and the Netherlands has been a significant contributor to the diversity of religion and culture within the archipelago. This is not listed as a separate category in the U.N. data. [27] There were also significant changes to the relationship during the New Order. [1], Overview of the religion share in Indonesia, Religious composition by ethnic group (2010 Census), Cite error: The named reference "RELIGION" was defined multiple times with different content (see the. Buddhism in Indonesia. They include: The non-official number of ethnic believers is up to 20 million. Through it we can go on a leisure trip together. Hinduism is the most dominant religion in India. This does, however, not mean that it constitutes a coherent group. Muslim 86.7%, Protestant 7.6%, Roman Catholic 3.12%, Hindu 1.74%, other 0.8% (includes Buddhist and Confucian), unspecified 0.04% (2018 est.) [12][13], Kejawèn (Javanese beliefs) or Kebatinan is an amalgam of animism, Hindu-Buddhist, and Islamic — especially Sufi — beliefs. [122] Subsequent government attempts, particularly by the country's intelligence agency (BIN), in curbing radicalism has been called an attack on Islam by some sectarian figures. As of 2010, Indonesia boasted a population over 239 million. sfnm error: no target: CITEREFEnsiklopedi_Kepercayaan2010 (, sfn error: no target: CITEREFAritonang;_Steenbrink2008 (, The 1990 census recorded 87.21% Muslims, 6.04% Protestants, 3.58% Catholics, 1.83% Hindus, 1.03% Buddhists and 0.31% as "Others". [1], Until the beginning of CE, the peoples of Indonesia followed the local tribal Austronesian and Papuan ethnic religions and traditions.[18]. However, in 2009 elections, the PBB ranked only 10th, while parties characterised by moderate and tolerant Islamic interpretations had more significant success, such as the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) coming in 4th with nearly 8% of total votes. The peak of Hindu-Javanese civilisation was the Majapahit empire in the fourteenth century, and is described as a 'Golden Age' in Indonesian history. [7] Indonesia does not recognise agnosticism or atheism, and blasphemy is illegal. It rules that the law requiring people whose 'religion is not recognised', or followers of indigenous religions to leave the religion column on identity documents blank is contrary to the constitution. Title: Indonesia Religious Freedom Landscape Report Author: Timothy S. Shah About: The Indonesia Religious Freedom Landscape Report provides a thorough analysis of the legal, political, and social conditions that shape religious freedom in this country and the prospects for advancing it in the future. In 1967, Suharto issued controversial Presidential Instruction No. Religious freedom conditions in Indonesia are generally trending negatively. [77], Confucianism originated in China and was brought to Indonesia by Chinese merchants as early as the 3rd century AD. However, it was de-recognized by the Suharto government as the regime tried to restrict expressions that originated from China (including the Chinese language, celebrations, and names) in order to prevent the emergence of clashes between the native Indonesians and ethnic Chinese (although forming less than 3 percent of the Indonesian population, this Chinese minority gained a disproportionately large share in the nation's economy). The world's largest Buddhist monument, Borobudur, was built by Sailendra and around the same time, the Hindu monument Prambanan was also built. Hello friends this channel is a very important project for me. The hostility of the Dutch toward Catholicism is due to its history where the Protestant Dutch gained their independence after the Eighty Years War against Catholic Spain's rule. It is located in Jakarta and will be led by Rabbi Tovia Singer. [113], Although the government recognises several different religions, inter-religious conflicts have occurred. As the various regions in Indonesia are marked by separate histories and therefore absorbed different influences, the outcome regarding the Islamic faith has been different as well. Several Ahmadi mosques were burnt in 2008. This may seem to be a harsh assessment of the world’s third most populous democracy and reputably one of the most tolerant Muslim nations. This [114], During the New Order, the transmigration program continued after it was initiated by the Dutch East Indies government in the early nineteenth century. [118][119] A positive form of relations has also appeared in society, such as the effort from six different religious organisations to help the 2004 tsunami victims. [51][52][50], Chinese Indonesians are also a significant part of the Protestant population, scattered throughout Indonesia with the majority concentrated in major urban areas. De jure, there were conflicting laws, because higher laws permitted Confucianism, but lower ones did not recognise it. As a result, there is an inclusiveness that the kebatinan believer could identify themselves with one of six officially recognised religions, at least in KTP, while still subscribe to their kebatinan belief and way of life. [92] In the 1850s, about 20 Jewish families of Dutch and German origins lived in Batavia. [88][89], Muhammad Subuh saw the present age as one that demands personal evidence and proof of religious or spiritual realities, as people no longer just believe in words. [103], A small Jain community, Jain Social Group Indonesia (JSG Indonesia), exists in Jakarta among Indian Indonesians. Because of this, followers of these beliefs such as Dayak Kaharingan have identified themselves as Hindu as a result to avoid pressure to convert to Islam or Christianity. However, Suharto acknowledged that the Chinese Indonesians had a large amount of wealth and power, despite consisting only 3% of the population. [121] The Joko Widodo administration responded by banning the Indonesian chapter of Hizb ut-Tahrir. [50], Indonesia has three Protestant-majority provinces, West Papua, Papua, and North Sulawesi, with 60%, 68% and 64% of the total population respectively. Between 1546 and 1547, the pioneer Christian missionary, Saint Francis Xavier, visited the islands and baptised several thousand locals. The Indonesian archipelago has witnessed the rise and fall of powerful Buddhist empires such as Sailendra dynasty, Srivijaya and Mataram Empires. Associate Professor of Religious Studies & International Studies, Indiana University . Smaller numbers follow other schools (madhhabs),[16][36] and the Salafi movement. In recent years it has happened that Indonesians who published atheist worldviews on social networks were threatened by their local community and arrested by the police on charges of blasphemy; charges that can lead to imprisonment. Bekasi (West Java): 2.51 million. Jakarta / Fri, July 31, 2020 / 09:04 am. [115], The government has made an effort to reduce the tension by proposing the inter-religion cooperation plan. Tangerang (Banten): 2.001 million. Although a process of PAN-Islamization has been continuing for a number of centuries up to the present, Indonesia has not lost its diversity of Islamic varieties. In 1971, three groups of Christians were recorded: Catholic, Protestant and other. Some historical heritage monuments can be found in Indonesia, including the Borobudur Temple in Yogyakarta and statues or prasasti (inscriptions) from the earlier history of Buddhist empires. [43] The main organisation is "Ikatan Jamaah Ahlulbait Indonesia" (IJABI). These Christian communities tend to cluster in the eastern part of Indonesia. De facto, Confucianists were not recognised by the government, and they were forced to register with one of the original five official religions to maintain their citizenship. [48] The VOC regulated the missionary work so it could serve its own interests and restricted it to the eastern part of the Indonesian archipelago. [87], Subud is an international spiritual movement that began in Indonesia in the 1920s as a movement related to Sufism and Javanese beliefs founded by Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo. [32] Islam in Indonesia is in many cases less meticulously practised in comparison to Islam in the Middle East. Currently, 55.8 % of the population of Indonesia is urban (150,900,390 people in 2019) Population Density The 2019 population density in Indonesia is 149 people per Km 2 (387 people per mi 2 ), calculated on a total land area of 1,811,570 Km2 (699,451 sq. Bandung (West Java): 2.575 million. Before Hinduism and Buddhism arrived in the Archipelago, the indigenous population practiced forms of animism. Apart from the traditional (mainline) church, the charismatic movement (which - like Pentecostals - puts emphasis on the gifts of the Spirit) has a growing following in the bigger cities of Indonesia. In Indonesia, conservative Muslim political parties and radical Islamic groups exert significant influence, resulting in Sharia-inspired policies and public opinion that opposes Christianity.While the government tightens the country’s blasphemy laws, most problems for believers come from confrontations with radical Islamic groups. Unlike other religions, Confucianism evolved more into loose individual practices and belief in the code of conduct, rather than a well-organised community with a sound theology—akin to a way of life or social movement than a religion. Although not acknowledged by the government there also still exist forms of animism in several parts of Indonesia. [81][80], During the New Order, the anti-China policy became a scapegoat-like method to gain political support from the masses, especially after the fall of PKI, which had allegedly been backed by China. [40], Shia Islam played an important role in the early period of the spread of Islam in North Sumatra and Java. Hence Confucianism appears in the 1971 census data, but not in 1980 or 1990. Moreover, perpetrators or instigators of such violent acts sometimes receive very short prison sentences only. One century later the impressive Borobudur temple was built by the Sailendra dynasty in Central Java, while in the 15th century the grand Hindu-Buddhist Majapahit empire ruled a large part of the Archipelago. So… Several Baghdadi Jews also settled. [46] In Ahmadiyya organisation Jamaah Muslim Ahmadiyah Indonesia (JMAI), there are an estimated 400.000 followers, which equates to 0.2% of the total Muslim population,[7] spread over 542 branches across the country; in contrast to independent estimates, the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Indonesia) estimates around 80.000 members. There are various sites on Sumatra and Java where you can find Buddhist remnants from between the 2nd - 15th century. [6] Consequently, atheists in Indonesia experience official discrimination in the context of registration of births and marriages and the issuance of identity cards. However, on most Indonesian islands this chapter in its history has been erased by time or conquest. In 1957, it was reported that around 450 Jews remained, mainly Ashkenazim in Jakarta and Sephardim in Surabaya. [56], Other than Flores, Central Java also have significant numbers of Catholics. In 2010, the Religious Affairs Ministry listed 243,199 mosques throughout Indonesia, around 78 percent of all houses of worship. The Indonesian constitution guarantees all people in Indonesia the freedom of worship, each according to his or her own religion or belief. [2] The Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia has disputed this figure, who estimated as many as 18 million Hindus in the country. In 2016, at a campaign stop during the capital city's gubernatorial election, Ahok stated some citizens would not vote for him because they were being "threatened and deceived" by those using the verse Al-Ma'ida 51 of the Qur'an and variations of it. Baliem Valley Festival. However, the Indonesian government acknowledges it as one of the six state religions. [104], The most famous of the new religious movements in Indonesia are Theosophical Society,[105] Transcendental Meditation movement,[106] Falun Gong,[7] and originated in Indonesia Subud[107] and Eden community (Jamaah Alamulla). Read more about Christianity in Indonesia. [78][79][80], After the Indonesian independence in 1945, Confucianism was affected by several political conflicts. miles). It is often mistranslated into English as "witch-doctor" or "medicine man". Starting from the 16th century Islam became the dominant religion on Sumatra and Java. In-depth columns and analyses of Indonesia's sectors, companies and commodities, Updates on political, economic and social matters, For investment ideas and how to realize them, March 2021 Report: Political, Economic & Social Update Indonesia, Indonesian Rupiah, Stocks & Bonds Under Pressure due to Developments in the USA. [85], The Kejawèn have no certain prophet, a sacred book, nor distinct religious festivals and rituals; it has more to do with each adherent's internalised transcendental vision and beliefs in their relations with others and with the supreme being. [86], The formal Kejawen/Kebatinan movements are Subud, Sumarah, Pangestu, Perjalanan, Amerta, and others. The meeting, attended by ASEAN countries, Australia, East Timor, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea was intended to discuss possible cooperation between different religious groups to minimise inter-religious conflict in Indonesia. Today, most Buddhists are Chinese Indonesians and, to a lesser extent, among the Javanese and Balinese. [50], Protestants form a significant minority in some parts of the country. Religious Holidays in Indonesia. Surabaya (East Java): 2.843 million. Coming from Gujarat, India[19] (some scholars also propose the Arabian and Persian theories[22]), Islam spread through the west coast of Sumatra and then developed to the east in Java. 5/1969 was passed, restoring the official total of six religions. Holidays and Observances in Indonesia in 2021. Parts of Sumatra were also targeted, most notably the Batak people who are predominantly Protestant today. In this way the decree discriminates against non-monotheistic religions including Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Bahaism, Zoroastrianism and hundreds of local religions and spiritual movements in Indonesia. These issues have received international attention as several governments, organizations and media have expressed concern over the ensuring of freedom of religion in Indonesia. Following an attempted coup in 1965 that officially blamed the Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI) and an anti-communist purge, the New Order government attempted to suppress PKI supporters by making it mandatory to have a religion since PKI supporters were mostly atheists. The only exception being the island of Bali. Those who practiced Confucianism therefore "changed" their religion to Buddhism or Christianity (on their identity cards only). Between 1997 and 2004 (during and after the fall of Suharto) a number of areas in Indonesia were attacked by gruesome incidents of violence labeled ‘religious conflict’. The process of Islamization of Indonesia occurred in a series of waves involving international trade, the establishment of various influential Muslim Sultanates, and social movements. Trade played a crucial role in the Islamization process of Indonesia. December 24-27, 2020 – Shared Public Holiday for Christmas and Christmas Day . [7][108], Although there is no specific law that bans atheism, legal cases in which atheists have been charged with blasphemy for publicly expressing atheist points of view have raised the issue of whether it is de facto illegal to do so according to Pancasila. On 15 December 1904, a group of 178 Javanese were baptised at Semagung, Muntilan, district Magelang, Central Java, near the border of Yogyakarta. In this way, Kebatinan moves toward eliminating the distinction between the universal and the local, the communal and the individual. [34] While this period of religious conflict and inter-Sultanate warfare was unfolding, and new power centres were attempting to consolidate regions under their control, European powers arrived. Regarding Indonesia's recent history, one important turning point can be discerned. [48][58] In the present day, Catholic traditions close to Easter days remain, locally known as Semana Santa. It is a religious holiday that commemorates the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven. Largest Cities in Indonesia. Some still exist in some parts of Indonesia as either pure or syncretic. They include: Religious minorities, especially those who face additional societal barriers, are experiencing rising levels of intolerance, communal violence and restrictions on fundamental freedoms in Indonesia. 126 Ahmadis have become refugees within their own country in the four years before 2012. [24] Protestantism was first introduced by the Dutch in the 16th century with Calvinist and Lutheran influences. [23], The Portuguese introduced Catholicism in the 16th century, notably to the island of Flores and to what was to become East Timor. The sultans declared Islam as a state religion and pursued war against each other as well as the Hindus and other non-Muslim infidels. He was also backed up with the history behind the Indonesian version of Buddhism in ancient Javanese texts, and the shape of the Borobudur Temple. The Tamil Indonesians in Medan represents another important concentration of Hindus. [68], According to the 2010 census, Hindus numbered 4 million (1.7% of Indonesians). Statistically, 7% of the total population declared themselves Protestant in a 2010 census. Until the present day most inhabitants of this island (known as 'island of the Gods') practice Balinese Hinduism. [4] There is evidence of Arab Muslim traders entering the Indonesian archipelago as early as the 8th century. It also stipulates that the state shall be based upon the belief in "the one and only God" (a condition which also forms the first principle of the Pancasila, the Indonesian state philosophy introduced by Soekarno in 1945). In 1965, Sukarno issued Presidential Decree No. [15] In the 2018 Indonesian Govermental statistics, 86.7% of Indonesians identified themselves as Muslim (with Sunnis about 99%,[16] Shias about 1%[17] and Ahmadis 0.2%[7]), 7.6% Protestant Christian, 3.12% Catholic Christian, 1.74% Hindu, 0.77% Buddhist, 0.03% Confucianist, 0.04% others. [95], According to the Association of Religion Data Archives in the Bahá'í Faith in Indonesia had 22,115 adherents in 2005. This does, however, not mean that it constitutes a coherent group. [49] Although these two branches are the most common, a multitude of other denominations can be found elsewhere in Indonesia. The community decreased to 50 in 1963 and to 20 in 1997. [38] the orders of Sufism are considered essential. Muslims observe physical distancing during the congregational Friday prayer on June 5, 2020 at Al Azhar Mosque in South Jakarta, … During the VOC era, the number of Roman Catholicism practitioners fell significantly, due to VOC policy of banning the religion.