Interview with Rev. Albertus Patty
By Nathanael Sutanto and Leo Rusli

Note: the opinions reflected in this interview are solely of the interviewee’s and do not necessarily represent FICA Cross Point’s

Cross Point (CP): Can you please kindly introduce yourself and share with us your current activities?

Albertus Patty (AP): My name is Reverend Albertus Patty, a pastor at GKI Maulana Yusuf. I am involved heavily in inter-religion relationship.

CP: In your opinion, what are some of the urgent issues (urgencies) that Indonesia is currently facing?

AP: Indonesia is built upon the foundation of one country that strives for justice and peace for her people. Indonesia was formed because her people wanted to free themselves from the tyranny of Dutch colony. We are always against imperialism, against suppression. That is the essence of our existence. And we are currently still trying to win over all forms of suppression and injustice.

CP: Could you please share with us some of the realities that clashed with your ideals in sharpening your vision or altering the course of your ministry plans?

AP: I witnessed many negative realities. When I look at attacks towards Chinese Indonesians that happened throughout Indonesian history, for example in Solo, Jakarta - the incidence of May 1998, conflicts between Christians and Moslems in Ambon, Poso, and so on, I saw the needs for a better relationship between ethnics, races, religions, and culture. I saw the needs for spirits of love onto others, who are different from us. That is why I choose to keep fighting for this cause.

CP: Is there any challenges that are different from your original expectations?

AP: I think it is hard to choose which challenges are bigger or smaller. Sometimes I meet people, who don’t understand my vision. My vision of pluralistic society is to realize a situation, where people can live peacefully among one another. However, some people misunderstand my vision and think that I am trying to mix religions, pursue syncretistic, or even compromise my belief in Christianity. However, that was never my intention. Actually I am doing this in my loyalty for Jesus Christ. I feel sad when people misunderstand what I believe in. Truthfully, in many cases, these challenges forced me to be creative in my ministry.

CP: Do you ever face any surprises that shape your ministry principles to be more effective?

AP: There is. For an example, I used to be denied opportunities to preach in many churches because those churches think that I was compromising my faith by conducting dialogues with Moslem friends, etc. However, I can see now that people are more receptive. In fact I have been preaching for several times with a topic of pluralistic society. This year, I will be leading training for reverends, kyais, and pastors in East Java, Ujung Pandang, as well as Bali. These conferences prove that my fight for years, starting in 1986 until today, is not futile. Now I see that people are more open to this idea, and long for loving each other. I thought to myself, people actually have this desire all this time, but they just don’t know how to express them or being influenced by prejudice.

CP: What is the biggest influence in pursuing your vision?

AP: This is actually a relatively new ministry for most churches. Many people wonder why I am speaking of something that is different from other pastors. This seems like going against the current. That is why there is only minimal support in spiritual, moral, or funding for my activities. Nevertheless, I don’t want to lose heart. I thought to myself that as long as I can help ensure a better future for my children, I am satisfied. As long as my children can live peacefully, safely with anyone, I will keep fighting for this cause.

CP: Do you have any partners in running your programs, because it seems that to be successful, you not only needs grassroots engagement but also international center of academic excellence that will support research, maybe in publishing papers, and guiding friends from different groups to shape the culture?

AP: Currently the helps that I have only come from Moslem friends that have the same vision. There are probably one or two Christian friends that support me, for example Reverend Davidi from GKI. My Moslem friends are the ones, who work voluntarily to help me create a peaceful, democratic, and justice Indonesia.

There are several friends from Budhism, Hinduism, but they are not as active as my Moslem friends, especially those from Jaringan Islam Liberal, Wahid Institute, Madiya (Masyarakat Dialog Antar Agama), Jaka Tarub (Jaringan Kerja Antar Umat Beragama) that are usually UIN students that treat me as their big brother. They help me happily without being paid. They have become an important partner for me in realizing this vision.

CP: What are some of the dichotomies that you face in applying contextual theology in Indonesia?

AP: Dichotomies such as ones between Christians and non-Christians, Chinese versus natives, church A versus church B, denomination A versus denomination B, liberal versus evangelical, those are some of the dichotomies that divide us. Those are only labels that people made. If we could treat those differences as something that enrich us, we will learn a lot from each other and grow.

CP: Why contextual theology still has not existed in Indonesia?

AP: Because people don’t understand Indonesian context, it is that simple. It seems that Christians do not know that there are 120 millions of Indonesians that are in hunger, in suppression. It seems that as if people don’t know there are conflicts between religions in Indonesia. It seems that people don’t want to know that there are clashes between ethnics in Indonesia. Theology should have been able to offer answers to those issues. If Theology is to be contextual, it should have answered this struggle. If Theology can’t answer this struggle, than this Theology will never be contextual.

CP: What are the steps that you think we need to take, living in the 21st century to be able to realize Contextual Theology in Indonesia, where the majority of people are still conservative and hold firmly the traditions, norms, values, and beliefs that may contradict with Biblical doctrines?

AP: I saw that people, who hold doctrines firmly, are usually inflexible, disrespectful of other values and might even turn to fundamentalism. This actually also happens to Moslems. However, Christians who are able to appreciate other cultures will tend to be more humble and embrace Christianity that is rooted in this very own country. I think what we need to do is to have a Christianity that firstly have a total loyalty to Jesus Christ but also respect other cultures. Only then, can we distinguish which ones we ought to adopt and which ones we should reject. But we have to start by respecting other beliefs and not by claiming that they are wrong.

CP: could you please share with me what are some of the steps that you are taking to realize your vision and mission in the next five years?

AP: For me, my vision is only one that is to help churches and other people from different religions in Indonesia to be able to work together, to cooperate in tackling poverty, injustice, and to create a more democratic country. This means that other people can see us as their brothers, regardless of our race, ethnic, or religion. Differences in doctrines should not become a real conflict.

CP: Do you have any experience working with or mentoring younger people, maybe with overseas educational background?

AP: I often disciple and train younger people, including those who graduated from abroad. Actually since those, who graduated from overseas have experienced the actualization of such environment, they are more open and supportive towards this idea.

CP: What are some of the tips that you can give us before going back to Indonesia?

AP: Read as much as possible to increase your knowledge, but also learn to be humble and to see that any differences in religion, race, church, etc., is a treasure that we can use to build our humanity.

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