by Mathias Hariyadi

The president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue is in Indonesia, meeting political and Muslim religious leaders. The country is praised as an example of a multicultural society where freedom of worship is guaranteed. Christians can learn from Muslims how to practice their faith and discipline, the cardinal stresses.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) – Indonesia, the most populous Muslim nation in the world, is an example of a multicultural society where inter-faith dialogue is possible, because “being believers” means at the same time having an “interfaith spirit”, said Card Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, who is currently on a visit to the South-East Asian country.

“Creating a bridge for dialogue is not an option, but a necessity,” Cardinal Tauran stressed on several occasions in his meetings with political leaders, including Trade Minister Marie Elk Pangestu, and Catholic leaders like Card Julius Darmaatmadja, archbishop of Jakarta, and coadjutor Mgr Ignatius Suharyo Pr.

The prelate visited Jakarta’s Istiqlal Grand Mosque (Pictured), the largest Muslim place of worship in South-East Asia, which is located right across from the capital’s Catholic cathedral.

Accompanied by Mgr Martinus D. Situmorang, president of the Bishops’ Conference of Indonesia, the cardinal of Jakarta and Mgr Pujasumarta Pr, president of the Bishops’ Commission on Interfaith Dialogue, Cardinal Tauran walked barefoot according to tradition in the most important Islamic sacred place in the country. He was received by Kiai Hajj Syarifuddin Muhammad, imam of the mosque, who said, “Istiqlal is not only a home for Muslims, but for all different religious denominations.”

 The mosque, the imam said, is a symbol of “interfaith dialogue” because it was built by a Christian architect, Frederich Silaban, to celebrate the country’s ‘istiqlal or independence (in Arabic).

Cardinal Tauran thanked the imam for the warm welcome and responded with warm words of his own to the atmosphere of friendship.

“There seems to be no [social] difference between Indonesian Muslims and their fellow Christian countrymen,” he said, adding that Christians could learn a few things from Muslims: strong religious practice and sharp discipline, like early morning prayers.

In a gesture of friendship, Nasarudin Umar, director for Muslim Affairs in the Religious Minister, asked the cardinal to beat the mosque’s drum.

The prelate then met the leaders of Indonesia’s main Muslim organisations, the Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).

He praised Din Syamsuddin, president of Muhammadiyah, for the hospitality and his organisation’s 100 years of activities.

NU leaders, including former President Abdurrahman Wahid AKA Gus Dur), denied claims that an Islamic state was being planned, stressing instead a plan for “cooperation and dialogue” with the Christian world based on friendship. “Interfaith dialogue is not option, but a duty,” said the cardinal in response.

Cardinal Tauran is also set to travel to Yogyakarta (Central Java), Makassar (southern Sulawesi) and Bali, where he will meet the country’s top Hindu leader.

The trip will end tomorrow but before he leaves, the cardinal will make a courtesy visit to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa.

• indonesia
• visit
• cardinal
• jean-paul
• tauran
• inter-faith
• dialogue