Indonesia: Government crackdown forces church to hold Christmas celebrations outside

A church in Indonesia is set to hold its sixth Christmas service outside the State Palace in Jakarta since the government closed its building in 2010.

The Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) Yasmin in Bogor, West Java, will hold an interfaith celebration, and will be joined by human rights organisations, a spokesman told the Jakarta Post.

They hope to inspire other churches and Christian groups to stand up for their right to freedom of religion,

"We want to knock on the doors of other churches so they will self-reflect and realise that they should not surrender just because they are a minority," Bona Sigalingging said.

The church is just one of many to have been closed down as part of a wider crackdown on minority faiths in Indonesia.

A law was implemented nine years ago, supposedly with the aim of promoting religious harmony. However, in practice it requires non-Muslims to obtain 60 signatures from people of a different faith as well as permission from the local authority before they can build a place of worship.

If a church is deemed to have illegitimate building permits, it can be torn down. GKI Yasmin has been embroiled in controversy over its permits since 2008.

The situation for Christians is worse in Aceh province in the north of the country, however.

Around 1,000 churches have been closed in Aceh alone since 2006, and Sharia law is implemented. Imams have reportedly ordered the torching of churches, and Christians have been targeted by mob violence.

Newsletter Stay up to date with Christian Today
related articles
Indonesia begins church demolitions under Islamist pressure
Indonesia begins church demolitions under Islamist pressure

Indonesia begins church demolitions under Islamist pressure

Obama urged to hold Indonesia to account over religious persecution

Obama urged to hold Indonesia to account over religious persecution

1,000 churches closed in Aceh, Indonesia, since 2006
1,000 churches closed in Aceh, Indonesia, since 2006

1,000 churches closed in Aceh, Indonesia, since 2006

Indonesia: Muslim group launches global anti-ISIS campaign

Indonesia: Muslim group launches global anti-ISIS campaign

News
Royal College of Nursing criticised for display of trans flag
Royal College of Nursing criticised for display of trans flag

Typically a flag denotes the ownership of a tribe or group over an area.

Christians call for ceasefire amid DRC's Ebola crisis
Christians call for ceasefire amid DRC's Ebola crisis

So far 131 people have been killed by the outbreak.

Without a culture shift, Christian street preachers will continue to be arrested
Without a culture shift, Christian street preachers will continue to be arrested

Christian street preachers are almost invariably arrested under a section of law that was originally intended to deal with football hooliganism.

Thoughts on Ruth
Thoughts on Ruth

Jewish academic and Hebrew scholar Irene Lancaster reflects on poor judges and famine through the lens of the book of Ruth.