Ilustration – Suplied
Semarang, Jubi – The deputy chairman of the Advisory Council of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI MP), Rev. Karel Phil Erari, said that the presence of church is above politics.
He was speaking in response to a statement by the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan that reminded church leaders to not incorporate political ambitions into the church.
“The role of church is not for politics. The Church is an extension of the hand of God and must bring unity upright and intact to his people so that the congregation be a beacon of development anywhere throughout Indonesia,” said Luhut, when opening the 33 Synod Christian Gospel Church in Timor (GMIT), in Tii Langga, East Nusa Tenggara on Sunday (09/20/2015), which quoted from the website indonesia.ucanews.com on Thursday (24/9/2015).
He hoped GMIT to be able to play a unifying role as well as to educate the church congregation.
“I hope the Synod of GMIT should be able to put forward this agenda and GMIT Synod should have color, so that pastors can educate the community and not just preach,” he added.
In response, Rev. Erari said the church is not to be practical politics, but it must be critical of unfair politics.
“The church is above politics. If the government is not fair in its policies, then the church must remind the government. It should be said by the church in Papua, “he said.
Furthermore, Rev. Erari also told the pastors that joined practical politics have one reason, looking for power and money and not to be salt and light in the world.
“You may share it to anyone or any minister in Papua,” he said. (Arnold Belau/ Tina)
