THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY GUIDANCE, JEANE MARIE TULUNG, STATED THAT ONE OF THE MINISTRY OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS' PRIORITY PROGRAMMES IS THE STRENGTHENING OF RELIGIOUS MODERATION

The Director General opened the Dialogue on Internal Christian Harmony and Religious Moderation Training for Church Synod Leaders in West Java, stating, "The issues that often arise among Christians are not just inter-denominational problems but also internal church or synod conflicts within a single denomination, which are often very difficult to resolve." Additionally, the Director General emphasised that internal Christian activities are not only important but also need to be conducted regularly, as the most frequent issues faced are related to Christian religious affairs, especially among Christians. If harmonious and peaceful coexistence among churches cannot be achieved, how can we live harmoniously and peacefully with other religions? The Director General stressed the importance of getting to know each other and drawing closer, even though we belong to different denominations. Therefore, she declared that it is essential for us to continue campaigning for religious moderation for synods and church leaders. Speaking to 40 synod and church leaders, Jeane stated, "We are grateful that Presidential Regulation No. 58 of 2023 on Strengthening Religious Moderation was enacted on September 23, 2023. In this regulation, the strengthening of religious moderation is not only the task of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, but all ministries and agencies have the same duty and mandate to disseminate this strengthening." The government continues to advocate for strengthening religious moderation due to the numerous challenges faced in its implementation. These challenges include political influences, evolving religious interpretations, extreme attitudes and views, and religious enthusiasm that does not align with the foundational principles of the Republic of Indonesia. The Director General emphasised that religious moderation serves as a means to achieve a harmonious and tolerant religious life for a progressing Indonesia. We all want to live in peace and safety, so religious leaders, in both their work and service and as synod leaders, must be called to strengthen religious moderation.

The Director General stated, "When we are equipped and have an understanding of religious moderation, it is important to incorporate the strengthening of religious moderation into sermons so that the congregation better understands how to live peacefully and harmoniously, both within the religious community and with people of other faiths." She explained that the strength of religious moderation is not just about harmony and tolerance; it extends further to many aspects related to serving others and how we should live in this great house, the nation of Indonesia. ** "Sitou Timou Tumou Tou" means "Human lives to humanise others." ** The same concept applies to religious life: we live to humanise others. The Director General concluded by saying, "As we intensify the strengthening of religious moderation, conflicts and issues will diminish. Hopefully, through this activity, we can all enrich and broaden our perspectives in order to strengthen religious moderation." In addition to the Director General, Harapan Nainggolan, the Head of Christian Community Guidance of the West Java Regional Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, and ASN staff from the West Java Regional Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs were also present.