From Colonial to Educational: Dialogic Imagination of Matthew 28:19-20 and the Story of Apapuhang in Sangihe
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62240/msj.v9i2.160Keywords:
Colonial, Matthew, Mission, Apapuhang, IndonesiaAbstract
This article addresses the issue of how the Christian mission in Indonesia is understood, specifically, the tendency to equate the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) with "Christianization". This perception is linked to a colonial legacy that has shaped biblical interpretation and potentially hinders religious moderation and interfaith peace. The study aims to reinterpret Matthew 28:19-20 from the perspective of the Sangihe people by engaging in a dialogue with the “Apapuhang” folktale. It employs the “dialogic imagination” method developed by Kwok Pui-lan within a postcolonial hermeneutic framework. Cultural analysis is supported by Clifford Geertz’s concept of “thick description” and Raymond Williams’s “structure of feeling” to understand the “Apapuhang” story as an expression of the Sangihe community's collective experience and reflection. The findings reveal that the dialogue between Matthew 28:19-20 and the “Apapuhang” story yields an understanding of the Christian mission oriented toward education, liberation, and community empowerment. In Matthew, the mandate to teach serves as the foundation for an educational approach rooted in love and aimed at human flourishing. Meanwhile, the “Apapuhang” story represents creativity, cooperation, and collective innovation as vital elements of societal development. The convergence of these two narratives demonstrates the relevance of local Sangihe values to theological interpretation and Christian educational practice. The article concludes that the Christian mission can be understood as an educational practice that humanizes, empowers, and supports the building of a shared life. This interpretation opens the way for Christian education to contribute to fostering religious moderation and peace amidst Indonesia’s diversity.
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