Jesus as The Ultimate Authority in Christian Organization (Based On Gereja Protestan Maluku)
Writen5by: Selvone Christin Pattiserlihun
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Follow Jesus as the one and only savior. Trust in Him order you will live forever, not only on the earth as a human being, but only in heaven after the end of the day. These are statements of some truth Christian. Exactly Christian is the greatest community in the world. The number of Christians as a percentage of the global population is expected to increase over the next few decades, according to a report published by the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. Among the religiously affiliated, Christians had the highest total numbers worldwide at more than 2.54 billion in 2021, followed by Muslims (more than 1.92 billion) and Hindus (more than 1.07 billion). It means that Christian as the biggest religious community in the world. But there are many questions about Christian organizations. Why does religion have to have a religious organization? What does it mean about a Christian organization? How about the Christian organization's authority? How about the leader of the organization? and how about the rules of Christian organization? In this paper, I will write and describe more about one organization in Christianity. The organization is located in Maluku, and it is called Gereja Protestan Maluku (Maluku Protestant Church). It is a part of many more Christian organizations in Indonesia and in the world.
Religion organization is the best way to manage all religious people to manage all of the problems of fellowship. In Indonesia, we have so many religious organizations that depend on all world religions. Christians in Indonesia are the second population. Viva Budy Kusnandar in his research said that based on data from the Directorate General of Population and Civil Registration (Dukcapil) of the Indonesia Ministry of Home Affairs, the total population of Indonesia is 272.23 million in June 2021. Of this population, as many as 236.53 million people (86.88%) are Muslims. This means that the majority of Indonesia's population is Muslim. A total of 20.4 million people (7.49%) of the Indonesian population embrace Christianity, and so forth religion. So, we can say that there is much Christian organization in Indonesia. Indonesian Churches Alliance or Persekutuan Gereja-Gereja Indonesia (PGI) has eighty-nine kinds of Christian organizations (churches). Gereja Protestan Maluku (GPM) is a part of them.
As a religious organization, particularly a Christian organization, GPM has its management. The important element in any organization is its management. Thus it has followers, leaders, rules, and so forth. GPM has its special characteristic in organization management. Even though GPM is a part of Christian churches, its commission in this post-modern era is not like other churches. Every church has a different orientation. But in general, they have to remember what Jesus said before He lifted them into the sky. This is about the great commission in Matthew 28: 19-20 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always to the end of the age". The orientation commission of GPM is not about great commission anymore, but about how to make the followers and all of the leaders in the organization get the profits and useful in real life. But sometimes, it doesn't work. However, we have to know more about the authority of GPM. It helpfully identifies the causes and the problems talked about.
A. Gereja Protestan Maluku as the Christian Organization
GPM or The Maluku Protestant Church is part of the spread of the colonialism mission that occurred during the colonial period in Indonesia, especially in Maluku. Gospel was the main goal of European colonizers. They tried to spread Christianity around the world as part of Jesus' command before being taken up to heaven or the great commission. GPM is the result of this great commission of colonization. The history of GPM proves that GPM has had a long development over a long period to become independent and contribute to the development of the mission of churches in the world. When the Dutch returned in 1817, they immediately began to impose various obligations on the people again, and this contributed to the great uprising in Saparua. Starting from 1835 the islands of Central Maluku were shaken by earthquakes and plagues. Meanwhile, the life of the Moluccans continued according to the pattern that had prevailed during the VOC period. They did not develop their economic activities other than to obtain the necessities of life. The Maluku islands were poor, and many people migrated to become employees or soldiers for the Dutch government. In the political sphere, the Ambonese remained under the guardianship of the Dutch. Everything is arranged from above, and they are forced to accept what is decided about them. (Van Den, 2001:158). According to Van Den, people in Maluku live in the colony so the church as the part of the colonizer pays for education and it is a good way. Because Moluccan Christians considered that the close relationship between church, school, and state had existed during the VOC era was natural.
In approximately 1800, the relationship between the church in Maluku and the church outside the world was cut off for a while. Ecclesiastical life continued under the leadership of the teachers in central Maluku, according to the pattern that had prevailed since the 17th century. In the outer regions, congregations are getting weaker or even disappearing. Starting in 1813, new forces brought a new style of Christianity to Maluku. This new element gradually began to work on the renewal of the churches. The government tried to curb it, but the reforms continued (Vann Den: 168). As one of the churches in Indonesia with Protestant Reformation or Calvinists, GPM was founded in Ambon, Maluku on September 6, 1935. GPM was independent as a form of church independence when it separated from Protestant Church in Indonesia (GPI) and also from Indische Kerk which was a church that was built during the VOC from 1602-to 1800. From the history of GPM, we can conclude that GPM became the Christian Organization because of its relation with the state. Exactly this greatly affects all forms of management in the organization, even the authority currently.
B. GPM Authority
A. J. Berkovitz and Mark Letteney cite the statement from Bruce Lincoln that authority is at the base, thinly veiled violence or at least the implication thereof. Authority is compromised, however, whenever that violence is brought to fruition. “So, for instance, I don’t hit my children because in doing so, my authority would be brought into question. (Berkovitz and Letteney, 2018:1) On the other hand, Corrigan et al define Religious Authority as not an abstract quality. Political reality and a necessity for the survival of human societies, authority is inseparable from the community. To have authority is to have dominion over others’ lives, to shape a community. Authority can evoke adoration, respect, or fear. In Christianity, the authority of Jesus Christ has always been essential to the identity of the community and its message of salvation. (Corrigan et al, 2016:129) Corrigan claimed that Jesus Christ was merely the ultimate authority in Christianity. Even in the development, all lay Christians believe that their leader holds the organization's authority. Jesus as the rule model and primary figure in Christianity claims Himself as the source of all the Christian Authority. Like his disciples said in Matthew 28: 19 "All authority in heaven and on the earth has been given to me". So it means that all of the decisions of the Christian organization merely come from God, particularly Jesus Christ.
GPM as a Christian organization has to be based on the statement that Jesus is the source of the Christian Authority. So, all of the authority has to be based on Jesus's teaching which is written or unwritten in the Bible. In the circumstances, GPM has no idea how to describe its Christian authority clearly. But practically, GPM manages its organization with its idealism. Authority in the GPM comes from the bible and also the experiences of the Christian community development. Thus it will be adapted to the context that exists in the community. But, the authority is by God. Every decision in the community is based on the name Of the Lord Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. But sometimes, the leader and lay followers believe that the leader of the structure of GPM is the authority holder. Because the leader or chairman of the organization is a chosen figure that comes from God. So, like the prophet, he or she deserves to hold the organization's authority and manage all of the organization's system.
C. Structure Organization Of GPM
Every community has its leader and figure to lead their community. The leader holds the authority, but the principle of authority is not the same as having authority. Authority is not an abstract quality. Authority always means power: the ability to command others, lead, speak definitively, make decisions, and effect change. (Corrigan: 115). But it does not mean that somebody will have the authority to manage others over the limit. After we know about the history of GPM and also the Authority of GPM, we are supposed to know about the structure of GPM.
GPM cultivated in civilization means that it has to follow modernity even though it still adheres to traditional principles. So far as an institution, GPM already makes a structure of its organization so the management can be organized and neat. So, the organizational structure is a synod. The highest leadership center is synod and is continued to the classics and handed down to the congregation. The form describing the organization of GPM was shared in several parts. But overall, the synod has the primary authority over the community movement.
The form of the leadership structure of GPM indirectly explains that the pattern of GPM authority is classified based on the work area. Therefore, the Synod will manage all general organizational regulations based on context. The chairman or synod head is the choice of the classical leaders. Classical leaders are believed to be the true delegate of each congregation. The election of the synod chairman is carried out by deliberation and it was regulated in the main church regulations. In the end, the elected Synod chairman was in charge of regulating and stimulating various church regulations. But the main church regulations were set out in the synod conference.
Synod, in this case, the Synod chairman and his apparatus have the right to determine many things. Their rights include the appointment of the leader of a classic who will later lead several congregations in one service area. In addition, the Synod is also responsible for managing the chairman of the church or the head congregations board in each congregation within the scope of GPM's ministry based on their standard and their authority exactly. The point of view from all of the leaders here is they are the servants of God, we call them priests or they must be clerical. In addition, the leaders must be based on Jesus's behaviors. They have the authority to manage their organization but remember the first authority is Jesus Christ. So, that is why, in every regulation and every decision they made, they put Jesus Christ as the Head of the organization. So, it will influence all small part organizations in the GPM. Like the Christian family, Christian student organization, Young people organization that we call Angkatan Muda Gereja Protestan Maluku (AMPGM), and so forth in the scope of GPM ministry.
D. Rules of GPM
Jeremy Mauris in his book “F. D.. Maurice and The Crisis of Christian Authority: Christian Theology In Context" cited Maurice's understanding of the nation as one of the three forms of social life provisionally ordained as part of the spiritual constitution implied that the Christian Church was intrinsically related to national identity and character. (Maruris, 2005: 98) That influenced the idealism of Christian. Currently, Christian churches are known as religious organizations which defend their existence for their position. So that is why they build relationships with the state to strengthen their existence. The relationship between both Christian organizations and the state directly appears in Christian organization regulations.
Many regulations in GPM also put the state importance. More than that, almost all of the regulations are reflected by the state. Even though Indonesia is not Christian stated, but Christian population in Indonesia is more than others after Islam has the biggest population. Christians also want to defend their existence, so it means the regulation has to be coherent with state regulation, even though not at all. The reflection of the state can be shown by the management of the authority. In addition, so many practices of state are also very visible in church practices. For example, many political figures use the church as a place to get power and alliance when they are politicians, and so forth. Unfortunately, the leader of the GPM structure also supports it, because it is so helpful to establish good cooperation with the state.
GPM synod means that the authority of the organization comes from the leaders of the structure. So that the authority will be divided based on the classification of leadership. First, the great assignment of the synod is to establish general regulations that are tailored to the needs without sorting them out in the synod conference. At the synod conference, they will evaluate their regulation for several years. The conference was attended by representatives of each Classic. Furthermore, the rules of the synod will be passed down to the Classics. Second, the Classics has the authority to accept in its entirety or even add other provisions of regulations that are adapted to the conditions of the Classics in the Classics conference which was attended by delegations of several congregations. Third, in the latter, Classics will give the determination of its rules to the congregation, and the congregation will determine all the rules and will choose to accept or even reduce and add the rules in the congregation conference attended by some important people in the congregation. In addition, the conference is the authority to determine the result of regulation. So, people at the conference considered many things and made the best possible decisions. but the most important thing is that the agreed regulations will be ratified in the name of God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
CONCLUSION :
GPM as a Christian organization or institution has its own characteristics in determining the management of its organization. Various matters relating to the organization are required to conform to the rule model of how Jesus behaves. Therefore, the leaders in this organization must be based on the pattern of Jesus. In addition, each regulation is determined based on the common interests of the members of the congregation. GPM is no longer focused on the mission of baptizing people currently, but on how to prosper the people. Many regulations relate to state importance. Even the state sometimes uses this to be advice and GPM lets it go.
The most important thing is that organizational authority is different from religious authority. Thus, GPM authority is a Synod with its leaders, but the full authority must be based on the pattern of the authority of Jesus Christ that has been established in the Bible. Therefore, regardless of the form of organization in GPM, Jesus Christ remains the head of the organization. But basically, GPM must also care about people's lives as a priority because that is the message of Jesus as the source of Christian authority.
REFERENCE :
Corrigan, J., et al. Jes, Christian, Muslim, A Comparative Introduction to Monotheistic Religions. Routledge: New York, 2016.
Berkovitz, A., J., and Letteney Mark, Rethinking Authority in late Antiquity: Authorship, Law, and Transmission in Jewish and Christian Tradition. Routledge: New York, 2018
Morris Jeremy. F. D. Maurice and The Crisis of Christian Authority. Oxford Press: New York, 2005
Dr. Th. van den. Ragi Carita 1, BPK Gunung Mulia: Jakarta, 2001
https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gereja_Protestan_Maluku
https://goodfaithmedia.org/christian-percentage-of-global-population-to-increase/
https://www.sinodegpm.org/halaman/detail/susunan-badan-pekerja
https://siwalimanews.com/sejarah-berdirinya-gereja-protestan-maluku/
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