Hendrik Kraemer's missional thought and practice in approaching the non-Christian in Indonesia

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Hendrik Kraemer’s campaign for mission in Indonesia (1922-1935) was encouraged by John R. Mott’s lecture entitled “A Decisive Hour for the Christian Missions.” Mott delivered the speech after traveling to various Asian countries, including Indonesia, in November 1912 until April 1913. In 1936, after Kraemer ended his mission assignment in Indonesia, the International Missionary Council (represented by John Mott and J. H. Oldham) requested him to write a book of the evangelistic approach to the non-Christian faiths. Therefore, Kraemer wrote the book The Christian Message in A Non-Christian World as an introductory book at the Tambaram
Conference (1938).
This book was hoped to provide a more biblical insight into Christian mission while at the same time providing an alternative to the book written by William Ernest Hocking entitled Re-Thinking Missions. Hocking emphasized the convergence of all religions into a common way of life. In contrast, in his book, Kraemer emphasized biblical realism as sui generis in understanding reality and the evangelistic approach to all faiths. So, this dissertation investigated and has shown how Kraemer applied the principle of evangelistic approach not only to his theology of mission, but also to his mission approach in Indonesia, especially on the nationalist
movement, other faith beliefs, and young Churches.
To the inquiry, this dissertation first sought for the background that influenced and shaped Kraemer’s theological thought. In addition, it situated Kraemer’s mission in Indonesia under the Dutch colonial government which interacted strongly with the Dutch mission at the time. It then explored the time Kraemer was in Indonesia, where the Dutch colonial government was implementing an ‘Ethical Policy’ that was expected to win or soften the hearts of the Indonesian people over the oppression they had done before, such as the Cultuursteelsel system (1830-1870). The reaction of the Indonesian people to the policy was the rise of the nationalism movement and religion as well. Furthermore, this dissertation analyzed Kraemer’s understanding of evangelistic approach in his book The Christian Message in A Non-Christian World together
with the practical approach he laid down in Indonesia.
This dissertation found and have demonstrated that in practical terms Kraemer held to biblical realism, and the same stance led him to emphasize evangelism in his ministry. As a person who strongly emphasized evangelism, Kraemer did not neglect social services and attention to developing political problems. His missionary activities were perceived to have been connected with his commitment to declare the gospel. The same commitment served as the impetus for him to carry out his missionary duties while in Indonesia. Should this study provide an insight for the Church or Christians about the opportunities that remain in evangelism, where Christians have also faded the spirit of evangelism in the midst of the pluralistic wave, we have
accomplished our intended purpose.

Advisor: Jeongmo Yoo, PhD 460 words

목차 (Table of Contents)

• ABSTRACT i
• CONTENTS iii
• TIMELINE OF HISTORICAL EVENTS vii
• INTRODUCTION 1
• Research Topic and the Critical Questions 1
• A Brief Survey of Previous Scholarship 9
• Limitation of Study 16
• Content of the Context 18
• Chapter
• 1. HENDRIK KRAEMER’S PREPARATION TO INDONESIA AND FORMATION THEOLOGICAL THOUGHT 24
• Kraemer’s Vision and Preparation to Indonesia 24
• A Call to Ministry in Indonesia 25
• Insights from Prominent Persons 27
• Understanding Javanese Culture and Islamic Thought 42
• Kraemer and Barthian Theology 44
• Kraemer Moves Beyond Barth 45
• The Differences of Barth and Kraemer in Understanding Revelation and Religion 47
• Kraemer’s Criticism on Barth 52
• The Influence of Barth on Kraemer 54
• The Decisive Thoughts of Kraemer in The Christian Message 56
• Biblical Realism 57
• Christocentrism 62
• Ecclesiocentrism 67
• Evangelism 68
• Summary 70
• 2. HENDRIK KRAEMER’S MINISTRY SETTING: ETHICAL POLICY AND ETHICAL THEOLOGY 73
• Ethical Theologians’ Voices 76
• Voicing the Nation’s Injustice 78
• Presenting God’s Mission 81
• Impact of Ethical Policy to the Dutch Mission 85
• Pseudo Support of Colonial Government 85
• Dealing with Anti-Westernization 96
• Kraemer’s Attitude to Ethical Policy 105
• Influence of Liberal and Christian Ethical Policy 105
• Desiring to Reinterpret the Christian Contribution 107
• 3. HENDRIK KRAEMER IN APPROACHING NATIONALIST MOVEMENT 112
• Biblical Realism Regarding Nationalism 112
• Christian Social Ethic 112
• The Freedom and Realism of the Christian Ethic 114
• Observation and Analysis on Nationalist Movement 115
• Religious Liberty in the Rising Tide of Nationalism 116
• Nationalist Movement in Indonesia 117
• Kraemer’s Role on Indonesian Nationalist Movement 124
• Prophetic Voice 124
• Supporting Nationalist Movement 126
• Increase Missionary Knowledge about Nationalism 130
• Biased and Incomplete Understanding? 131
• 4. HENDRIK KRAEMER ON BIBLICAL REALISM IN APPROACHING OTHER FAITH TRADITIONS 134
• The Key Elements on Seeing Other Faith Traditions 134
• The Presence of Divine Revelation in Religion 135
• Discontinuity and The Exclusivity of Salvation in Christ 143
• The Role of Mission 145
• The Praxes Approach to Other Faith Traditions: Evangelistic Approach 150
• New Foundation for Evangelism 152
• ‘Adaptation’ and Its Implication 158
• Service 163
• An Approach to Javanese People 165
• Critical Analysis Based on Reasoning 166
• The Negative Response to Kraemer 170
• Summary 172
• 5. HENDRIK KRAEMER IN APPROACHING YOUNG CHURCHES 175
• The Nature of the Church 175
• The Uniqueness of Church 177
• The Crisis of the Church 178
• Independence of Indigenous Churches 179
• Adaptations and Its Problems 180
• Autonomy and Indigenization of Christianity 181
• Kraemer’s Role in Realizing Independent Churches in Indonesia 184
• Empowering the Churches to Independent 185
• Supporting the Churches Need 192
• Accentuation on Spirituality and Indigenization 199
• Summary 201
• CONCLUSION 203
• BIBLIOGRAPHY 208