Just two weeks after Muslims in West Java Province, Indonesia interrupted a church service and demanded its closure, local officials closed the building.
Morning Star News reports the congregation of the Simalungun Christian Protestant Church in Cigelam, Babakancikao, Purwakerta, located about 60 miles southeast of Jakarta, had refused to bow to demands to stop worship during the March 19 confrontation.
Purwakerta Regent Anne Ratna Mustika sealed the church building along with the local leader of the Indonesia Ulema Council, the heads of the local police and the military, the local religion department chief, and the chairman of the area National and Political Unity, according to video footage.
Authorities said the structure was illegal as it lacked approval and a certificate of proper function – almost impossible to obtain in Indonesia – but the head of Purwakerta GKPS Elders Council, Krisdian Saragih, said the building was closed without due process of law.
“The sealing should be made on the court verdict as proof that the local government is enforcing the law,” Krisdian told Morning Star.
The building was closed a week before Easter and the church’s leaders weren’t notified in advance.
“It was a saddening event for us, all the congregation because it took place right before Easter Holy Week,” he told Morning Star News.
Krisdian and Pastor Julles Purba told the outlet that instead of closing the building, local officials should have given church leaders a list of requirements to receive a building permit. Those requirements include obtaining the approval from surrounding residents.
“The government should tell us what requirements we should fulfill; we are of course willing to deal with the locals around our church,” Krisdian told Morning Star. “We want to be part of the local community. We really want to know what they expect from us.”
The congregation never had any problem with any of the area residents before the worship service was interrupted, according to the outlet.
Anne said the building’s closure was temporary until the church obtains all permits.
“We are grateful that the steps to sealing the building could be taken in the spirit of togetherness to maintain a conducive atmosphere in Purwakarta – all parties involved are being very wise,” she claimed, according to CNN Indonesia.
Anne said she and the local religion department made arrangements with 19 nearby churches to allow the GKPS congregation to use their buildings for worship services, according to Kompas.com.
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The Communion of Indonesia Christian Churches submitted a letter of protest to the Purwakerta regent, according to Morning Star News. The letter said the closure of the church site was an act of discrimination.
“The absence of the church building permit as the reason for the sealing of the church building was an excuse made up by the regent,” the PGI letter said.
The letter also said several churches have submitted applications for building permits in the past 30 years, and permits still have not been issued.
“Some churches in Purwakarta have applied for permits to build houses of worship for decades but obtained no permits,” the letter said. “Churches such as the Indonesian Christian United Church (HKI) and the Batak Karo Protestant Church (GBKP), as well as the New Testament Christian Church too, suffer the same fate.”
The Joint Ministerial Decree of 2006 allows the local government to provide a temporary permit for churches to meet while applications are pending, the letter continued.
Indonesia ranks #33 on Open Doors’ 2023 World Watch List of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.
“Indonesia has taken on a more conservative Islamic character in recent years, which can put pressure on Christians, especially those from Muslim backgrounds,” the report said.
“If a church is seen to be preaching and spreading the gospel, they soon run into opposition from Islamic extremist groups, especially in rural areas,” the Open Doors report noted. “In some regions of Indonesia, non-traditional churches struggle to get permission for church buildings, with the authorities often ignoring their paperwork.”
As CBN News reported in January, despite the persecution of Christians in the country, Pastor Kaleb Manurung said reliable research shows the number of Christians in Indonesia has significantly increased.
“Indonesia is now 20 percent Christian. There can be more, but in their IDs they are still Muslim. There are also the underground churches,” he said.
Indonesia still has more Muslims than any other nation in the world, but Manurung believes that the rise of Christianity will bring a spiritual and societal transformation.
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