CONTEXTUAL THEOLOGY AS A WAY TO BUILD TRANSFORMATIVE SOCIAL RELATIONS IN A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY
Keywords:
Contextual Theology, Social Relations, Transformation, Intercultural Dialogue, Multicultural SocietyAbstract
Multicultural societies are characterized by rich ethnic, cultural, and religious diversity, but they are also often fertile ground for conflict, prejudice, and social fragmentation. In this context, contextual theology exists as a reflective approach that seeks to connect the message of faith with the reality of pluralistic society. Contextual theology functions not only as an attempt to understand faith in a particular context, but also as a means of building inclusive and transformative social relations. Through a contextual hermeneutic approach, this study examines how theology can be a moral and spiritual force that encourages the creation of cross-cultural dialogue and humanitarian solidarity in the midst of plurality. This approach affirms that the Christian faith cannot be separated from social responsibility, because the encounter between the gospel and the local context opens up space for social ethical renewal and cross-border solidarity. This study uses a qualitative method with a contextual theological approach associated with social transformation theory. The results of the study show that the application of contextual theology is able to shift the exclusive religious paradigm to inclusive, open up space for interpersonal dialogue, and strengthen awareness of shared responsibility in realizing justice and peace. Contextual theology invites the church and the faithful not only to theology "in context", but also "for context", so that the message of faith becomes a transformative force for common life. In Indonesia's multicultural society, contextual theology has the potential to be a bridge between faith identity and social togetherness, fostering an ethos of peaceful coexistence, fairness, and mutual respect.
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