인도네시아 바탁족 교회문화 이해와 영적 갱신운동

Abstract

Understanding the Culture of the Batak Church in Indonesia and their Spiritual Renewal Movements Lee Jongwoo Baekseok University, Missiology Batak tribe in Indonesia is a large ethnic group with a population of about 9.4 million. During the 19th century they were collectively converted to Christianity, so they have a outstanding place in a predominantly Islamic state. But the Batak Church does not have religious enthusiasm nor evangelistic passion for other tribes. Conversely, the number of church members has been on the decrease by the Islamization strategy of the mainstream society. Therefore, understanding the culture of the Batak Church and seeking ways to overcome it are necessary for the renewal of the Batak Church and mission for other Indonesian tribes. Batak tribe had been Islamized since as early as 16th century, but when they received the gospel from Dutch, German or American missionaries in the early 19th century, their leaders decided to convert their religion to Protestant Christianity. While converting to Christianity, they still adhered to their tradition and inheritance, hence incomplete acceptance of Christian world view. In addition, the pastoral methodology and Theology introduced by the European missionaries, so their theological progressivism caused Batak pastors a considerable lack of ministry mission. This tradition, however, has been changed since the late 20th century by Korean missionaries and their pentecostal revival movement. In this research, the present paper studies the early history of the Batak Church, consults the literature for better understanding of their culture, and introduces interviews with the locals to comprehend the renewal movement.