Prophetic liturgical imaginaries: Reimagining worship as public witness for religious freedom in Indonesia
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Abstract
Despite Indonesia's constitutional commitment to religious freedom, restrictions on Christian worship continue to occur in several regions, particularly through the closure of churches, opposition to worship in private homes, and interference with religious gatherings. These recurring incidents reveal that worship has become a contested public practice rather than merely an internal ecclesial ritual. While existing studies on public theology and religious freedom have examined legal, political, and sociological dimensions of these challenges, less attention has been given to worship as a form of public witness that embodies justice within a religiously plural society. This article addresses that gap by proposing the concept of Prophetic Liturgical Imaginaries as a constructive theological framework for reimagining worship as both sacred liturgy and prophetic public action. Employing a qualitative constructive theological approach, the study integrates Charles Taylor's theory of social imaginaries with Tércio Bretanha Junker's concept of prophetic liturgy, while engaging contemporary discussions on religious pluralism and public theology. The framework is further illustrated through the experiences of Christian communities facing restrictions on worship in Indonesia, including the continuing challenges encountered by churches such as GKI Yasmin and HKBP Filadelfia and more recent incidents involving the obstruction of Christian worship. The article argues that worship should be understood not only as participation in the life of God but also as a public theological practice that witnesses to justice, human dignity, solidarity, and the constitutional right to religious freedom. By developing the concept of Prophetic Liturgical Imaginaries, this study contributes to contemporary liturgical theology and public theology by offering a constructive framework through which Christian worship can cultivate prophetic consciousness and foster peaceful coexistence in religiously plural societies.
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