Indonesia Christian Church
Encyclopedia
The Indonesian Christian Church (GKI, originally: Gereja Kristen Indonesia) is an Indonesian Christian denomination. GKI was established in continuity with the Indonesian Christian Church in West Java
, Central Java
and East Java
. These three denominations were originally independent, each arising from separate missioniary initiatives conducted by local and foreign missionaries. The first of these denominations to be established, later coming to be known as the Indonesian Christian Church East Java, was incorporated on 22 February 1934. Six years later, and coming to be known as the Indonesian Christian Church West Java, the second denomination was incorporated on 24 March 1940. Finally, on 8 August 1945, the Indonesian Christian Churches Central Java was incorporated. Since 27 March 1962, the three denominations have been united as the Indonesian Christian Church, with the overall governing responsibility maintained by the General Synod (Sinode Am), which aims to co-ordinate united efforts towards common goals.
Both GKI West Java and GKI East Java were originally affiliated with the Dutch Hervormd mission, whereas GKI Central Java was affiliated with the Dutch Gereformeerd mission. Additionally, GKI West Java originally included a number of congregations operating as a distinct presbytery, which was affiliated with local and foreign Chinese Evangelical missions. Despite the differences in liturgy and church government between the various congregations and denominations, all the congregation from the three previous GKIs, without exception, consented to the merger at the time GKI united.
Church government in congregation runs by executive congregation council, in presbytery runs by executive presbytery council, in regional synod runs by executive regional synod council and in synod runs by executive synod council. This kind of organization acknowledged as presbyterial-Synodal system. What was unique as GKI Presbyterial-Synodal, each form of GKI church organization has its own council as servant-leadership, not merely as an executive board.
1.Presbytery of Banyuwangi
2.Presbytery of Bojonegoro
3.Presbytery of Madiun
in West Java
4.Presbytery of Jakarta Barat
5.Presbytery of Jakarta Timur
6.Presbytery of Jakarta Utara
7.Presbytery of Jakarta Selatan
8.Presbytery of Bandung
9.Presbytery of Priangan
10.Presbytery of Cirebon
in Central Java
11.Presbytery of Jakarta I
12.Presbytery of Jakarta II
13.Presbytery of Semarang Barat
14.Presbytery of Semarang Timur
15.Presbytery of Magelang
16.Presbytery of Jogja
17.Presbytery of Solo
18. Presbytery of Purwokerto
, World Communion of Reformed Churches
, and co-founder of Christian Conference of Asia
and Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI).
The uniting of GKI has been positioning GKI as the only church unity in the Indonesian ecumenical family, and one of the eight churches in the Asian and one of the eighteen churches in the global ecumenical family which formed united and uniting churches
.
GKI is undertaking partnership with the Protestant Church in the Netherlands
, the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America
and the Uniting Church in Australia
.
, Calvinism
(both Hervormd and Gereformeerd) and Methodism
, but prominently typified as mainline protestant. GKI is doing theology contextually as a church living in the midst of Muslim community. GKI was deliberately discontinue its ethnic bond (Chinese descendant) as ethnic church to be multi-ethnic national church in 1958.
West Java
West Java , with a population of over 43 million, is the most populous and most densely populated province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, it is slightly smaller in area than densely populated Taiwan, but with nearly double the population...
, Central Java
Central Java
Central Java is a province of Indonesia. The administrative capital is Semarang. It is one of six provinces on the island of Java.This province is the province of high Human Development in Indonesia and its Points Development Index countries is equivalent to Lebanon. The province of Central Java...
and East Java
East Java
East Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and islands to its east and to its north East Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and...
. These three denominations were originally independent, each arising from separate missioniary initiatives conducted by local and foreign missionaries. The first of these denominations to be established, later coming to be known as the Indonesian Christian Church East Java, was incorporated on 22 February 1934. Six years later, and coming to be known as the Indonesian Christian Church West Java, the second denomination was incorporated on 24 March 1940. Finally, on 8 August 1945, the Indonesian Christian Churches Central Java was incorporated. Since 27 March 1962, the three denominations have been united as the Indonesian Christian Church, with the overall governing responsibility maintained by the General Synod (Sinode Am), which aims to co-ordinate united efforts towards common goals.
Both GKI West Java and GKI East Java were originally affiliated with the Dutch Hervormd mission, whereas GKI Central Java was affiliated with the Dutch Gereformeerd mission. Additionally, GKI West Java originally included a number of congregations operating as a distinct presbytery, which was affiliated with local and foreign Chinese Evangelical missions. Despite the differences in liturgy and church government between the various congregations and denominations, all the congregation from the three previous GKIs, without exception, consented to the merger at the time GKI united.
Organization
GKI's organization consists of congregation, presbytery, regional synod and Synod. Each organization respectively leads by congregation council (session), presbytery council, regional synod council and synod council. As the Synod consists of regional synods, regional synod consists of presbyteries, presbytery consists of congregations, so synod council consists of all regional synod councils, regional synod council consists of all prebytery councils and presbytery council consists of all congregational councils. In short synod council consists of all GKI councils which are composed of elders and ministers.Church government in congregation runs by executive congregation council, in presbytery runs by executive presbytery council, in regional synod runs by executive regional synod council and in synod runs by executive synod council. This kind of organization acknowledged as presbyterial-Synodal system. What was unique as GKI Presbyterial-Synodal, each form of GKI church organization has its own council as servant-leadership, not merely as an executive board.
Assembly
The most authoritative forum to make decision in each form of church organization is assembly. The assembly is respective assembly of council in its own scope. The only fact of hierarchi in GKI is the broader scope has more authoritative. The assembly of congregational council has to submit to assembly of presbytery council, assembly of presbytery council has to submit to assembly of regional synod council and assembly of regional synod council has to submit to assembly of synod council.Regional Synods
There are three regional synod in GKI: Regional Synod in East Java, Regional Synod in West Java and Regional Synod in Central Java.Presbyteries
in East Java1.Presbytery of Banyuwangi
2.Presbytery of Bojonegoro
3.Presbytery of Madiun
in West Java
4.Presbytery of Jakarta Barat
5.Presbytery of Jakarta Timur
6.Presbytery of Jakarta Utara
7.Presbytery of Jakarta Selatan
8.Presbytery of Bandung
9.Presbytery of Priangan
10.Presbytery of Cirebon
in Central Java
11.Presbytery of Jakarta I
12.Presbytery of Jakarta II
13.Presbytery of Semarang Barat
14.Presbytery of Semarang Timur
15.Presbytery of Magelang
16.Presbytery of Jogja
17.Presbytery of Solo
18. Presbytery of Purwokerto
Church Functions
Church functions in GKI are minister and elder. GKI deliberately choosing less number of church functions. Since Elder ( Greek: presbuteros) is a function which GKI believed as being permanent function since the OT to the NT. Whereas minister (Greek: episkopos) is an inheritance function from NT church. However there are a few congregation keeping on the deacon function in their fidelity to old Calvinism.Liturgy
GKI Liturgy is adapting and referring to Lima Document and BEM Document of WCC. The Word of God ministered by adapting Lectionary (RCL). GKI holds two sacraments, baptism and communion.Decision Making
Decision making in each meeting and assembly is undertaken with conciliation method which is parallel to consensus method.Ecumenical Commitment
GKI committed to ecumenism by way of become active member of World Council of ChurchesWorld Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
, World Communion of Reformed Churches
World Communion of Reformed Churches
The World Communion of Reformed Churches is an ecumenical Christian body formed in June 2010 by the union of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Reformed Ecumenical Council...
, and co-founder of Christian Conference of Asia
Christian Conference of Asia
The Christian Conference of Asia is a regional ecumenical organisation representing 17 National Councils and 100 denominations in 21 countries:- Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Laos, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan,...
and Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI).
The uniting of GKI has been positioning GKI as the only church unity in the Indonesian ecumenical family, and one of the eight churches in the Asian and one of the eighteen churches in the global ecumenical family which formed united and uniting churches
United and uniting churches
United and uniting churches are churches formed from the merger or other form of union of two or more different Protestant denominations.Perhaps the oldest example of a united church is found in Germany, where the Evangelical Church in Germany is a federation of Lutheran, United and Reformed...
.
GKI is undertaking partnership with the Protestant Church in the Netherlands
Protestant Church in the Netherlands
The Protestant Church in the Netherlands is the largest Protestant Christian denomination in the Netherlands. With 2,000 congregations and a membership of some 1.8 million , it is the second largest church in the Netherlands after the Roman Catholic Church.It was founded 1 May 2004 as a merger of...
, the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America
Presbyterian Church in the United States of America
The Presbyterian Church in the United States of America was a Presbyterian denomination in the United States. It was organized in 1789 under the leadership of John Witherspoon in the wake of the American Revolution and existed until 1958 when it merged with the United Presbyterian Church of North...
and the Uniting Church in Australia
Uniting Church in Australia
The Uniting Church in Australia was formed on 22 June 1977 when many congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, the Presbyterian Church of Australia and the Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basis of Union....
.
Theology
GKI is valuing its theological heritage which originally come from PietismPietism
Pietism was a movement within Lutheranism, lasting from the late 17th century to the mid-18th century and later. It proved to be very influential throughout Protestantism and Anabaptism, inspiring not only Anglican priest John Wesley to begin the Methodist movement, but also Alexander Mack to...
, Calvinism
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
(both Hervormd and Gereformeerd) and Methodism
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
, but prominently typified as mainline protestant. GKI is doing theology contextually as a church living in the midst of Muslim community. GKI was deliberately discontinue its ethnic bond (Chinese descendant) as ethnic church to be multi-ethnic national church in 1958.