The Future Of The Christian University In Indonesia

HENK DeWAARD, Trowel and Sword, October 1975

Preamble: While Christian Schools have flourished in recent years due in a large part to the efforts of Reformed Churches and their members, the establishment of Christian universities has been much more difficult to achieve. No doubt there are many factors at play preventing this from happening. It begs the question, Why does it appear to be much easier in Indonesia? We make no attempt to provide answers but we leave the reader to draw their own conclusions. However the establishment and flourishing of Christian Universities in Indonesia does give us food for thought.

The Future Of The Christian University In Indonesia.

Many people who visit us in Salatiga are surprised at the number of Christian schools here. In Australia it takes us years to get a primary school going, but when we come to the mission field we find not only Christian primary schools, but also high schools, a teacher training college and even a Christian university. Christian high schools are still largely a dream in Australia and a Christian university is still a very long way off.

Perhaps this contrast bears out the significant role played by missions and churches in the field of education.  As a matter of fact the Christian Church in Asia and Africa has played a pioneering role in the establishment and development of educational institutions. In some countries the Christian Church still plays a dominant part in the education of the people.  In other words, christian education in many countries is one of the legacies of past missionary efforts. On the whole it is a legacy for which the national churches are grateful.

After the second world war, however, when many African and Asian nations became independent the “young” churches within these nations developed their own efforts in the sphere of education.  One such initiative is the Christian University, Satya Wacana, in Salatiga, where I have been privileged to work for the past five years.  However, first some general remarks on higher education in Indonesia.

RAPID DEVELOPMENT.

In 1960 there were approximately 810 million young people under the age of twenty in Asia (Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific had only 7 million). That was 15 years ago. I do not know the present figures, but at least the above figure indicates dramatically the immensity of the task facing Asian countries in providing educational facilities for their young people. Indonesia has a large share of these millions of young people, so that you often wonder what is going to happen to all of them.

When Indonesia became independent, there was one university; twelve years later there were already 21 state universities and at present there are many more institutions of tertiary education. Two dominant motives for the establishment of universities were the desire to be on an equal level with Western nations and the desire for rapid socio-economic development. In the 1960’s, higher education developed at a rapid pace, both quantitively and qualitatively. Indonesian became the sole language of instruction, while curriculum, organization and teaching methods, which had been based on the Dutch pattern, were modified and changed.

Although much has been achieved, we often hear it said that the standard of education is lower than in Western countries. How could it be otherwise? The teacher-student ratio is increasingly unfavourable because of the fast-growing population. The large number of students leads to a lowering of the academic standard. On the other hand it is financially imperative to enrol a large number of students. This is very often the dilemma facing universities.  Moreover, many lecturers have more than one job in order to increase their salary. Add to this the fact that there is a real shortage of scientific literature in the national language and one can appreciate how difficult it is to improve educational standards. Perhaps the difference in cultural background also adds to the problem. Many students come from a rural background and are not used to the emphasis on rational and scientific methods as found in the university. For many students, the university is a place to gather knowledge, pass examinations, get a degree and after that a good position.

The university is too little regarded as a place where values are sought and examined and a world-view developed and where a person through research, accumulation of knowledge and communication undergoes change leading to maturity. I might add here that this criticism is equally valid for western universities!

A second problem facing-the Indonesian university is the so-called “brain-drain”, which is a problem facing every developing country. Not only is there the move of highly qualified people to Western countries, but also within the country qualified people are attracted to foreign or joint-venture companies, where salaries are much higher so that universities’ are just not able to compete.

THE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY ….

Since 1953 many private universities have been established. The motives for the establishment of these universities (Islamic, Roman Catholic and Protestant) were partly religious and partly political. These private universities became so numerous that the government had to make a number of regulations in order to control the situation. Recognised institutions are given a subsidy by the government, but this subsidy is generally still rather insignificant. Each faculty of a private university (a university must have at least 3 faculties) is classified either as registered, recognised or equivalent to the state university.

In order to appreciate the significant role a Christian university could play within the Indonesian context, we ought to mention a few characteristics of present-day Indonesian society:

1. There are opposing ideologies in the political sphere, namely the state ideology (Pancasila), Islam (which cannot separate religion and politics) and communism (which received a devastating blow in 1965 but seems to be showing signs of renewed activity).
2. Many people are moving from the villages to the already overcrowded cities in the  hope of a better life.  Disappointed with the reality of city life, these people drift into a state of demoralisation and lose their sense of direction because of the different set of values which apply in the city.  Life in the city is much more egotistic and materialistic than in the traditional village situation.
3. The economy, especially in Java, can hardly cope with the population pressure.  The population of Indonesia increases at the rate of 2.8 million per year.
4. In the rapidly changing situation, cultural values are in danger of being lost, and as a result, many people feel confused and threatened: We hear a lot about identity crisis and the erosion of identity.

In the midst of the process of modernisation, which Christians accept as a positive need, the Christian university is in a position to make a real contribution and to help give direction to a rapidly changing society.

The Christian university, “Satya Wacana”, (Faithful to the Word), in Salatiga, like other Christian universities, seeks to fulfil a real purpose in Indonesian society.  One of its main aims is to form leaders, who as responsible and dedicated thinkers and pioneers will take their place in church and society.  The aim is to develop the whole man in obedience to the Word of God, which calls man to unity, witness and service.  From the Bible emerges a unique approach to the relationship of man with God, his neigh­bour and the world around him.  The Christian university can therefore deal with many of the central issues in relation to culture and society, as it carries out its scientific and educational task.  Moreover, from its acceptance of the Bible as the Word of God the university can deal with the purpose and nature of the historical and social sciences in the light of the Biblical revelation.  Christian education will then become a call to see the whole of human life in the light of the coming Kingdom of God and personalities and consciences will need to be formed in accordance with the demands of that Kingdom.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY ….

The churches in Indonesia very much need the Christian university. They depend on it for the training of their young leaders and teachers. Many of the graduates of the university become Christian high school teachers or work in church-related projects of a socio-economic or agricultural nature. The impact of the university is a far-reaching one.

The Christian university also has a definite ecumenical function. Students come from every part of Indonesia. Each student comes with his own ethnic, cultural and church background. While at the university students and teachers of widely-varying backgrounds associate with each other, learn from each other and so foster an ecumenical and national consciousness. Satya Wacana is often referred to as Mini-Indonesia, because it represents a cross-section of Indonesian society.

The importance of the Christian university, however, goes beyond the interests of the church. The Christian university seeks to serve society as a whole by preparing leaders and by creatively – but also critically – taking part in national development.  In a rapidly changing society, the Christian university bears witness to a radical change brought about and required by the Christian faith.

One of the contributions of the Christian university is in the field of the humanities.  In most developing countries, the primary aim is national development with a corresponding increase in the Gross National Product.  In order to achieve this legitimate aim the main emphasis is on the training of qualified men and women, especially in the technical sphere.  In this process of modernisation, there is always the danger that religious and cultural values are neglected or regarded as irrelevant.  It must be admitted that the Indonesian government from the very start has emphasised the importance of religious values.  So much so that Indonesia may be called a religious state, based on the acknowledgment of Divine Omnipotence.  Nevertheless, the Christian university needs to give a Christian content to this abstract religious concept and relate it to man as the creation of God and the dignity of human work. The Christian university strives to open the eyes of the community to the reality of social and economic injustices which are so evident in Asia.  The Christian university and community addresses itself to human beings and values, because God in Christ revealed Himself to man in order to serve, heal and unite.

That the role of the Christian university is accepted and valued by the community is evident from the fact that the government has sought the assistance of Satya Wacana in research projects and in defining matters of national importance.  In this way the university may involve itself in the affairs of the nation and so function as the light .and salt of the earth, unobtrusively but unmistakably present.

THE FUTURE OF THE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY ….

There can be no doubt that the Christian university of Salatiga has justified its existence.

When in 1969 the churches of Europe made a survey of Christian tertiary education in Indonesia, it was recommended that only a few of the better and promising universities should be supported financially.  The ones chosen at that stage were the Indonesian Christian University (Jakarta), Satya Wacana (Salatiga), Nommenson University (Sumatra) and Bethesda University (Sulawesi – at that stage this uni­versity was no more than a dream).  It was considered that by concentrating resources of money and man-power in a few strategic places, the cause of Christian higher education would be better served.

The main question in thinking about the future of the Christian university is whether a clear, Christian aim and purpose can be formulated and maintained, without sacrificing intellectual achieve­ment.  So often, Christian institutions which have had a wonderful beginning turn out after a few generations (or less!) to be Christian in name only, without contributing anything specifically Christian in the different branches of science and knowledge.  We live in a day when at all levels and institutions, aims and objectives are being re-examined.  This re-examination does not take place in a vacuum but occurs within the framework of developments in education and international theology.  Change is inevitable; but let us pray that in the midst of constant change there may be a clear witness to Christ, who is the same yesterday, today and forever.

The churches regard the Christian university as their property, yet financially they contribute little to the cost of this venture, so that to a large extent the Christian university has to be supported from abroad.  Sincere efforts are being made to change this state of affairs, so that the university will really have its roots in the Indonesian Christian community.

One can only admire the courage and vision of those men who were responsible for the establishment of a Christian university and for those who are now called to consolidate the place of the Christian university within a rapidly changing society.  Humanly speaking the future of the Christian university seems reasonably assured.  But there is no room for complacency.  Much hard work and humble prayer is needed.  And above all there needs to be a compassion for the multitudes of young people who gather much knowledge, but have no centre around which to organise their thinking and knowledge.

That CENTRE is Christ, “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col. 2:3).

Nearly Fifty Years Later: We approached Henk about the possibility of a follow-up to his original article. The following contains some of Henk’s insights into the further development of Christian universities in Indonesia and how it compares with the situation in Australia and the western world in general.

Development of Christian Universities in Indonesia

Henk DeWaard, February 2024.

In 1975 (almost 50 years ago!) I wrote an article on the future of  Christian Universities in Indonesia. At the time the development of Christian Universities was in its early stages.  As a matter of fact the national education system was still being developed, particularly after 1960.

Since 1980 I have not kept up in detail with developments in Indonesian Christian Universities and hence cannot give precise information as to developments since 1975. All I can do is make a few general observations, without going over the article again.

One of the legacies of the Reformed mission movement worldwide was the establishment of many Christian Schools, both primary and secondary. Already during the colonial period such schools were established. In the Province of Central Java, where I was involved ministry (sic), there were hundreds of Christian schools.  The Christian Church has played (and still plays) a dominant part in the education of the Indonesian population. On the whole it is a legacy for which the national churches are grateful.

The establishment of Christian Universities was very much an initiative of the national church, no doubt encouraged and supported by Reformed Churches in Europe and the United States. The `Satya Wacana’ University in Salatiga was pioneered in the 1950’s by  a local Christian leader who had close contacts with the church in The Netherlands and the Free University in Amsterdam. Hence, Satya Wacana University was based on the Free University model and the philosophy of Dooyeweerd. (Some of our readers may still remember!).

The Lutheran Nommenson University in Sumatra was similarly established with  German background and support.

There are many more examples of Christian Universities being established since 1975. And all this is happening in a society where 85% of the population identifies as Muslim. There is significant freedom for Christians to carry out their mission both in education and mission.

In earlier days it was often said that the standard of education in these Indonesian Christian universities was inadequate. That may have been true, due to teacher student ratio, lack of resources, little scientific literature in the national language and no doubt other reasons. However, in that regard there has been much improvement. Many lecturers have had the opportunity to acquire higher degrees in overseas institutions and with their Ph.D’s have lifted the standard of education. The availability of text books in the national language has also improved markedly.

     The national government monitors the progress of each university  through its Department of Education agencies, thus ensuring that a good standard is maintained. Universities are classed as registered, recognised, accredited or equivalent to the state university, which means it is self- accredited. (Terms used today may be a little different.)

While the national government monitors the standard of education, I have not heard that the government has any input into or prescribes course content, thus granting the university sufficient freedom to maintain its identity.

Are the universities (including Christian universities) following the pattern of western universities? 

I dare say many of us have concerns about the future of our universities where the emphasis on acquiring knowledge and an ability to reason logically and consistently are being threatened by other values. Some of these values are: equality, diversity, inclusion, gender neutrality and `feeling safe’. These values are instilled via seminars both for teachers and students to make sure everyone is on the same page. Opposition to these values is not welcome! I can imagine that these values will impact the way courses are delivered and also the outcomes for students whose `feelings and demands for safety’ have to be acknowledged.

While these values are not yet as obvious in Indonesia, given that we live in a global community, there are signs of agitation among a small but growing number of students. However, in a strongly Islamic society  there will be significant resistance to `woke’ values as they relate to sexuality, gender and inclusion.

Maintaining faithfulness to the Word.

The aim of Christian Universities in general terms is to develop the whole person in obedience to the Word of God, which calls human beings to witness and service. 

It is interesting to see this aim highlighted by the number of universities that have `WACANA’ ( Sanscrit for `Word’) in their name.

This main aim obviously still stands but may also be challenged as Reformed theology is not perhaps as distinct as it used to be. From theological faculties in similar universities I sense an increasing emphasis on issues such as the environment, feminism, domestic violence, indigenous cultures. Not that these are necessarily wrong, but they have the potential to damage the church’s witness when cultural issues take precedence over the Gospel message focussed in Christ. We have seen too many examples of Christian institutions with a  sound Christian, Reformed basis whose foundations have been undermined  for the sake prestige and societal acceptance. 

In any case, the presence of so many Christian Universities in Indonesia has proved to be a great blessing to the church and nation. May it continue to be so.

Henk DeWaard   February, 2024