The Role of the Church Institution in Responding the COVID-19 Pandemic (Case Study: Jemaat Rehoboth, GPM)

Eduardo Erlangga Drestanta; Elrianton Muskita; I Dewa Made Frendika Septanaya; Placidus Kristadi Stefanugroho

doi:10.12962/j2716179X.v17i1.13109

The Role of the Church Institution in Responding the COVID-19 Pandemic (Case Study: Jemaat Rehoboth, GPM)

Eduardo Erlangga Drestanta, Elrianton Muskita, I Dewa Made Frendika Septanaya, Placidus Kristadi Stefanugroho

Abstract

Throughout the pandemic, the church is one of the numerous religious institutions that is perceived as crucial and has a close connection in the control of COVID-19 in Ambon, Maluku. This research highlights the roles of and the strategies constructed by Gereja Protestan Maluku (GPM) as well as religious leaders who have the capability to transform social condition of the community related to the management of COVID-19. GPM, being a religious institution, is faced with the self-reactualisation of principles which are continuously renewed with regards to responding to the complex issues of COVID-19, such as the return to familial and household theological beliefs as well as adat traditions (mata rumah and piring natsar). Through a descriptive-qualitative approach, this research finds that the church institution is perceived as an essential and strategic part in terms of Maluku’s social structure to reduce the transmission and impact of COVID-19 by performing “divine” interventions in line with medical interventions within nonpharmaceutical and pharmaceutical contexts. Thus, the church institution could take a more active part as a strategic partner and therefore managing the issues caused by the pandemic can be run smoothly and effectively in Maluku.

Keywords

Adat Tradition; Church Institution; COVID-19; Gereja Protestan Maluku (GPM)-Rehoboth Ambon; Role

Full Text:

PDF

References

World Health Organization, “COVID-19 weekly epidemiological update.” Emergency Situational Updates, Vol. 1, No. 56 (2021, Sept.) 1-19

Keputusan Walikota Ambon Nomor 173 Tahun 2020 Penetapan Status Tanggap Darurat Bencana Non Alam Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) di Kota Ambon. Ambon (2020).

Pew Research Center, The Global God Divide. Pew Research Center (2020).

Pew Research Center. The Age Gap in Religion Around the World. Pew Research Center (2018).

J. S. Bentzen, “Why Are Some Societies More Religious Than Others?” in J-P. Carvalho, S. Iyer, and J. Rubin, Advances in the Economics of Religion. London: Palgrave Macmillan Cham (2019). 3-14.

E. Diener, L. Tay, and D. G. Myers, “The religion paradox: if religion makes people happy, why are so many dropping out?” J Pers Soc Psychol, Vol. 101, No. 6 (2011, Dec.) 1278–1290.

C. Hirschman, “Ethnic Diversity and Social Change in Southeast Asia” in R. A. Morse, Southeast Asian Studies: Options for the Future. Washington D.C.: Wilson Center (1984). 106-122.

R. F. Berliana, R. Rusnaini, and T. Triyanto, “Multi-ethnic and multi-religious involvement of Indonesian-Chinese Muslims society in habituating the Indonesian nation character” BIRCI-Jour, Vol. 4, No. 3 (2021, Aug.) 5155-5165.

M. Lee, H. Lim, M. S. Xavier, and E-Y. Lee, ““A divine infection”: a systematic review on the roles of religious communities during the early stage of COVID-19” J Relig Health, Vol. 61 (2022, Feb.) 866-919.

M. M. Tan, A. F. Musa, and T. T. Su, “The role of religion in mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic: the Malaysian multi-faith perspectives” Health Promot Int, Vol. 37, No. 1 (2022, Feb.) 1-13.

M. S. D. Wijesinghe, V. S. Ariyaratne, B. M. I. Gunawardana, R. M. N. U. Rajapaksha, W. M. P. C. Weerasinghe, P. Gomez, S. Chandraratna, T. Suveendran, and R. P. P. Karunaperma, “Role of religious leaders in COVID-19 prevention: a community-level prevention model in Sri Lanka” J Relig Health, Vol. 61, No. 1 (2022, Feb.) 687-702.

G. A. A. C. de Arruda, D. M. de Freitas, C. M. S. Lima, K. Nawratek, and B. M. Patar, Conflicting narratives of Covid-19 in Brazil: How religion influences spatial behaviours in Belo Horizonte. Available from https://ari.nus.edu.sg/20331-56/ (2020, Oct.).

M. Muchammadun, S. H. Rachmad, D. Handiyatmo, A. Tantriana, E. Rumanitha, and Z. Amrulloh, “Peran tokoh agama dalam menangani penyebaran COVID-19” Religious: Jurnal Studi Agama-Agama dan Lintas Budaya, Vol. 5, No. 1 (2021) 87-96.

O. D. Prasetyaningrum, “Peran tokoh agama dalam pecegahan penularan COVID-19” Jurnal Kesehatan, Vol. 9, No. 1 (2021) 64-69.

A. Sukamto, and S. P. Parulian, “Religious community responses to the public policy of the Indonesian government related to the COVID-19 pandemic.” J. Law Relig. State, Vol. 8, No. 2-3 (2020, Dec.) 273-283.

M Regus, “Regulating religion in a time of COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia: Context, dynamics, and implication.” Int J Sociol Soc Policy, Vol. 42, No. 3/4 (2022, Apr.) 313-331.

A. I. Laturette, B. Latupono, and R. J. Akyuwen, “The role of customary institutions in deciding the distribution of COVID-19 to the Lehitu indigenous people of Maluku Regency” J. Leg. Ethical Regul. Issues, Vol. 24, No. 1 (2021, May) 1-10.

E. Muskita, and S. G. C. Gasperz, Mozaik Geliat Umat di Masa Pandemi: Pengalaman dan Refleksi GPM Klasis Pulau Ambon. Papua: Aseni (2021).

World Health Organization, Practical considerations and recommendations for religious leaders and faith-based communities in the context of COVID-19: Interim guidance. Available from https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/practical-considerations-and-recommendations-for-religious-leaders-and-faith-based-communities-in-the-context-of-covid-19 (2020, Apr.).

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Guidelines for Non-pharmaceutical Interventions to Reduce the Impact of COVID-19 in the EU/EEA and the UK. Stockholm: ECDC (2020).

United States Agency for International Development, Leadership During a Pandemic: What Your Municipality Can Do. USAID (2011).

Y. Liu, C. Morgenstern, J. Kelly, R. Lowe, CMMID COVID-19 Working Group, and M. Jit, “The impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions on SARS-CoV-2 transmission across 130 countries and territories” BMC Medicine, Vol. 19, No. 40 (2021, Feb.) 1-18.

N. Imai, K. A. M. Gaythorpe, S. Abbott, S. Bhatia, S. van Elsland, K. Prem, Y. Liu, and N. M. Ferguson, “Adoption and impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions for COVID-19.” Wellcome Open Res. Vol. 5, No. 59 (2020, Apr.) 1-18.

M. M. Alvi, S. Sivasankaran, and M. Singh, “Pharmacological and non-pharmacological efforts at prevention, mitigation, and treatment for COVID-19.” J Drug Target, Vol. 28, No. 7-8 (2020, Jul.) 742-754.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nonpharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs). Available from https://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/index.html (2020, Apr.).

World Health Organization Writing Group, D. Bell, A. Nicoll, K. Fukuda, P. Horby, A. Monto, F. Hayden, C. Wylks, L. Sanders, and J. van Tam, “Nonpharmaceutical interventions for pandemic influenza, national and community measures.” Emerg Infect Dis., Vol. 12, No.1 (2006, Jan.) 88-94.

D. F. Patiño-Lugo, M. Vélez, P. V. Salazar, C. Y. Vera-Giraldo, V. Vélez, I. C. Marín, P. A. Ramírez, S. P. Quintero, E. C. Martínez, D. A. P. Higuita, and G. Henandez, “Non-pharmaceutical interventions for containment, mitigation and suppression of COVID-19 infection.” Colomb Méd (Cali), Vol. 51, No. 2 (2020, Jun.) 1-12.

H. Ritchie, E. Mathieu, L. Rodés-Guirao, C. Appel, C. Giattino, E. Ortiz-Ospina, J. Hasell, B. Macdonald, D. Beltekian, and M. Roser, Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19). Available from https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus (2021, Sept.).

J. M. Brauner, S. Mindermann, M. Sharma, D. Johnston, J. Salvatier, T. Gavenčiak, A. B. Stephenson, G. Leech, G. Altman, V. Mikulik, A. J. Norman, J. T. Monrad, T. Besiroglu, H. Ge, M. A. Hartwick, Y. W. Teh, L. Chindelevitch, Y. Gal, and J. Kulveit, “Inferring the effectiveness of government interventions against COVID-19.” Science, Vol. 371, No. 6531 (2021, Feb.) 1-9.

R. Ellen, “Pragmatism, identity, and the state: How the Nuaulu of Seram have reinvented their beliefs and practices as “religion”.” Wacana, Vol. 15, No. 2 (2014) 254-285

J. S. Aritonang, and K. A. Steenbrink, A History of Christianity in Indonesia. Leiden: BRILL (2008). Chapter 9.

F. L. Cooley, Altar and Throne in Central Moluccan Societies: A Study of the Relationship Between the Institutions of Religion and the Institutions of Local Government in a Traditional Society Undergoing Rapid Social Change. New Haven: Yale University Press (1961).

D. Bartels, Di Bawah Naungan Gunung Nunusaku: Muslim-Kristen Hidup Berdampingan di Maluku Tengah. Jakarta: Kepustakaan Popular Gramedia (2017).

Jemaat Rehoboth, Rencana Strategis (Renstra) Pengembangan Pelayanan Jemaat 2021-2025. Ambon: Gereja Protestan Maluku (2021)

Surat Keputusan Majelis Harian Sinode Gereja Protestan Maluku Nomor 11/SKEP/SND/D.14/4/2020 Kondisi Darurat Pelayanan Gereja Dalam Masa Penanggulangan COVID-19 2020. Ambon (2020).

Surat Keputusan Majelis Harian Sinode Gereja Protestan Maluku Nomor 03/SKEP/SND/D.14/3/2021 Petunjuk Teknis Pemulihan Pelayanan Gereja Protestan Maluku 2021. Ambon (2021).

J. Casanova, Public Religions in the Modern World. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press (1994).

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12962/j2716179X.v17i1.13109