INKULTURASI BUDAYA DI GEREJA KATOLIK PAPUA

Abstract

This article deals with inculturation in the Catholic Church in Papua. The inculturation is a dialog between catholic faith, particularly that of missionaries and pastoral workers, and indigenous people. The aim of this dialog is to implant the catholic faith among these people in such a way that it becomes an integrated element of their daily lives. At the beginning of the missionaries’ works, they had tried to destroy some elements of the local culture which was a hinder for implanting the catholic faith. These elements reminded the indigenous to their old traditions and religions, but at the same time they were keeping and utilizing them. If we look back at the history of the Catholic Church in Papua, we will find that there are a lot of contributions which have been done for conserving local cultures. With regard to inculturation, it is worth noting that the leaders of the Catholic Church have promoted inculturation in the church, especially in liturgy and in ministry. But in the later period, this practice disappears. Nowadays some priests get involved in the inculturation activities in their parishes, although it should be admitted that the inculturation in the Catholic Church gradually disappears due to the heterogeneity of parishioners and the impact of globalization