Building Bridges Between Faiths

The story of the Church of Indonesia as a minority faith group and how it works to bring about interfaith understanding among all the faith groups.

Materials

Videos:

Building Bridges Between Faiths

Website:

Magazine:

  • Missions Today (the magazine published by the Propagation of the Faith/English Canadian Branch. Online version.

 

Study Guide

Goal

The goal of this program is to introduce students to the Catholic Church in Indonesia as a minority faith group in a predominantly Muslim country. To see how the Church sees its host Muslim culture as essentially tolerant. To see how the Church is contributing to interfaith tolerance through a variety of initiatives.

Steps

1. Show this program Building Bridges Between Faiths

2. Ask students to form small groups to describe the following impressions from the video:

  • Name some of the main characters in this DVD and say what it is they are trying to do for the Church.
  • What have we learned about the Catholic Church in Indonesia? What have we learn about what it’s like to be a minority religion in Indonesia?
  • How does the Indonesian Church contribute to interfaith understanding and tolerance? What did you know after viewing the DVD that you didn’t know before?
  • Give three reasons why Canadian Catholics should support the work of the Church in Indonesia.

3. Option for Take-Home Assignment

Via the Internet find more facts about:

  • The Church in Indonesia, is population, number of priests, religious brothers and sisters.
  • Locate areas in Indonesia where the majority of its Catholics live. Give a brief account what it is like to be a minority religion in that country.
  • Describe the different faiths that co-exist in Indonesia: their population numbers, areas where they live, and histories of being in the region.
  • Describe how students can help Propagation of the Faith support Catholics and their work in Indonesia

In groups, make presentations to the class about any or all of the above.