Displaying items by tag: church building regulations

Church building in Indonesia is subject to onerous requirements, including the requirement to get signatures from 60 neighbouring households - each of which must be non-Christian - before permission to construct a church building can be granted. Often Islamist groups engage in lobbying local authorities and communities to try to prevent churches from being built, despite the support for religious freedom voiced by the central government. Pray that Christians will be as wise as serpents and innocent as doves in navigating these difficulties (Matthew 10:16). President Widodo’s government successfully dissolved two hard-line Islamist organisations, Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia and Islamic Defenders Front. However, a new group has now emerged - the Islamic Reformist Movement, funded by Saudi Arabia. Hostility from Muslims towards Christians varies across Indonesia, a vast country comprising thousands of islands. Even if the central government supports Christians, provincial and local authorities may be hostile.