Dari Altar ke Jalanan: Peran Gereja Katolik dalam Gerakan Pembebasan dan Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Indonesia

Abstract

This article analyzes Catholic Church teachings, particularly Gustavo Gutierrez’s thought on the Church as a liberating force, and Jürgen Moltmann’s concept of the Church as a bearer of hope. The study aims to present the image of the Indonesian Church through the theologies of Gutierrez and Moltmann, both as a liberator of the oppressed and a provider of hope for those who suffer injustice. Using a literature review, the writer examines the meaning and forms of the Church’s movement in Indonesia in light of liberation theology and the theology of hope. The analysis shows that Catholic theology, as well as the thoughts of Gustavo Gutierrez and Jurgen Moltmann, are highly relevant to the challenges faced by the faithful in Indonesia. The Catholic Church highlights poverty, marginalization, and exclusion as collective problems, not merely issues faced by the oppressed and marginalized. Therefore, the Church emphasizes authentic solidarity. Therefore, the Church emphasizes authentic solidarity. Gutierrez views poverty as the result of structural oppression that shackles the poor, and thus the Church must be present to liberate its people from such structural injustice. Meanwhile, Moltmann’s idea of the Church as a community of hope stresses the Church mission to bring the light of hope to the oppressed through concrete actions. This article also raises awareness of the model of presence that the Indonesian Church must embody in confronting various situations of poverty and oppression experienced by the faithful.