Fatayat NU and FKKG Building Interfaith Solidarity in Garut by Strengthening the Christian Community Amid a Muslim Majority 

Christianity in Indonesia, although officially recognized, comprises only about 10.48% of the country’s total population of 281.6 million. Its distribution, however, is uneven—especially in areas such as Garut Regency. Here, Christians tend to be concentrated in the city center, while religious life in rural areas is dominated by Muslims.

In 2009, the people of Garut were startled by a missionary movement of the Seventh-day Adventist Church targeting villages. This incident led to an agreement between the church and the Islamic Faith Protection Forum, yet the issue of Christianization continued to loom. In this context, socializing with people of different religions was still considered taboo, creating social bubbles where the majority felt comfortable within their own identity.

Wina, a Christian, felt this difference keenly. Although she could worship safely, the shadow of “Christianization” still lingered during her community’s social activities. She felt there were boundaries in interactions between Muslims and non-Muslims.

Hasan (32), a young Muslim from Cipaganti village, shared his experience. “My friends often warned me, ‘be careful, don’t get too close, you might be influenced,’” he said, referring to his family and friends’ worries about his involvement in interfaith activities. Some relatives even thought he was “getting weird” for hanging out with non-Muslims.

Siti Sopiah (20), a student at Garut University, experienced something similar. During the 2024 Tolerance Festival, she was assigned to collaborate with Brian, a youth from the Garut Christian Communication Forum (FKKG). The unfamiliar interaction made her uneasy—she even saved his number as “Brian Christian.” Her younger sibling questioned her choice of friends, echoing the same concern her mother had.

Imas Kulsum, an Islamic elementary school teacher, also shared her story. Her school happens to be located next to a Christian school. During exam season, her schoolyard would be quiet, and some students from the Christian school would come to play there. Seeing them, her students complained, “Why are they playing here? They’re Christians.”

Marendra Dika Builds Bridges of Friendship

In 2022, Fatayat NU held a National Dialogue at the Lasminingrat Building in Garut. The building, located downtown, was easy to access—close to the Grand Mosque of Garut and only 1.8 km from a church.

During the dialogue, Marendra Dika (40), a Christian youth serving as the church’s public relations officer, shared his experiences. Known as Rendra, he hails from Kediri, East Java, and grew up in a Muslim neighborhood near Lirboyo Islamic boarding school, one of Indonesia’s largest. “When I joined tahlilan (Muslim prayer gatherings), I always got free snacks,” he said, prompting laughter from participants—perhaps it was their first time hearing of a Christian joining tahlilan.

Though Rendra was used to interacting with Muslims, many Christians still hid behind the church walls. “Those who remain behind the church walls feel the same way—prejudiced and afraid to interact with Muslims,” he said.

Thus, Rendra helped Fatayat NU connect with seven churches in Garut. These communities formed the Garut Christian Communication Forum (FKKG), led by Mr. Welman Butar-butar.

Welman Butar-butar Becomes the Bridge to Seven Churches in Garut

Welman Butar-butar (64) became one of the key figures behind the success of the JISRA program in Garut. He served as a bridge (jisr) between Fatayat NU and the Christian communities in the area.

Through Welman, in the third quarter of 2023, Fatayat NU visited the Pasundan Christian Church and met with FKKG members. Some participants, who had never entered a place of worship of another religion, felt nervous and even trembled. Fortunately, Ai Sadidah, the head of Fatayat NU Garut and a Gusdurian activist, reassured them, jokingly saying, “If you’re worried, just say the shahada again after we leave.” Interestingly, the Christian participants later shared that they too felt nervous when visiting a mosque.

The visit was a valuable experience for Fatayat NU members and a significant first step in expanding interfaith connections.

Fatayat NU, introducing itself as a young women’s organization under Nahdlatul Ulama, explained the JISRA program and its shared goals. The church members responded positively, admiring these women for courageously addressing the issue of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB)—a sensitive topic in Indonesia’s religious culture. Fatayat NU was seen as a progressive women’s movement.

In turn, Welman welcomed Fatayat NU’s visit by forming the Christian Women’s Community (Kawani)—a women’s division within FKKG. He hoped Kawani would serve as a bridge for church women to continue collaborating with Fatayat NU and other women’s groups in social activities.

FKKG Youth Cross the Bridge of Friendship

Youth participation in FoRB initiatives is key to nurturing harmony and inclusion. Therefore, Welman sent A’ryani (16) and A’ryano (18) to attend the Youth Interfaith Camp held in December 2023 at Villa Kembang Saidah, Singaparna. The camp brought together 30 young people from interfaith communities across Garut and Tasikmalaya.

The two Catholic youths came from diverse family backgrounds, so religious differences were not entirely new to them. However, living together with peers of various religions was a first. Some participants were also unaccustomed to such coexistence. A’ryano, an enthusiastic debater, stayed up late discussing with others—these midnight dialogues helped forge deep emotional bonds among participants.

While mothers built togetherness through church visits and interfaith meetings, these young Catholics began their own journey toward an inclusive and harmonious Garut through the interfaith camp. Both later joined the Youth Interfaith Garut community, consisting of alumni from the 2023 camp. A’ryani not only participated but also served as a committee member in several JISRA activities.

Kawani and Fatayat NU’s First Collaboration

Welman’s hope for collaboration between Kawani and Fatayat NU came true. During Ramadan 2024, they agreed to hold three joint events: a charity drive, an interfaith social dialogue, and an iftar (breaking the fast). The events were hosted at the Pasundan Christian Church, with additional participation from Lajnah Imaillah Ahmadiyah and Youth Interfaith Garut.

All four groups worked hand-in-hand: the women packed food parcels, while the youths arranged the discussion space in another corner of the church. The joint efforts went smoothly—the charity event ran well, the discussion was lively, and the iftar beautifully concluded the day.

Imas Kulsum from Nasyiatul Aisyiyah Garut, who attended the event, shared that before leaving home, her child asked, “Mom, why are we breaking the fast at a church? Isn’t that for Christians?”

William (23), a seminarian and FKKG youth, said the event was eye-opening: “I used to only read about tolerance in books—experiencing it firsthand felt much more genuine.” Afterward, he was even visited by Ari Jaelani, a student of Comparative Religion, who admitted, “Even though I study religious comparison, our university never organizes visits to other houses of worship.” JISRA’s activities helped him truly understand what he studied.

Welman Bridges FKUB and the Community

Support from the government and local organizations is essential—especially through partnerships with FKUB, the official Interfaith Harmony Forum. Such support doesn’t come overnight; it takes patient communication and nuanced approaches. Luckily, Fatayat NU had the right bridge: Mr. Welman, both a community leader and an FKUB member. His presence was a blessing for Fatayat NU’s advocacy efforts.

In the first quarter of 2024, Fatayat NU and the Garut interfaith community jointly conducted their first advocacy visit to FKUB—a day before the interfaith social dialogue. The meeting involved youth from Youth Interfaith Garut, including Azizah (22), a young Shi’a woman from Ahlul Bait Indonesia (ABI). Despite the room being dominated by Baby Boomers, she confidently shared her thoughts on Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB) in Garut.

The process wasn’t without challenges. Azizah and Ai, who belong to Shi’a and Ahmadiyah communities respectively, received negative responses from one FKUB representative. That moment made Welman realize that even Muslims—often seen as the majority—face discrimination among themselves due to sectarian differences. He then helped explain JISRA’s objectives to the representative.

Despite the obstacles, the meeting yielded positive outcomes. According to Welman, the presence of Youth Interfaith Garut left a deep impression, motivating FKUB to reactivate its youth division. Fatayat NU’s peacebuilding efforts and collaboration with women’s groups demonstrated the crucial role of women in grassroots peacebuilding—valued for their ability to collaborate and nurture. FKUB even began considering creating a women’s division within its structure.

Weaving Community Networks, Strengthening Solidarity

“When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion.”

Building a tolerant religious life is like capturing a lion in the wild—it takes time and perseverance. One of the main challenges is that Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB) remains a sensitive issue in Indonesia’s deeply religious culture. Most people are devout Muslims living in homogeneous rural environments. Many have never met someone of another faith—religious diversity remains only textbook knowledge. As a result, people live within exclusive bubbles as Muslims.

Meanwhile, Fatayat NU—as a young Muslim women’s group—also faces gender stereotypes. It’s no wonder Reverend Johnson (50) from ISRA (Integrated Social Rescue Action) once called Fatayat NU “a bunch of crazy women” for boldly working on FoRB issues. He had assumed Fatayat NU was merely a housewives’ pengajian group (Islamic study circle). “We can do it because we do it together,” we told the Reverend.

Despite their vulnerability as a grassroots women’s group, Fatayat NU believes that good intentions will always find their way—when pursued collectively. Like a web of spiders, their unity is their strength. This spirit drives their communication with local communities and government institutions.

The process of opening dialogue was not easy. Fatayat NU often faced rejection when approaching local communities or government stakeholders—some even mistook them for grant-seekers. From these rejections, Fatayat NU learned the importance of changing their approach.

They began visiting communities proactively, which proved more effective. Through these visits, Fatayat NU met community leaders—such as Mr. Welman from FKKG—who helped build trust and strengthen local support for JISRA’s programs. Mr. Welman became a vital bridge connecting Fatayat NU with the FKKG.