Do not let religion stoke conflict, warns Pope and Indonesian Imam

The Pope spent his second full day in Indonesia doing the core work of the church — ministering to the poor and afflicted, and encouraging religious harmony.

Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar embraces Pope Francis at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta on Thursday. Picture: AFP

Pope Francis has called for leaders of all faiths to work together to defeat a “culture of violence and indifference” and prevent religion from being used to stoke conflict, in a joint statement with one of Indonesia’s most senior Islamic clerics on the second day of his Southeast Asian tour.

The 87-year-old leader of the Catholic Church held a discussion with Istiqlal’s Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar on Thursday morning in a huge tent erected in the grounds of the mosque, before the two leaders signed the joint declaration highlighting the twin crises of “dehumanisation and climate change”.

“The global phenomenon of dehumanisation is marked especially by widespread violence and conflict. It is particularly worrying that religion is often instrumentalised in this regard,” the Istiqlal declaration read. “The role of religion should include promoting and safeguarding the dignity of every human life.”

It also warned that “human exploitation of creation, our common home, has contributed to climate change (and) various destructive consequences such as natural disasters, global warming and unpredictable weather ­patterns”.

In a speech delivered after Islamic and Christian prayers, and a visit to a “friendship tunnel” connecting the mosque to the Cathedral of Saint Mary of our Assumption, Francis emphasised the importance of unity and urged Indonesians to “preserve the bonds between you”.

The nation’s determination to harmonise differences through mutual respect was a “precious gift” that should be protected.

Indonesia has long-touted its tradition of religious tolerance, though in recent years there has a rise in attacks on minorities.

“Do not impoverish yourselves of this great treasure. May no one succumb to the allure of fundamentalism and violence,” Francis urged.

Imam Nasaruddin also spoke of the importance of religious harmony, referring to the role of Istiqlal – the only state mosque in Indonesia, guiding more than a million others across the archipelago – as fostering “tolerance and religious moderation in the country”. “The construction of the tunnel of friendship is a proof of Istiqlal Mosque’s role as a melting pot, especially for the people of Indonesia who uphold the principle of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity),” he said.

If Wednesday was a day for pomp and grandeur at Jakarta’s Presidential Palace, Thursday was one for the Pope’s core work, encouraging religious harmony and ministering to the poor and afflicted before delivering mass to more than 80,000 of the faithful at Jakarta’s Bung Karno stadium.

Representatives from Indonesia’s six state-recognised religions – Islam, Hinduism, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism and Confucianism – attended the Istiqlal Mosque event, as did a representative of the country’s animist religions that are still not formally recognised despite a 2017 constitutional court ruling ordering it be included as a seventh religious option for national identification cards.

Engkus Ruswana told The Australian he was grateful to the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference for the opportunity to participate, even if the state still “seems half-hearted in accepting us”.

“We have faced long periods of pressure and discrimination, leading many to be forced to recognise a (different) religion while still maintaining their beliefs in daily life. For the sake of identity, they are forced to choose a religion,” he said.

At a private and moving event at Jakarta’s Bishops Conference held after the declaration signing, the Pope met with dozens of children and young adults with special needs, many of them in matching batik. The ageing Pope was wheeled row by row through the audience, greeting emotional children, parents and carers and distributing Vatican gifts.

Among those to receive his blessing was Odelia, a 19-year-old who lost her sight five years ago from an auto-immune disease and is now confined to a wheelchair. She told The Australian through tears after the event that she had struggled to come to terms with her illness but felt fortified after meeting Pope Francis. “I am just so grateful and happy,” she said. “I feel so strong.”

The frail Pope flies to Papua New Guinea on Friday before visits to East Timor and Singapore.