Header
 

Program Five

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

 

  • Program Five: Building Bridges Between Faiths

 

  • Mission Today (the magazine published by the Propagation of the Faith/ English Canadian Branch. On-line version.

 

  • Fact Sheet on Propagation of the Faith. On Line.

 

  • Fact Sheet on how students can help the work of Propagation of the Faith. On-Line

 

  • Internet access for additional research questions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Study Guide

 

Goal

 

The goal of Program Five 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 the internet TV DVD Program Five: 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

 

1. 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

 

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