UNS — Pancasila Implementation Study Center (PSPP) Institute for Research and Community Services (LPPM) Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta held a book discussion for “Manusia, Agama, dan Negara: Refleksi Pemikiran Gus Dur” (Human, Religion, and Country: Reflection of Gus Dur’s Thoughts) on Thursday (8/4/2021) through Zoom Cloud Meeting.
This book is written by the faculty member of the Master Program in Cultural Studies, Postgraduate School UNS, Dr. Mibtadin. The discussion was opened by the Chief of PSPP LPPM UNS, Prof. Leo Agung, who mentioned the late Abdurrahman Wahid or Gus Dur leadership as the father of pluralism. The Professor in Education Science Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP) UNS stated that Gus Dur’s principles are valuable to be implemented because he firmly refused an Islamic republic and promote Pancasila as an ideology.
“Pancasila is not just a name and icon, but also a system of values for all Indonesian people,” he stated,
After the opening, Dr. Mibtadin started the discussion by talking about Gus Dur as the leading figure in Nahdlatul Ulama (NU). For him, Gus Dur is a figure of Islamic and human rights activist who had a strong commitment to developing Islam, humanity, and Indonesia. “Gus Dur placed Islam as an epistemology in building human theology that aware of social changes,” he explained.
Dr. Mibtadin said that Gus Dur’s theology is a plan that has a significant appreciation for all the good deeds of humans. This humanity agenda is built from Islam as rahmatan lil’alamin religion, universalism, and cosmopolitanism Islam that uphold humanity’s value and complete appreciation for social life. This theology emphasized the “new spiritualism” as an attitude that attaches importance to social piety rather than individual piety or humanity’s piety.
Dr. Mibtadin also emphasized the importance of will and efforts to promote values of life in the community, such as universal humanity, democracy, Human Rights, pluralism, and civic culture. “And don’t forget to pay attention to the minority’s rights, engaging tradition, social justice, gender equality, and peace for mankind,” he concluded. Humas UNS
Reporter: Yefta Christopherus AS
Editor: Dwi Hastuti
