BATE MANURUN SEBAGAI MEDIUM TEOLOGI KONTEKSTUAL
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Abstract
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengeksplorasi bate manurun dalam konteks budaya Toraja sebagai medium teologi kontekstual dengan pendekatan antropologis. Dalam tradisi Toraja, bate manurun bukan hanya berfungsi sebagai artefak budaya melainkan juga memiliki muatan simbolik dan spiritual yang mendalam. Simbol ini mengandung ekspresi religiusitas yang sangat mendalam mencakup kesadaran akan kesakralan, relasi yang kuat dengan para leluhur, serta harapan akan kehidupan yang kekal. Dengan menggunakan pendekatan model antropologis dari Stephen Bevans, penelitian ini melihat bagaimana makna bate dapat ditransformasikan dalam pemahaman iman Kristen di Toraja. Data dikumpulkan melalui studi literatur, observasi, dan wawancara dengan tokoh adat dan pemuka gereja. Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa simbol ini memungkinkan terjadinya dialog yang hidup antara iman dan budaya, di mana kekristenan dapat mengakar dalam konteks lokal tanpa kehilangan universalitasnya. Dengan mengadopsi pendekatan kontekstual, gereja mampu memberdayakan simbol-simbol lokal sebagai bagian dari pewartaan Injil yang relevan dan transformatif.
Kata Kunci: kekekalan, mengilahi; ritual kematian; ritual kehidupan; ritual berpasangan; puya
This study aims to explore bate manurun within the cultural context of the Toraja people as a medium for contextual theology through an anthropological approach. In Torajan tradition, bate manurun functions not merely as a cultural artifact but also carries deep symbolic and spiritual significance. This symbol expresses profound religiosity, encompassing a sense of sacredness, strong relational ties with ancestors, and the hope of eternal life. By employing Stephen Bevans’ anthropological model of contextual theology, this research examines how the meaning of bate can be transformed within the framework of Christian faith in Toraja. Data were collected through literature review, field observation, and interviews with traditional leaders and church figures. The analysis reveals that this symbol facilitates a dynamic dialogue between faith and culture, enabling Christianity to take root in the local context without losing its universality. By adopting a contextual approach, the church is empowered to integrate local symbols as part of a gospel proclamation that is both relevant and transformative.
Keywords: eternity, deification, funerary ritual, paired rites; puya
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