Dualism and Power Perspectives

Their Influence on the Socio-Political Attitudes of Christians

Abstract

The issue of church involvement in the political sphere remains a significant point of debate within Indonesia’s pluralistic and religious society. On one hand, the church is called to be a prophetic voice advocating for justice and truth; on the other, concerns about the contamination of worldly interests lead many to reject the idea of the church’s active engagement in practical politics. This paper aims to systematically examine church members’ understanding and attitudes toward politics, particularly regarding the dualism between Christian spirituality and civic responsibility. This study employs a descriptive quantitative approach, using data collected through an online survey of 518 respondents from various Evangelical church denominations across four major islands of Indonesia. The questionnaire was based on a five-point Likert scale to measure levels of political participation and the factors influencing it. The findings indicate that most respondents hold ambivalent views toward politics; while they acknowledge the importance of justice and morality in national life, they maintain a distance from practical politics due to theological and historical reasons. These findings highlight the need for contextually grounded political education rooted in public theology within church settings. In this way, the church can continue to fulfill its prophetic and ethical role without compromising its spiritual integrity within the context of the Pancasila state.