From Piety to Praxis

Abstract

This article examines the persistent underdevelopment of Christian-majority regions in Indonesia – Papua, East Nusa Tenggara, Mentawai, and Nias – despite the presence of Christians for over a century. These regions face high poverty, limited education, and weak socio-economic structures. This study concerns not only political and economic marginalization but also a dualistic theology that separates faith from social engagement, fostering a church culture that prioritizes personal salvation while neglecting societal transformation. In response, this article proposes a framework for holistic spiritual formation that integrates global evangelical thought, transformational contextual theology, and the contextual theology of I Wayan Mastra. This approach unites the relationship with God with social, economic, cultural dimensions of Christian life. Through biblical reflection, theological critique, and the embodiment of piety in praxis, the church is called to overcome dualism and become a catalyst for holistic social transformation in Christian-majority regions of Indonesia.