Description: Discussion session during the visit of the GPIB Synod Assembly at the Muhammadiyah Da’wah Center Building, Central Jakarta, on May 23, 2025, with 40 pastors from 15 provinces across Indonesia participating in the 2025 Batch II of the GPIB Ecumenical Indonesianism Education Program (POK).
Jakarta, May 23, 2025 – Eco Bhinneka Muhammadiyah welcomed a visit from the Synod Assembly of GPIB (Indonesian Protestant Church in Western Indonesia), accompanied by 40 pastors from 15 provinces across Indonesia. They were participants of the 2025 Batch II “Pendidikan Oikumene Keindonesiaan” (POK), or Ecumenical Indonesianism Education Program, held at the Muhammadiyah Da’wah Center Building in Central Jakarta.
During this interactive dialogue session, Hening Parlan, Director of Eco Bhinneka Muhammadiyah, shared her experiences on the topic of “Ecological Spirituality and Capacity Building for Environmental Cadres.”
“The initial idea behind Eco Bhinneka is centered on building a peace-building mindset. Given the ongoing presence of intolerance in communities, which contradicts the spirit of Kyai Ahmad Dahlan, we realized that if the environment is damaged, achieving peace will be even more difficult,” she explained.
Eco Bhinneka Muhammadiyah, according to Hening, was launched in 2021 in Pontianak (West Kalimantan), Ternate (North Maluku), Surakarta (Central Java), and Banyuwangi (East Java), and is primarily driven by youth.
She emphasized that in Islam, there are three core relationships: the relationship between humans and God; between fellow humans, which should be based on divine values of goodness; and between humans and nature, as all life is ultimately connected to nature.
“These three relationships are interconnected and influence each other. Our relationship with God can be damaged if we destroy nature or fail to uphold good relations with others. These three dimensions must go hand in hand, complementing and perfecting one another,” she added.
Description: Hening Parlan, Director of Eco Bhinneka Muhammadiyah, had the opportunity to share her experiences on “Ecological Spirituality and Capacity Building for Environmental Cadres,” on May 23, 2025, in Jakarta.
Hening cited examples such as the nickel crisis and deforestation, which not only harm the environment but also risk triggering social conflict.
“Caring for the Earth is not the responsibility of one group alone—it’s a shared duty. I call on all of us, regardless of background, to join hands and create harmony within these three relationships,” continued the National Coordinator of GreenFaith Indonesia.
Rev. Manuel Raintung, Vice Chair II of the GPIB Synod Assembly, shared that in October 2023, GPIB officially declared its commitment to becoming an environmentally friendly church, coinciding with the celebration of its 75th anniversary.
“One of our awareness efforts is encouraging people to eat just enough and avoid food waste, as food waste has many harmful consequences,” he said.
According to Rev. Manuel, the visit to Eco Bhinneka Muhammadiyah is part of a long-standing interfaith friendship. “Last year, we collaborated with Eco Bhinneka by inviting Ms. Hening to a GPIB event in Yogyakarta, aiming to engage GPIB women in caring more for the planet. We also involved Eco Bhinneka in our community service project in Muara Gembong,” he noted.
Rev. Manuel further elaborated on the Eco Church Movement initiated by GPIB over the past two years, now focusing on young pastors to become agents of harmony and environmental stewardship.
“Our church has stopped using bottled drinks and established criteria to be considered an eco-friendly church, including becoming a smoke-free zone, despite the challenges. We also formed an Eco-Friendly Church Task Force, which includes children as members, aligning with our commitment to being a child-friendly church,” he explained. He also highlighted that every GPIB assembly now implements plastic-free policies and consistently promotes environmental concerns.
Description: Rev. Manuel Raintung, Vice Chair II of the GPIB Synod Assembly, GPIB Jakarta Assembly, gave an explanation about the Eco Church Movement on May 23, 2025, in Jakarta.
Hening Parlan, who also serves as Vice Chair of Muhammadiyah’s National Environmental Council, reaffirmed Eco Bhinneka Muhammadiyah’s strong support for pastors’ efforts in developing eco-theology, promoting the Eco Church movement, and opening doors for program collaborations with GPIB.
“There are many potential areas of collaboration, such as developing model villages, joint forest management between Eco Bhinneka and GPIB, or creating eco-friendly houses of worship with initiatives like waste management, renewable energy, and food security,” Hening concluded.
Following this meeting, a collaborative effort will be launched among Eco Bhinneka Muhammadiyah, GPIB, and GreenFaith Indonesia. The initiative will include activities on environmental eco-theology, community empowerment and education through places of worship, and the joint development of various models.
Description: Group photo during the visit of the GPIB Synod Assembly at the Muhammadiyah Da’wah Center Building, Central Jakarta, on May 23, 2025, with 40 pastors from 15 provinces across Indonesia participating in the 2025 Batch II of the GPIB Ecumenical Indonesianism Education Program (POK).
