Democracy provides both opportunities and challenges for Islamist movements Indonesia. On the one side, it grants movements with political freedom that allows mobilization. Such a freedom is a privilege for Indonesian Islamists compared to political restriction in many other Muslim countries. On the other side, democracy presents political opportunities for accommodation of Islamic political interest. The majority Muslim population gives potential constituent for the accommodation of Islamic values and laws. This democratic advantage however poses a challenge for Islamist movement advocating a fundamental change in the political system. The presence of Muslims in the system counters anti-systemic opposition. The impact of this challenge is evident in the political behavior of Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI). Started with a revolutionary goal of replacing democracy with an Islamic political system of khilafah, the movement now has to adjust with political reality. While persistently continuing its rhetorical opposition to democracy, HTI is becoming more tolerant of participation in the democratic system.

Agama di ranah publik memiliki dua fungsi, sebagai kritik sosial dan perangkat legitimasi. Namun kecenderungan di Indonesia, agama kehilangan fungsi pertama karena menitikberatkan pada fungsi kedua. Inilah poin utama yang diangkat Achmad Munjid dalam Wednesday Forum CRCS-ICRS, 26 Oktober 2011 dengan presentasi berjudul ‘The Role of Religion as Social Critique’ (Peran Agama sebagai Kritik Sosial).

Munjid, kandidat Ph. D. di Temple University, menggunakan terma ‘capital’ dan ‘power’ teori Pierre Bourdieu dan Louis Althusser untuk melihat kuasa agama dan kemampuannya mengolah kapital demi kepentingan sosial. Agama memainkan peran sebagai reservoir ingatan masyarakat seperti yang dikatakan Daniele Hervieu-Leger sehingga motivasi perjuangan sosial mampu diproduksi oleh agama.

All religions are embedded and exist in cultural forms while the religion itself is the most powerful thing in changing culture. Islam as a religion also presents such cultural scene in all of Muslims’ living spheres. But the key question is the position of Arabic culture in the practice of Islam because this religion is born and spread in the Arabic context. This issue was raised by ICRS Professor, Bernard Adeney-Risakotta, in his talk at the Wednesday Forum (9/9/11).

In his presentation entitled ‘Islam and Culture: Educational Perspectives’ Bernie (how he is usually called) stated that he has been impressed by the Islamic culture in last twenty years living in Indonesia. He found that the culture of Islamic society or umma is multi-facets and not monolithic while the religious practice is not always in accordance with Quranic teaching. Based on his observation of Muslims in Indonesia Bernie categorizes Muslims’ thinking toward the culture.

Religion has two diferrent functions, i.e. social critique and instrument of legitimacy. Unfortunately at present, especially in the Indonesian context, religion often demonstrates more role in the second function, instrument of legitimacy, than the idealized function of social critique. This view was proposed by Achmad Munjid in his WedForum presentation (26/10/11) entitled ‘The Role of Religion as Social Critique’.

Munjid, a Ph. D. candidate of religious studies at the Temple University, USA, used the concept of capital and power proposed by post-modernist scholars such as Peirre Bourdieu and Louis Althusser. Religion has power and ability to maintain the capitals for the social interest. Religion also plays a role as the reservoir of memory of society by which the memory of social struggle can be reproduced.

Perdebatan klasik terkait hubungan agama dengan budaya masih menarik untuk diikuti. Begitupun yang terjadi dalam konteks Islam, di mana perbincangan Arabisasi begitu aktual di berbagai media. Tema inilah yang diangkat oleh Dr. Bernard Adeney-Risakotta pada Wednesday Forum CRCS-ICRS 9 November 2011 dengan presentasi berjudul ‘Islam and Culture: Educational Perspectives’

Ilmuwan berkewarganegaraan Amerika Serikat yang telah menetap di Indonesia kurang lebih 20 tahun ini menyatakan keterkesanannya dengan kebudayaan Islam Indonesia. Dia melihat kebudayaan yang dipraktekkan umat islam Indonesia tidak monolitik dan mengandung berbagai kompleksitas.