Border Crossing Women: A Cross-Communitarian Reading of Muslim and Christian Women in North Wendewa and Watu Asa Village, Central Sumba

Wednesday Forum – 02 March 2022

This research aims to examine the practice of communitarian cross-textual reading in interreligious communities, especially between Muslim and Christian women in North Wendewa and Watu Asa village, Central Sumba. In general, the role of women in peacekeeping and peacebuilding is very significant through a dialogue of life. Meanwhile, the discussion around scriptural reading texts is very limited. For this reason, this study aims to embrace women’s experiences and voices in the space of cross-communitarian reading. From this study, it was found that women’s reading is more practical and reflective, which is directly related to their daily lives. Therefore, I propose a model of cross-communitarian reading which focuses on the role of ordinary readers. Here, having cross-communitarian reading is an experience of crossing religious border for mutual growth and mutual empowerment.

Suryaningsi Mila is a lecturer of Christian Church of Sumba Theological Seminary (STT GKS) and a pastor who belongs to the Christian Church of Sumba. She has just finished her doctoral study at Inter-Religious Studies Program, at Universitas Gajah Mada. She is also a scholarship recipient from Global Ministries, a common missional witness of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ, focused on humanity, justice and peace program.

The full poster of this event is available here.