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DIALOGUE OF INTER RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY 
MEMBERS IN THE MULTICULTURAL COMMUNITY OF  

DENPASAR CITY 
 

 
I Gusti Made Ngurah1, I Gde Semadi Astra2, 

I Made Suastika2, I Gde Parimartha2 
 
 

1Postgraduate Program, Udayana University 
2Faculty of Letters, Udayana University 
E-mail: gustimadengurah@yahoo.co.id 

 
 
 

ABSTRACT 
  
 The dialogue of inter religious community members in the multicultural 
community of Denpasar has been beneficial to the organization of collective life. In 
relation to that, this study describes the phenomenon of cultural dialogues as an attempt 
to realize the idea of multiculturalism and to establish  harmonious atmosphere in which 
differences are mutually accepted and appreciated. Field qualitative method is employed 
in this study and the data needed were collected by the technique of observation, the 
technique of in-depth interview and documentary study. The results of the study show 
that the idea of the dialogue has been based on heterogeneity, frequent conflicts and 
enthusiasm in establishing harmony. The policies which are referred to by the dialogue 
are regulated in various regulations issued by several ministers, the governor and the 
major. Such policies serve as the legal umbrella of the dialogue, while the dialogic 
programs are determined by the government and the Communicative Forum of Inter 
Religious Community Members (Forum Komunikasi Antar-Umat Beragama, hereon 
abbreviated to FKUB). The operating techniques of how the dialogue is conducted are 
organized by this forum. The dialogic fluency is motivated by the supporting factors 
which are hoped to bring much success. However, there are also some obstructions which 
may lead to failures. Attempts are made to develop it into a successful one and to 
avoid/eliminate its negative effects. In addition, the dialogue is also philosophically, 
dialectally and dynamically meaningful. Generally, the understanding of such 
meaningfulness can improve the quality of the multicultural life in Denpasar City. It 
seems that the formal dialogue of inter religious community members has only been 
intensively conducted by the religious leaders and the leaders of the related institutions. It 
has not been averagely conducted in the grass root level yet. 
 
Keywords: Inter religious community members, harmony and multicultural 
 
 
 
 



Background 
 A dialogue of inter religious community members is a type of dynamic meeting 

attended by the followers of two or more religions, in which there is an exchange of 

religious values and information among the different religious followers. It is intended to 

establish a cooperation, to foster harmony, and to accept and appreciate differences as the 

realization of the idea of multiculturalism. The multilateral and international meeting of 

the “Religious Parliaments” was held in Chicago in 1892, in which gists of thoughts 

“agree in disagreement” was agreed. Such an international dialogue has made the world’s 

religious leaders, Indonesia, and the local people of Denpasar City aware that the 

dialogue or inter religious community members is really essential in the relationship 

among the religions. The one which has been conducted in Denpasar has been inspired by 

the international and national dialogue of inter religious community members. In 

addition, it is really needed for organizing religious life in a heterogeneous community 

which is faced with many challenges. The challenges faced by the heterogeneous 

community internally appear from every religious community. The incidents such as the 

bomb blasts taking place on 12th October 2002 and on 2nd October 2005 are stated to be 

external challenges. Attempts have been made to conduct the dialogue of inter religious 

community members as the answer to such challenges. It is also intended to more 

strongly establish the idea of multiculturalism in the multicultural community.  

 This study discusses the dialogical basis, the supporting and obstructing factors, 

the effects and meanings of the dialogue of inter religious community members in the 

multicultural community of Denpasar City. It aims at describing the cultural behavior and 

the harmonious and peaceful multicultural community.  Its significance is not only to 

strongly establish the understanding of the idea and implementation of the multicultural 

community but more importantly  it is also intended to give beneficial contribution to the 

development of science in general and to the cultural studies in particular.  

 

Discussion  
 The communicative, hegemony, deconstruction and multicultural theories are 

used to analyze the problems. The results show that openness has taken place among the 

religious members, the tension among the different religious members has been 

decreasing, misunderstanding has been getting less, act of despising religions has been 



minimized, harmony has been getting more established and SARA related conflicts have 

been able to be avoided. The last took place almost all over Indonesia in the end of New 

Order government, that is, in 1998. The plurality in Denpasar City community is in layers 

marked by the existence of six religions such as Hindu, Islam, Protestant, Catholic, 

Buddhist, and Kong Hucu. The followers of each religion come from different ethnic 

groups with different languages, traditions, characteristics, and social conditions. Under 

each religion, there are further ideologies. 

 In particular, the dialogic idea has been made to appear by plurality in the 

community, frequent conflicts and enthusiasm in creating harmony.  These three things 

are used as the basis for the dialogue, which are then completed with policies in the form 

of regulations and the dialogic programs created by the government and the FKUB as the 

references. 

 The supporting factors such as (1) the essence of religious teachings which 

implies that every religion recommends to settle any problem through dialogues; (2) the 

values of Balinese local genius ( menyama braya) are accepted to be the guideline when 

conducting a dialogue; (3) equality of religious community members refers to the 

equality in age, education, knowledge, experience and social condition of the participants 

of the dialogue; (4) models of behavior shown by the religious leaders; and (5) the 

development of science and technology which can be maximally used have contributed to 

the success of the dialogue as expected. The supporting factors are obstructed by the 

obstructing factors such as (1) unpreparedness of the participants of the dialogue; (2) the 

insufficient supporting facilities and infrastructures; (3) the policies considered unfair; 

and (4) the close attitude of the religious community members. However, the dialogue of 

inter religious community members has resulted in positive effects such as the 

harmonious life among the religious community members  has been getting more 

established, the cooperation among the religious community members has been getting 

improved; and the mutual acceptance and appreciation have been getting better. 

However, negative effects have also been identified such as there has been an anxiety that 

the dialogue will result in syncretism, pressure from the majority over the minority and 

religious conversion.  



 Apart from the effects, the results of the research also show that the dialogue can 

give three meanings such as (1) philosophical meaning, as far as the material and mental 

spiritual development is concerned which will basically lead to harmonious and peaceful 

life; (2) dialogic meaningful, as far as the intensification of religious teachings and 

understanding other religious are concerned, which will lead to harmony or symmetry 

among the different religious community members; and (3) dynamic meaningful, as far 

as the dialogue conducted to give deep understanding of the idea of multiculturalism and 

to establish the implementation of the multicultural community. This is intended to 

anticipate SARA related conflicts and to obtain solutions to the problems collectively 

encountered.  

 The findings of the study are: first, the establishment of Badan Musyawarah 

Umat Beragama Daerah Tingkat I Bali (another forum of the dialogue of inter religious 

community members in provincial level in Bali) in 1975 has inspired the establishment of 

Wadah Musyawarah Pusat (another central similar forum) and the establishment of 

FKAUB Bali in 1999 which then led to the issue of the PBM No. 9.8 of 2006, which has 

allowed  the establishment of FKUB in the provincial and regencial levels all over 

Indonesia. Second, the dialogue of inter religious community members continuously 

conducted in Denpasar City can avoid SARA related conflicts, which then can be used as 

the model referred to by the other provinces and regencies all over Indonesia. Third, the 

development of religious ideologies and the arrival of new migrants with their different 

cultures in Denpasar City has not been included as part of the dialogue of inter religious 

community members, whereas in fact these two things will potentially lead to conflicts 

and affect the dialogue itself. 

 
Conclusions 
 The dialogue of inter religious community members in the multicultural 

community of Denpasar City has been able to be conducted based on (1) the plurality of 

the community, frequent conflicts, and enthusiasm in establishing harmony; (2) policies 

and (3) the implementation of the programs created by the government and FKUB have 

been getting more directed and fluent . 

 The supporting factors such as the essence of each religious teaching, the values 

of local genius, the equality of religious community members, their social condition, the 



models given by the religious leaders, the development of science and technology can 

lead the dialogue to a success as expected. On the other hand, the obstructing factors such 

as the unpreparedness of the participants of the dialogue, the differences in cultural 

values, the close attitude of the religious community members, the policies considered 

unfair, and insufficient facilities and infrastructures will potentially lead the dialogue to a 

failure. 

 The positive effects of the dialogue of the inter religious community members are 

that the harmony among the different religious community members are getting  

established, the cooperation among the religious community members are getting 

improved, the mutual acceptance and appreciation among the religious community 

members are getting better, and the awareness of establishing multicultural enthusiasm is 

developing. While the negative effects of the dialogue of the inter religious community 

members, based on the previous experiences, are that there is an anxiety that such a 

dialogue will lead to syncretism, pressure from the majority over minority, and religious 

conversion. 

 In addition to the above mentioned effects, the dialogue has three meanings. The 

first meaning is philosophical, in which the mental and spiritual development to be able 

to live harmoniously and peacefully in diversity is implied. The second meaning is 

dialogic, in which intensification one’s religion which can be attempted by making 

comparison to another’s religion so that there is a mutual understanding is implied. The 

third is dynamic meaning, in which what is done by the religious community members in 

implementing their respective religion is implied. The understanding of the differences 

and similarities in religious teachings through the dialogue can develop the anticipatory 

behavior against SARA related conflicts and at the same time can improve the 

cooperation among the religious community members in solving the problems 

collectively encountered. 

 It is considered necessary to perfect the system of the management of the dialogue 

starting from the betterment of understanding of the base of the dialogue, the perfection 

of the policies, the perfection of the attempts made to prepare the facilities and 

infrastructures, and the allocation of the sufficient funds needed for the dialogue through 

APBN/APBD. Improved supervision is also necessary in every religion. Apart from the 



formal dialogue, informal dialogues also need to be intensified (work dialogue) to fasten 

the implementation of the dialogue in the grass root.  

 

 
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ACKNOLEDGMENTS  
In this opportunity, great indebtedness is extended to the Rector of Udayana 

University and the Director of the Postgraduate Program of Udayana University for the 

opportunity and facilities provided when attending the Doctorate Program (S3) in 

Cultural Studies at Udayana University. High appreciation is also provided to the 

Supervisor, Prof. Dr. I Gde Semadi Astra, Co-Supervisor I, Prof. Dr. I Made Suastika, 

S.U., and Co-Supervisor II, Prof. Dr. I Gde Parimartha, M.A., for their useful guidance 

and advice during the process of writing this dissertation. Many thanks also go to all the 

parties whom cannot be mentioned one by one for their assistance in conducting this 

research.