Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: To share the gospel with unbelievers, Christians attempt to use a crossed method of evangelism. The purpose of this crossed method is to engage with people’s own culture from a Christian standpoint. In Bali, for instance, Christians utilise tapak dara to communicate the cross in Christianity. To Balinese-Hinduists, tapak dara is widely believed to bring salvation, happiness, and energy in the universe. Interestingly, the symbol of tapak dara is similar to the cross in the Christianity. Thus, evangelists and missionaries tend to use tapak dara to connect the salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Although this method of evangelism offers some advantages, the parallelism between tapak dara and the cross reveals more differences than similarities. Therefore, this article argues that the parallelism between tapak dara and the cross should be carefully compared because they share more differences than similarities. Contribution: This research will compare the meaning, the usage, and the function of tapak dara with the cross. The article contributes to mission studies and cultural studies.
Author: Philip S. Chia
Institution: Sekolah Tinggi Teologi Injili Indonesia Surabaya
Language: English
Subfield: Religious studies
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $650
OpenAlex ID: W4399460288