UIN Jakarta professors address religion and democracy in Indonesia

During recent professorial inaugurations at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, academics addressed the intersection of religion, ideology, and democratic practice in Indonesia.

Professor Idris Thaha discussed the role of religion in politics, arguing that religion should serve as a moral force to correct power rather than merely acting as a tool for legitimacy. He noted that while religious symbols and figures are often used to gain public acceptance, religion risks becoming a mere ‘stamp of legitimacy’ if it fails to function as a critical mirror that highlights injustice, abuse of authority, or discrimination.

Separately, Professor Bakir Ihsan addressed the state of Indonesian democracy, suggesting that the nation faces a fundamental gap between the values of Pancasila and the increasingly pragmatic and transactional nature of political practice. He argued that while Pancasila remains the recognized ideology for all political forces, its values are not fully integrated into the exercise of power, leading to a paradox where routine elections occur without substantive democratic strengthening.