CHURCH HYMN

Church Hymn on basis of Traditional Funeral Song:

“Badong/Bating” (Dance of Mourning and Song of

Lamentation)

The Traditional Funeral is called Rambu Solo’, the most important ritual in Tana Toraja (a tribe in South Sulawesi, Indonesia). It is believed that this funeral ceremony is the only way to deliver the dead into Afterlife. In doing this, there are some components that must be organized:

Ma’Badong (The Dance of Mourning and Song of Lamentation)

Ma’Randing (Warior dance which is performed to praise the courage of the deceased during life)

Ma’Katia (the dance performed to remind the audience of the generosity of the deceased)

Ma’Pasilaga (Buffalo Race) The Bloody Ceremony (Slaughtering

Buffalo and Pig).

Ma’Badong (The Dance of Mourning and Song of

Lamentation) Ma'badong is a dance held in the rituals of grief in Tana Toraja. Badong is a kind of bating (lament) that reveals the life history of the deceased. Therefore, this is done by the family in memory of the deceased person and is a tribute to him/her at once an expression of grief that is expressed through songs. In short, this is the most populer dance and song in the funeral.

The dancers (pa'badong) forming a circle and each associate pinkie while reciting poetry and lament with hand gestures, and footsteps are adjusted to the rhythm of the song.

Typical Cultural Feature of a Certain Context? Colour of

Tana Toraja It was believed by Torajans that Ma'badong is

done so that the life of the family in the world would still receive protection and blessing of the spirit of the ancestors.

Nowadays, this tradition is a form of love and respect to the ancestors or parents who die. We are well aware that if it were not of the ancestors and parents, we would not exist in this world.

Christianity in Tana TorajaThe coming of Christianity in Tana Toraja has brought a big influence to this funeral dance:

Some poems that are consideredincompatible with the teaching of Christianity is not sung again

Sad expression and moans have been transformed to worship the Creator.

As tangible evidence, now some of Torajan Composers have begun to transfer the lyrics into Christianity.

Dance of Mourning and Song of Lament

Dance and Song of Excitement/Praising Creator

Congregational Song in Nuance of Ethnic

“Ondopua (Haleluya)”

What can the wider or even worldwide Christian / or other

religious world community profit from this contextual

example?

“When you’re in Rome, do as the Romans do” (we have to respect the culture of wherever we are; there’s no way to condemn it without any sufficient or comprehesive understanding)

A total elimination of culture is not the right way to spread the Gospel of Christ (do not surprise people with a totally new thing it will be difficult for people to accept, somehow)

By transferring (the meaning of) the songs of lament into the Church Hymns (not removing) we are participating in preserving cultures cultural heritage of a land which is stored in symbol would never fade.

Which model of contextual Theology according to Bevans

is covered by this example?Which Holy Scripture text is most

related to it?

TRANSLATION MODEL CULTURE (SUBORDINATE TO GOSPEL)

IS A NECESSARY VEHICLE FOR THE UNCHANGING DEPOSIT OF TRUTH (WORDS OF GOD)

REVELATION COMES WITH THE TEXT AS A COMPLETELY NEW MESSAGE TO THE CONTEXT

TRANSLATION NOT LITERALLY BUT IDIOMATIC (TRANSLATION OF MEANING!) IN ORDER TO LET THE POWER OF THE MESSAGE ITSELF THROUGH: GOSPEL AFFECTS THE CULTURE MORE THAN VICE VERSA

One word in the Bible a dynamic equivalence approach would translate it in various ways, according to how the context dictates!

Practicioner: Charles H. Kraft His approach is to explain the value of dynamic equivalence translation, and then demonstrates how such a translation principle can and should be applied to theology

Holy Scripture Text:ACTS 17,22-31

“PAUL IN ATHENS"22. Paul stood up in front of the city council

and said, “I see that in every way you Athenians are very religious.

23. For as I walked through your city and looked at the places where you worship, I found an altar on which is written, “To an Unknown God.” That which you worship, then, even though you do not know it, is what I now proclaim to you.

Thank You