Religious Dialogue Through SDGs Praxis

By: Setyo Budiantoro (Senior Researcher The PRAKARSA)

Visit Pope Francis in early September 2024 is a strategic momentum to increase the role of religion in the practice of sustainable development. This is also a momentum to strengthen soft power Indonesia on the global stage through leading by example.

As a religious leader recognized worldwide for his dedication, the Pope presents a deep message to listen to the groans of Mother Earth (listen to the cry of Mother Earth) and feel a deeply wounded humanity. This was realized through several of his initiatives, including the publication of encyclicals Laudato Si ' and Fratelli Tutti, as well as initiative Economy of Francesco which invites the world to initiate a new era of economics based on solidarity and social justice, by emphasizing the importance of environmental transformation through "ecological conversion".

At the opening of the 2015 United Nations (UN) General Assembly, Pope Francis expressed his support for the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agreed upon by 193 countries. He stated that SDGs are a new hope for the world (an important sign of hope).

See also: Call to Repentance Laudato Si

The Pope also pioneered the Abu Dhabi agreement with the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb, which emphasized the importance of inter-religious peace and human friendship in line with Goals 16 and 17 of the SDGs.

In an uncertain global dynamic, increasingly full of conflict, suspicion and even hatred, the arrival of Pope Francis is not only valuable for Catholics in Indonesia. Spotlight The world also needs to be directed towards this country, as one of the countries with the largest Muslim population and has so many ethnic and religious differences, but is united in the bonds of Pancasila and Bhinneka Tunggal Ika. As well as, how differences can work together to implement the SDGs, including facing poverty, inequality and climate change.

In Indonesia, this effort can also be seen through the unique approach taken by religious institutions in examining the suitability of their philosophy and teachings with the SDGs.

SDGs Jurisprudence

The commitment of Muslims in Indonesia to sustainable development has brought a world breakthrough, with the SDGs fiqh. The jurisprudence was prepared by the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board in collaboration with the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas. In this fiqh book, the General Chairperson of PB NU KH Yahya Cholil Tsaquf conveys Islamic views which are also at the heart of the SDGs, namely about sustainability and justice across generations.

Explained, the concept of benefit that Islam wants to realize is not only for humans, but all creatures (mashalih al-ibad). The benefits that must be considered are not only "current benefits" (maslahah dunyawiyyah), but also “future benefits” (ukhrawiyah maslahah).

Furthermore, zakat fiqh for SDGs has also been prepared by Baznas, Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas, Ministry of Religion, UIN Syarif Hidayatulah, and Indonesian Philanthropy. The book of jurisprudence explains that a person's Islamic perfection is only achieved after he spends some of his wealth, either as obligatory worship (zakat) or social charity. Also discussed in depth is how zakat can be managed to implement the 17 SDGs Goals.

Indonesia's generosity is very high and the potential for zakat is very large, reaching IDR 327 trillion per year. This does not take into account waqf of IDR 180 trillion per year. This means that the potential for Islamic-based philanthropy reaches more than IDR 500 trillion per year, not to mention the addition of other religions in the form of tithes, collections, punia funds and benevolent funds. Not surprisingly, Indonesia has been the world's most generous country for five years in a row according to the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF).

The commitment of Muslims in Indonesia to sustainable development has brought a world breakthrough, with the SDGs fiqh.

tri hita karana

In the cosmological view of Hindu society in Bali, Tri Hita Karana is a philosophy of life which is the principle of creating happiness. This principle is a harmonious relationship between humans and each other, humans and the environment, and humans and God (spiritual dimension). Tri Hita Karana's holistic and multidimensional view greatly contributes to understanding the SDGs.

Of the 17 SDGs goals, they are arranged according to the "Three Happinesses" which reflect the Tri Hita Karana principle. These include harmony between people (SDGs 1 to 10), which highlight social justice and well-being; ecological sustainability (SDGs 11 to 15), which emphasizes environmental conservation and protection; and spiritual harmony (SDGs 16 and 17), which promotes peace and partnership.

The structure forms the so-called SDGs Happiness Pyramid. The Tri Hita Karana philosophy opens horizons of thought, achieving the SDGs needs to be interpreted as a holistic understanding of balance and harmony that is rooted in every aspect of life.

Along the way, the Tri Hita Karana philosophy resonates on a world scale with increasingly complex dimensions which inspired the Tri Hita Karana Roadmap for Blended Finance. This platform is supported by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), several countries and international financial institutions as a guide to the SDGs financing roadmap.

This is what also supports Indonesia's modality of producing communiqués blended finance in the G20 Development Working Group, as well as the establishment of the Global Blended Finance Alliance at the G20 meeting in Bali.

Religious dialogue through praxis

From the description above, religions in Indonesia have philosophies that are in line with the SDGs. At the operational level, based on the author's experience in facilitating the implementation and mapping of SDGs, religious institutions, such as Muhammadiyah, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesian Bishops' Conference (KWI), Fellowship of Churches in Indonesia (PGI), Walubi, Permabudhi, and Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia (PHDI), mainly focuses on health and education (SDGs 3 and 4).

Larger organizations, broader networks, and greater resources tend to target a wider range of SDG goals. However, even though they have relatively the same goals and inclusiveness is one of the principles of the SDGs, cooperation between religious institutions in implementing the SDGs is still limited. Significant collaboration is usually only incidental and when disaster strikes.

In this context, the arrival of Pope Francis to Indonesia opens up a valuable opportunity to strengthen more strategic inter-religious cooperation in practice to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs in Indonesia. This is important not only for this country, but also serves as a source of inspiration and model for a world now facing great humanitarian, conflict and environmental challenges.

See also: Religion and Global Peace

Apart from that, as the initiator of the formation of Religion 20 (R20) in the G20 Presidency two years ago, Indonesia succeeded in gathering religious leaders from various parts of the world to dialogue about the role of religion in facing global challenges. This success demands moral responsibility and proof that Indonesia has walk the talk by realizing it in real work within the country. This step is very important to maintain and strengthen Indonesia's credibility on the international stage.

Therefore, by utilizing the R20 platform and the presence of Pope Francis, Indonesia is in a unique position to demonstrate global leadership that is not only inspiring, but also has a real impact. This will not only confirm Indonesia's position as a global leader in implementing the SDGs, but also reaffirm the importance of religious values ​​in shaping a brighter future for humanity and planet Earth.

This article was previously published on kompas.id by title "Religious Dialogue Through SDGs Praxis”. Click to read: kompas.id