Sistem Religi di Indonesia: Suatu Kajian Antropologi: Religious Systems in Indonesia: An Anthropological Study - Amin Tohari (Fenomena, 2004)
The syncretism between universal religious teachings and local animistic and dynamistic beliefs continues to strongly shape religious practices across Indonesian societies. This study analyzes the religious systems of six major cultural entities: Batak, Bali, Dayak, Sawu, and Java, using an anthropological approach. The research method is a qualitative, descriptive literature review employing John Dewey's reflective thinking technique. The findings reveal that although these communities have formally embraced major religions such as Islam, Christianity, or Hinduism, ancient concepts such as tondi, begu, ancestral spirits, and supernatural powers are still preserved in various life-cycle, death, and fertility ceremonies. The religious system of Indonesian societies is hybrid, in which divine values negotiate with deeply rooted local traditions. The study concludes by emphasizing the need for a dialectical approach to understanding religiosity in Indonesia and recommends strengthening logical theological understanding without eliminating local wisdom. Fenomena sinkretisme antara ajaran agama universal dengan kepercayaan lokal animisme dan dinamisme masih kuat mewarnai praktik religiositas masyarakat Indonesia. Kajian ini bertujuan menganalisis sistem religi pada enam entitas budaya utama: Batak, Bali, Dayak, Sawu, dan Jawa dengan menggunakan pendekatan antropologis. Metode penelitian berupa kajian pustaka deskriptif kualitatif dengan teknik berpikir reflektif dari John Dewey. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa meskipun masyarakat tersebut secara formal telah menganut agama-agama besar seperti Islam, Kristen, atau Hindu, konsep-konsep purba tentang tondi, begu, roh nenek moyang, dan kekuatan gaib masih dipertahankan dalam berbagai upacara siklus hidup, kematian, dan kesuburan. Sistem religi masyarakat Indonesia bersifat hibrida, di mana nilai-nilai ketuhanan bernegosiasi dengan tradisi lokal yang telah mengakar. Kesimpulan penelitian ini menegaskan perlukan pendekatan dialektis dalam memahami keberagamaan di Indonesia serta rekomendasi untuk memperkuat pemahaman teologis yang bernalar tinggi tanpa menghapus kearifan lokal.