Jurnal Indo-Islamika
Vol. 16 No. 1 (2026): Jurnal Indo-Islamika (June)

Negotiating Religious Coexistence in a Multi-religious Community: The Genealogical, Cultural and Institutional Dimensions of Tolerance in Cigugur, West Java

Deni Miharja (Sunan Gunung Djati State Islamic University Bandung, Indonesia)
Andini Andini (Sunan Gunung Djati State Islamic University Bandung, Indonesia)
Kustana Kustana (Sunan Gunung Djati State Islamic University Bandung, Indonesia)
Doli Witro (Sunan Gunung Djati State Islamic University Bandung, Indonesia)
Nurul Alamin (Sunan Gunung Djati State Islamic University Bandung, Indonesia)
Mohamad Dindin Hamam Sidik (Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University, Brunei Darussalam)
Ayendha Pangesti (University of Sydney, Australia)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Jun 2026

Abstract

Religious coexistence within multireligious societies is a key issue in the study of religion and pluralism, particularly amidst rising identity polarisation and religion-based conflicts. Although a number of studies have examined tolerance and interfaith harmony in Cigugur, West Java, most have focused on the role of local culture and have not comprehensively explained how religious coexistence is constructed, maintained and reproduced in the social life of the community. This study aims to analyse the social mechanisms that shape and sustain religious coexistence within a multi-religious community in Cigugur, Kuningan Regency, West Java. The research employs a qualitative approach using a case study design. Data were collected through participatory observation, in-depth interviews with religious leaders, community leaders, educators, village officials and local residents, as well as documentation of various social and religious activities within the community. The findings indicate that religious coexistence in Cigugur is constructed through the interaction of three main dimensions: genealogical, cultural and institutional. The genealogical dimension is reflected in inter-religious kinship ties that strengthen social cohesion. The cultural dimension is rooted in collective memory and values passed down through the Sunda Wiwitan tradition. Meanwhile, the institutional dimension is realised through the roles of families, schools, religious leaders, the village administration, and the Forum for Interfaith Harmony in reproducing the values of tolerance and communal living. These three dimensions are maintained through mechanisms of social negotiation that enable the community to manage differences whilst sustaining harmony. This study offers a multidimensional model of religious coexistence that broadens our understanding of interfaith relations within a multireligious society.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

indo-islamika

Publisher

Subject

Religion Humanities Education Law, Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice Social Sciences

Description

Jurnal Indo-Islamika adalah jurnal nasional yang diterbitkan oleh Sekolah Pascasarjana UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta sejak 2011 melalui SK Direktur Pascasarjana Fokus Fokus Jurnal Indo-Islamika adalah menyediakan pemahaman yang baik tentang Islam khas Indonesia melalui telaah pemikiran dan ...