Yesus sebagai Dekolonizator: Kontestasi Otoritas dan Kolonialitas Spiritual

Karel M. Siahaya (Sekolah Tinggi Agama Kristen Teruna Bhakti, Yogyakarta)
Sosipater Palias (Fakultas Teologi, Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana, Yogyakarta)

Jurnal Iluminasi
Vol 3 No 2 (2025): Oktober

Discussions on the decolonization of Christianity in Indonesia often remain trapped in a dichotomy between Western influence and local narratives without addressing the spirit of decolonization itself. This article argues that decolonial praxis without a liberative orientation risks reproducing new forms of colonialism. It examines Jesus’ actions and teachings as resistance to oppressive religious hegemony in first-century Judaism, conceptualized here as “spiritual colonialism.” Employing a qualitative method and historical-critical approach, this study analyzes Jesus’ reinterpretation of Sabbath law, critique of the centrality of the Temple, and use of parables as counter-hegemonic narratives. The analysis draws on R. S. Sugirtharajah’s postcolonial biblical criticism, Antonio Gramsci’s theory of hegemony, Richard Horsley’s socio-political perspective, liberation theology, and Walter Mignolo’s concept of epistemic disobedience. The findings demonstrate that Jesus’ ministry embodied a praxis of liberation against oppressive religious and epistemic structures. This article repositions Jesus as a decolonial figure whose ministry offers a framework for the spiritual and intellectual transformation of the contemporary church.