SPACE FOR RELIGIOUS MODERATION IN THE CONTEXT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: MUSLIM AND HINDU RELATIONS IN TALANG BENUANG VILLAGE, INDONESIA

Abstract

Abstract: Harmonious relations between religious communities have become a best practice among Muslims and Hindus, contrasting with conflicts that have occurred in Indonesia. Amidst religious contestation, Muslims and Hindus in Talang Benuang Village allocate each other's space and are committed to fostering a peaceful environment within community development. This paper aims to demonstrate the existence of moderation spaces successfully built by these two religious groups and to explain how different religions can collaborate to build an empowered society. The results indicate that three types of spaces—doctrinaire, social, and cultural—form the foundation for harmony in community development. The doctrinaire space involves conceptual harmony between religions, the social space encourages interreligious interaction, and the cultural space, based on local traditions, facilitates peaceful coexistence. Culturally based moderation spaces hold significant potential for resolving interreligious conflicts in Indonesia's plural society. This paper suggests the need to develop a moderation model rooted in religious and cultural wisdom to enhance collective intelligence for a harmonious society.