Polarizing Javanese society
Book Description
This scholarly exploration reveals how spiritual identity and religious practice became sources of profound division within Javanese society during a pivotal period of transformation. M. C. Ricklefs examines the evolution of what he terms the "mystic synthesis," a distinctive form of Islam that allowed the Javanese to maintain their Muslim identity while honoring local spiritual traditions and fulfilling basic religious obligations.
The narrative traces how colonial pressures, growing populations, and Islamic reform movements gradually dismantled this harmonious spiritual framework during the nineteenth century. As orthodox reformers pushed for stricter religious observance, competing factions emerged among devout Muslims, including traditional mystics, reform-minded Sufis, and those drawn to messianic teachings.
This religious upheaval gave birth to new spiritual categories that would reshape Indonesian society. The abangan emerged as nominal Muslims who resisted reform and loosened their Islamic ties, while some Javanese embraced Christianity for the first time. Meanwhile, the aristocratic priyayi class adopted European modernity and scientific thinking, with some even questioning Islam's role in Javanese civilization.
Ricklefs demonstrates how these spiritual divisions became politically charged during Indonesia's early independence movements, creating lasting tensions that influenced decades of conflict. For readers interested in understanding how religious identity intersects with social change, this work offers valuable insights into the complex dynamics between tradition, reform, and modernization in spiritual communities.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~8 hours)
📄 Length: 297 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Java (indonesia), social life and customs
- ✓ Explore Religious life and customs
- ✓ Explore Java (indonesia), social conditions
- ✓ Explore Islam
- ✓ Explore Social conditions
- ✓ Explore Islam, indonesia
- ✓ Explore History
- ✓ Explore Religion
