Reconstructing the Meaning of "Ewuh Pakewuh" in Church Leadership: Between Eastern Etiquette and Biblical Transparency
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21724943Keywords:
church accountability, javanese culture, pastoral ethics, ewuh pakewuh, servant leadershipAbstract
In the landscape of the Indonesian church, particularly in Java, the cultural value of "ewuh pakewuh" (reluctance or hesitation due to respect) plays a vital role in maintaining social harmony. However, in ecclesiastical management practices, this noble value is often distorted into a major obstacle to transparency and accountability. The phenomenon of "silence" when witnessing a colleague's deviation often occurs in the name of preserving feelings. This study aims to reconstruct the meaning of ewuh pakewuh to be relevant to Biblical transparency principles without losing its Eastern cultural roots. Using a qualitative method with an ethno-theological approach, this study engages Javanese cultural texts with Biblical narratives regarding admonition (parrhesia). The results indicate a need for a paradigm shift from passive ewuh pakewuh (fear of conflict) to prophetic ewuh pakewuh (fear of sin). A "Prophetic Politeness" leadership model is proposed as a middle ground, where truth is delivered transparently through communication methods that uphold human dignity.
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Copyright (c) 2022 Eiodia Eveline Permata Sari, Theo Pilus Candra (Author)

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