Communication on Mainstreaming of Religious Moderation in Gunung Kidul and Kebumen Regencies

Abstract

A high number of cases of religious intolerance accompanied by violence has occurred in the last 5 years, causing disharmony in inter-religious relations and disrupting community interaction in religious life. This phenomenon has prompted the Ministry of Religion to set policies and take concrete steps in applying the concept of religious moderation in order to prevent the spread of cases of intolerance. The same thing was also done in the Provinces of the Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta and Central Java. This study is one of the efforts to find out how communication patterns are in the mainstreaming of religious moderation in both provinces, which is represented by Gunung Kidul Regency and Kebumen Regency. This research uses a qualitative approach. Data was collected through documentation techniques and direct observation in the field, accompanied by interviews and focus discussion groups for officials. Ministry religion, religious leaders, and Islamic religious educators in both locations are the spearhead in promoting moderation in various ways. The research results show that the Office Ministry Religion DIY Province and Kebumen Regency, Central Java, have implemented religious moderation policies through three forms: socialization, institutionalization, and activity evaluation. Furthermore, this study found that the communication patterns developed in the mainstreaming of religious moderation were relatively the same, namely centered on formal leaders and religious leaders in society.