CT’s Top Indonesia Stories of 2023

CT Editors

Pursuing religious harmony, redefining beauty, and responding to a police scandal. Plus: Tell us what we missed.

Christianity Today December 20, 2023

In this series

In 2023, CT worked to publish more stories on Indonesia and platform more Indonesian writers. Here are seven articles on topics ranging from how Christians and Muslims can coexist to a struggling mission hospital in Borneo to how Christians view skin whitening.

In 2024, we want to do more: If you have suggestions for story ideas or new writers who should write for us, please fill out this form.

Parsing Pancasila: How Indonesia’s Muslims and Christians Seek Unity

Interviews by Mellie Cynthia

The statue of Jesus Christ Blessing at the Peak of Buntu Burake in Indonesia.

Give Me Yesus: Indonesia Replaces Arabic Name for Christ

Angela Lu Fulton

Buddhist monks at Borobudur Temple in Indonesia

Do Christians Belong in Southeast Asia? Pew Polled Buddhists and Muslims

Angela Lu Fulton

A woman walks past a promotional billboard at a shopping mall in Jakarta, Indonesia.

In Indonesia, Light Skin is Prized. Some Christians Are Pushing Back.

Mellie Cynthia

Bethesda Health Ministries

Long a Tribal Lifeline, Borneo Mission Hospital Now Needs Its Own

Hendro Suwito

Rosti Simanjuntak (center), mother of late Brigadier Yosua Hutabarat, holds a picture of her son after former head of the internal affairs for Indonesia's national police Ferdy Sambo was sentenced to death during a verdict hearing in Jakarta.

Indonesia’s Worst Police Scandal Involves Christians. Leaders Assess the Implications.

Maria Fennita and Mellie Cynthia

Hagar’s Unhappiness Helps Me Parent Fragile Kids

Tomy Handaka Patria

Check out the rest of our 2023 year-end lists here.

Also in this series

Introduction
Christianity Today in 2023: Our Top News, Reviews, Podcasts, and More

CT Editors

10 Favorite Episodes of ‘The Bulletin’ in 2023

CT Media Team

CT’s Top 20 Stories from South Asia

Compiled by Surinder Kaur

CT’s Top 13 Stories from the Greater Middle East

CT Editors

CT’s Top Singapore Stories of 2023

CT Editors

Christianity Today’s 15 Most-Read Book Reviews of 2023

CT Editors

CT’s Top 10 News Stories of 2023

CT Editors

Top 10 Chinese Articles Translated into English in 2023

Compiled by Sean Cheng

10 Evangelical Leaders Who Died in 2023

CT Editors

The Global Church in 2023: CT’s Top 20 International Stories

CT Editors

CT’s Top Philippines Stories of 2023

CT Editors

Christianity Today’s 10 Most-Read Stories of 2023

CT Editors

Palestinian men work excavating a Roman cemetery in Gaza City. Biblical Archaeology’s Top 10 Discoveries of 2023

Gordon Govier

CT Editors’ Top Print Features of 2023

CT Editors

Christianity Today’s Most-Read Testimonies of 2023

CT Editors

CT’s Stories of 2023 You May Have Missed

CT Editors

Our Latest

View All

The Artemis astronauts hug as they are welcomed back to Houston at Ellington Airport on Saturday, April 11, 2026.

Artemis II Showed Us What Integrity Looks Like

Ashley Hales

Four astronauts remind us that our humanity is both a gift from God and a joy.

Prime minister elect Peter Magyar holding the Hungarian flag.

The Bulletin

Hungary’s Hopeful Election, Congressional Resignations, and Trump’s AI Blasphemy

Clarissa Moll, Russell Moore

Magyar gathers coalition to defeat Orban, Reps. Swalwell and Gonzales resign for sexual assault allegations, and the Trump Jesus AI meme.

Portraits of victims are displayed in the rubble of the residential building where they were reportedly killed in a US-Israeli airstrike in Tehran on April 13, 2026.

News

An Unsung Iran Peace Initiative Grapples with Failure

Jayson Casper

For 20 years, Mennonites fostered dialogue between North America and the Islamic republic. Their conversations couldn’t stop the bombs.

Three books on a cream background.

Review

A Map Through Natural Theology

Andrew Wilson

Three theology books on natural theology, the transfiguration of Christ, and a classic must-read.

A world map and a black congregation.

Black Immigrants Are Diversifying the American Church

Jessica Janvier

African Americans have long ministered to Black people abroad. Those communities are now increasingly migrating to the US.

A pair of glasses with blurry churches in the lenses.

Church-Crisis Content Didn’t Help Me

Yi Ning Chiu

It offered the certitude of a pat narrative when what I needed was music and literature to interrogate myself.

Johnny Reeves, a JAARS Pilot in Papua New Guinea, bringing in supplies.

News

Strait of Hormuz Closure Is Hurting Global Aid

Jill Nelson

Christian aviation and relief groups say increased fuel costs and shipping disruptions make it difficult for them to help the world’s most vulnerable.

Paintings from Exodus.

What Is Godly Resistance?

Carmen Joy Imes

Exodus’s midwives can teach us a lot about how to fear God more than the king.

addApple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseellipseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squarefolderGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastprintremoveRSSRSSSaveSavesaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube