UIN Jakarta Hosts Public Lecture: Exploring Diplomatic Relations and Religious Phenomena in France

Diorama Room, UIN News Online - UIN Jakarta held a Public Lecture entitled "Diplomacy and Religion: Study & Scholarship in France Information Session" in the Diorama Room, Wednesday (23/9/2024). The event was attended by the Rector of UIN Jakarta, Prof. Asep Saepudin Jahar, M.A., Ph.D., Advisor for Religious Affairs, French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, H.E. Ambassador Jean-Christophe Peaucelle and Dean of the Faculty of Ushuluddin UIN Jakarta, Prof. Ismatu Ropi, M.A., Ph. D.

The Rector of UIN Jakarta, Prof. Asep Saefudin Jahar, M.A., Ph.D said that this opportunity was an honor for UIN Jakarta because it could host the event attended by the Advisor for Religious Affairs, French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, H.E. Ambassador Jean-Christophe Peaucelle. The Rector hopes that this event will provide a lot of knowledge and insight about Indonesia-France diplomacy, including about laicite, education and others.

"This is the first visit of the Advisor for Religious Affairs, French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs to UIN Jakarta," said the Rector.

After the Rector's speech, the event continued with a public lecture moderated by the Dean of the Faculty of Ushuluddin, Prof. Ismatu Ropi, M.A., Ph. D. According to the Dean of the Faculty of Ushuluddin, this event is important to comprehensively understand the diplomatic relations between Indonesia and France, specifically how to understand the turmoil of religious phenomena that have occurred in France recently.

Prof. Ismatu Ropi said that there are unique similarities between Indonesia and France. This is because these two countries have one motto that is a national identity that supports a nation. Indonesia, continued Prof. Ropi, has Pancasila as its national identity, while France has a national identity called Laïcité.

Furthermore, Prof. Ismatu said that Laïcité in France is important to review further in viewing the relationship between state and religion. Thus, the polemics that have occurred in recent years can be understood more clearly, especially its intersection with diplomatic relations between countries.

For information, Laïcité or French secularism is often referred to as the national identity of France. In studies on secularism, laïcité is usually categorized as assertive secularism. Another practice was in Turkey during the time of Kemal Ataturk. The contrast is passive secularism, as practiced in America, for example. In a simple comparison: if passive secularism maintains freedom of religion, assertive secularism goes further by implementing freedom from religion (freedom of public space from religious elements).

However, Advisor for Religious Affairs, French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, H.E. Ambassador Jean-Christophe Peaucelle clearly distinguishes Laïcité and secularism. According to Jean, Laïcité is a legal principle recognized by the state and is binding. Meanwhile, secularism is a sociological concept applied in society.

Jean said that laïcité is a unique historical legacy of the French revolution against the grip of the Catholic Church and began to be included in the law on the separation of state and church since 1905.

In his further explanation, Jean emphasized that laïcité does not reject religion, but defends freedom, equality and human brotherhood. This is important to understand, according to him, because there are many conflicts in the name of religion. With various schools of thought and claims of truth that are forced on others. Therefore, Jean considered that the diversity of understandings in religion must be understood more deeply so as not to get caught up in conflicts in the name of religion.

"Religion is everywhere but not everything," he concluded.

Activity Documentation:

(Aji Pangestu/Fauziah M./Dzihan Aufa Kilmi Firdausi/Photo: Muhammad Fahri Afrizal, Hermanudin)