Church Leader, Minister of Education and Founder of the Bible Society
Mulia was born in 1896 in Padang Sidempuan into a family that loved reading books. His father was a teacher. His grandfather was the first Batak Angkola to become a Christian. Mulia attended a Dutch-language primary school. His ambition was to become a teacher. At the age of 15, Mulia travelled to the Netherlands to continue his secondary education at a school in Leiden, in preparation for entering the Teacher Training College. He was active in the Dutch Christian Student Movement. There, he met Hendrik Kraemer, a linguist who later became a leading figure in the spread of the Gospel in Indonesia. Mulia and Kraemer shared the view that the people and church members of Indonesia needed to be empowered so that the country could become independent and the church self-reliant.
Mulia graduated from the University of Leiden’s Teacher Training College at the age of 23 and returned immediately to Indonesia. He became a teacher at a primary school in Bengkulu. Later, he taught in Sipirok. He also taught in Simalungun, where he met a fellow teacher and they subsequently married. They moved from place to place, being posted to government schools or Christian schools that needed assistance to improve their standards.
In 1922, when Mulia was just 26 years old, she moved to Jakarta after being appointed a member of the Volksraad (People’s Council). Although Mulia held a high position, he never hesitated to visit schools in Jakarta and the interior of Sumatra at every opportunity to train teachers. For his services in improving the quality of teachers, Mulia was awarded the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau, one of the highest honours under Dutch colonial rule.
Mulia argued, “A nation can only progress if its schools are of high quality. Similarly, the church can only progress if its congregation enjoys reading books.” In this context, in 1928 Mulia became editor-in-chief of the Christian newspaper *Zaman Baroe*. The newspaper featured articles that broadened the horizons of faith and fostered a greater sense of responsibility towards the church and society.
In 1928, Mulia attended the Evangelical Conference in Jerusalem. Many of the leading thinkers at this conference were, in fact, laypeople. In 1928, Mulia attended the Evangelical Conference alongside figures such as Mott, Oldham and Mulia (see Laypeople and Clergy – Partners in Building the Church).
At the age of 33, Mulia returned to the Netherlands to study. In just four years, he obtained a Doctorate in Anthropology from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and, at the same time, graduated with a Master of Laws from Leiden University. Upon his return to Indonesia, Mulia was reappointed as a member of the People’s Representative Council. Although his status was that of a representative of the Christian community, he emphasised, “My duty is not merely to defend the interests of the Christian community, but the interests of the entire people.”
Mulia was convinced that his role as a member of the People’s Council was also part of the work of spreading the Gospel. Regarding the spreading of the Gospel, he wrote, “We receive from Christ … a guide for life. The aim of the proclamation of the Gospel is to shape human character so that it becomes Christ-like in life and social interaction....”
Meanwhile, over the course of several years, Mulia and Kraemer initiated preparations for the establishment of a high-quality school to educate prospective ministers. This idea came to fruition in 1934 with the establishment of STT Jakarta. Mulia said, “Pastors need to be academically knowledgeable and possess a nationalist spirit.”
On the subject of nationalism, Mulia often corrected misconceptions. He wrote, “It is a misconception to think that being a Christian means embracing the religion of Europeans and becoming like Europeans. We remain Indonesians!”
Mulia also wrote, “Indonesian Christians are an integral part of the Indonesian nation who love their homeland, Indonesia. The Christian faith teaches us to be just, upright, loving, and loyal to the Indonesian nation and state.”
Mulia also collaborated in the field of publishing books for faith development with Johannes Verkuyl, who arrived in Indonesia in 1940. This idea subsequently came to fruition with the establishment of the Christian Publishing Board in 1946. To honour Mulia’s services, on Verkuyl’s advice in 1971 the BPK added ‘Gunung Mulia’ to its name, becoming the BPK Gunung Mulia (see ‘Johannes Verkuyl’ in Selamat Berbuah).
Following independence, a parliamentary cabinet was formed in November 1945. Mulia became Minister of Education. He promoted a system that instilled rational, democratic and national values. As a minister, he cycled to his office every day as he did not own a car.
Like Mulia, another layman active in the Oikoumene movement and the struggle for independence was Johannes Leimena. Mulia, together with Leimena and several other thinkers, prepared for the formation of a single umbrella organisation uniting all Protestant churches in Indonesia. After eleven years of thorough preparation, on 25 May 1950, in the auditorium of STT Jakarta, the Indonesian Council of Churches (DGI) was formed, now known as the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI). Todung Sutan Gunung Mulia became its first chairman.
In 1953, Mulia, together with Philip Sigar and Yap Thiam Hien, founded the Indonesian Christian University. A year later, on 9 February 1954, Mulia, together with Giok Pwee Khouw and Elvianus Katoppo, officially inaugurated the Indonesian Bible Society (LAI), which had in fact been operating since 1814 as a branch of the Anglo-Dutch Bible Society. At the LAI, Todung Sutan Gunung Mulia served as its first Chairman. When President Soekarno banned the import of Bibles from abroad, Mulia recognised the need for the LAI to have its own printing press to meet the demand for Bibles and spiritual reading material amongst Christians in Indonesia. Subsequently, on 9 February 1966, the LAI Printing Press in Ciluar, Bogor Regency, was completed and officially opened by Mrs Hartini Soekarno, representing the President of the Republic of Indonesia.
Mulia’s diligence was also evident in his work as editor of the *Encyclopaedia of Indonesia*. After several years of hard work alongside Hidding from Leiden University, the complete three-volume set, comprising 1,600 pages, was published in 1956. This publication marked a milestone in the history of Indonesian publishing. Mulia also wrote several books.
Mulia undertook all the endeavours mentioned above as part of his calling to enlighten the church community and the people of Indonesia. Our hearts and minds need to be enlightened. What is still murky and unclear needs to be explained. What is still dark and obscure needs to be illuminated. We have a duty to enlighten and explain.
Christ said, “You are the light of the world … let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:14–16, BIMK). Mulia has shed light and provided clarity. That is his contribution to the church and the Indonesian nation. For this reason, Mulia was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam on 20 October 1966, with Verkuyl as his supervisor.
The atmosphere in the chapel at that time was truly solemn. There was a sense of gratitude that Christ had used one of His servants to be a light for the Indonesian people. There was a sense of pride that a son of Indonesia had received the most honourable intellectual recognition from the Dutch academic world, which has been deeply rooted since the Middle Ages.
Adelbert Sitompul, Poltak Sormin and I were present not because we were Mulia’s peers. Far from it. Rather, it was because we were trainee teachers inspired by Mulia. However, whilst that sense of gratitude and pride was still fresh, news suddenly arrived: Todung Sutan Gunung Mulia had passed away in Amsterdam on 11 November 1966. From Christ the light came, to Christ the light returned.
Quoted from:
Congratulations on becoming an Indonesian, Andar Ismail. BPK Gunung Mulia.
