In a meeting we are often given the opportunity to have our say or at other times we like to give advice to our friends. All opinions and suggestions arise out of love for the organisation and like best friends who know it inside out. That's how Kraemer, a Dutch missiologist who had never been to theological school, came to serve in Indonesia. Because of his love, his opinions and suggestions influenced the church as an organisation and he was able to place himself as a friend so that at that time the church service in Indonesia experienced rapid progress.

Hendrik Kraemer was born on 17 May 1888 in Amsterdam, the most important port in colonial times. Kraemer himself was originally a German who migrated to Amsterdam to make a living. As a port city at that time in its golden age, Amsterdam was a favourite for people from outside the Netherlands to migrate to make a living there. His father worked odd jobs, anything to keep his family alive. And it wasn't enough because his father's work was uncertain, so his mother jumped in to help the family economy by working as a clothes washer. Kraemer didn't get to experience the warmth of an intact family like other children. At the age of 6, his father died first, followed by his mother 5 years later. Her childhood was then spent in the orphanage of the Hervormd Church. As a single person, he met new people who shared the same fate as him. Discipline was something that Kraemer had to do while living there. It was completely different from when her parents were alive. Kraemer knows himself and he now has to adapt to the new situation. At the Orphanage she is also taught to read and write as her basic education. The library became her favourite place and of course there Kraemer was introduced to the Bible. Kraemer read through the Bible in Latin and Greek and also started attending the talks of evangelists serving in hard-to-reach areas. His heart was opened to the work of God and he gave himself to be baptised at the age of 16.

Becoming a layman

Kraemer immediately applied to Utrechtsche Zendings Vereeniging(UZV), a Dutch evangelical organisation in the Utrech area. He then joined as a missionary trainee with a great interest in languages. For four years he enriched his knowledge in languages and graduated from the Nederlanse Zendingschool(NZS) at the age of 20. He attended training after training to gain more hours and prepare for university. His preparations paid off and he was accepted to continue his education at Leiden University, the oldest and leading university in the Netherlands. There he studied Indonesian languages and literature under the tutelage of Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje, who was famous for his strategy of creating a policy of separation between faith and religion in Indonesia.

During his studies Kraemer also became acquainted with Nicolaas Adriani, a linguist who worked as a Bible translator in the Poso area of Central Sulawesi. The two became close due to their shared interest in languages and their love for evangelising in Indonesia. Kraemer is indebted to Nicolaas Adriani for his life and work. Kraemer never studied theology and saw theology as an "eternal engagement" that never came to marriage. But he did marry a woman named Hyke van Gameren on 28 January 1919." Thus Kraemer became a "layman" as he aspired to be in his book "The Theology of the Laity" about the role of the laity in the church. "Kraemer was not a theologian, he was not a pastor and had never even entered theology. He is a layman. And what a layman!” says Andar Ismail in his book Tukang Ngantar Selamat.Kraemer graduated and earned his doctorate with a dissertation on sixteenth-century Javanese primbon. He was 33 years old at the time.

Being a bridge

Before going to Indonesia Kraemer first visited Cairo to see the development of modern Islam. This was also his initial research before he actually set foot in Indonesia, where many people have embraced Islam and it has entered their political and social life. Kraemer and his wife arrived in Jakarta in 1922 and immediately moved to Yogakarta which became the centre of Javanese culture accompanied by the rise of nationalism. As a devout Christian, Kraemer was also inclusive, forging a friendship with Ahmad Dahlan, the founder of Muhammadiyah. They respected each other despite their different beliefs and nations. Kraemer realised from the beginning that there was a deep gap between his people and the Indonesian people, and did not want to enter into that gap. Kraemer began discussing with Indonesians and later wrote commentaries on the emerging nationalism. His writings were enlightening for the Dutch living in Indonesia. All this time they had no idea what the Indonesians were really feeling. But gradually the Dutch understood the nature of the movement as an expression of a nation's right to independence. From the zending circle, which at that time determined a lot of Christian life in Indonesia, there were several figures who were observant in reading the signs of the times and then tried to direct the zending and churches towards the Indonesian national movement, one of them was Kraemer.

Kraemer moved to Malang in 1925. He was 37 years old at the time. There Kraemer began to study the changes in the social life of Javanese society. Kraemer was involved with Rev. Dr Barend Martinus Schuurman in the establishment of the Balewiyoto Theological School. This school paid great attention to Javanese culture. His inclusiveness made it easy for him to fit into various circles. He was always asked to visit areas outside Java to give his views and opinions. The Dutch Bible Institute once sent Kraemer to Ambon and after some time there Kraemer came to the conclusion that Christianity there was only a skin covering adat. Kraemer also visited Minahasa and encouraged the formation of a committee to prepare for the independence of the church in Minahasa. In Sangir-Talaud Kraemer reconciled conflicts between local kings and evangelists over the maintenance of adat. Kraemer also established communication with the Rheinische Missionsgesellschaft(RMG) who asked for advice because there had been tensions between the Batak people and RMG's foreign workers. Kraemer argued for the RMG to change towards inclusiveness and avoid a superior attitude that always thought Batak people were immature and unfit to lead the Church. Kraemer's opinions and suggestions became a bridge between the Dutch and the local people. Kraemer took his time and thought to create a strategy for the churches in Indonesia to be independent and mature.

Being an encourager

The spirit of nationalism that flared up in various nations at that time was also realised by Kraemer who had served in Indonesia for 6 years since his arrival in 1922. The Youth Pledge of 1928 was a rallying point for young people in Indonesia who felt a sense of belonging. The awareness of these young people was the desire to unite themselves to become a nation independent from colonialism. In line with his mission to encourage the local people to be ecclesiastically independent, Kraemer also encouraged them to involve themselves in the political struggle by joining the Volksraad. One of the intellectuals who agreed with Kraemer's thinking was Todung Sutan Gunung Mulia Harahap who formed the Kaoem Masehi Indonesia Party. Then there was J.U. Mangowal, an educational and church figure from Minahasa who wrote a letter to the editor in Zaman Baroe about the formation of a Protestant Boemipoetera Indïe, which Hendrik Kraemer fully supported. The wave of nationalism began to move from conscious regions and also Christian figures from these regions such as Gerungan Saul Samuel Jacob Ratulangi (Minahasa), Johannes Latuharhary (Ambon) or Todung Sutan Gunung Mulia (Batak) emerged as Christians who entered the political arena of the movement, either carrying the aspirations of their tribe, or trying to find a broader basis and insight.

 

Kraemer did not take part in practical politics but he was the first to open the eyes of Western evangelicals to what was really alive locally in the broad sense of a national, cultural and religious awakening. This revival was seen as a reaction to the growing influence of Western culture in Asia. Kraemer also encouraged the church to respond positively and inclusively to the rise of nationalism so that Christians in Indonesia could prepare themselves to take part in the preparations for Indonesian independence. Kraemer also encouraged his fellow Dutch to welcome nationalism with an open attitude and even with joy. This was in keeping with his strong convictions about God's sovereignty, justice, and love for people and nations. "Kraemer was a Christian who researched, spoke, debated, and testified for God on the political terrain, even though his thoughts often fell out of favour with the colonial administration," said Latuihamallo in a 1988 article in the journal Persetia (Association of Theological Schools in Indonesia).

Looking Forward to Awakening!

His mission was successful, the churches in Indonesia were able to stand on their own without copying the Dutch Church. He contributed greatly to the independence of the Moluccan Protestant Church (GPM), the Evangelical Church in Minahasa (GMIM), and the Evangelical Church in Timor (GMIT). Churches in East Java and West Java also enjoyed Kraemer's cold hands and thoughts in equipping and preparing the birth of the Jawi Wetan Christian Church (GKJW) and the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI), and the Pasunda Christian Church (GKP). We still enjoy Kraemer's contribution to make the church in Indonesia grounded in the local social and cultural context today. His insights continue to accompany the journey of the churches in Indonesia. Hendrik Kraemer passed away at the age of 77 on 11 November 1965. On his tombstone is engraved: Expectat Resurrectionem! That is, Expect the Resurrection!