The church as a narrative polis Revitalizing church member formation through the virtue ethics frameworks of Hauerwas and MacIntyre in the Indonesian context
Abstract
Congregational formation in contemporary Indonesia has shifted problematically: it has been reduced to cognitive instruction, trapped in normative moralism, and stripped of the depth of character formation. This article offers a theological reconstruction of formation through critical dialogue with the virtue ethics of Stanley Hauerwas and Alasdair MacIntyre, who understand the Church as a narrative polis, a political community that shapes moral imagination through practices, tradition, and the narrative unity of life. Using a constructive practical-theological approach structured by Richard Osmer’s four tasks, the study argues that formation must move from information transfer to initiation into a community of character shaped by Christ’s cross and resurrection. The Indonesian context is examined through dialogue with local wisdom as a thick tradition, set in creative tension with religious pluralism and digital polarisation. The findings show that the Hauerwas-MacIntyre perspective offers a framework that addresses the formation crisis by restoring the Church as a school of virtues while opening critical dialogue with plural virtues without lapsing into sectarianism.
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