Humanitarian Theology in Comparative Perspective: Gus Dur and Martin Luther King Jr. on Peace and Global Justice
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22373/jpi.v5i2.32683Keywords:
Humanitarian theology, Gus Dur, Martin Luther King Jr, peace, social justiceAbstract
This article examines the humanitarian thought of Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) and Martin Luther King Jr. through a comparative analysis grounded in religious ethics, peacebuilding, and social justice. Both figures are widely recognized as religious leaders who translated faith-based commitments into concrete responses to injustice, yet they operated within distinct sociopolitical contexts and adopted different strategic approaches. This study employs qualitative library research and comparative content analysis to examine three analytical dimensions: theological foundations, core humanitarian principles, and the contexts in which those principles were implemented. The findings show that Gus Dur and King share a fundamental ethical convergence in treating religion as a public moral resource for defending human dignity, equality, and justice, as well as in rejecting violence as a legitimate means of social change. Gus Dur articulated humanitarian commitments through Islamic concepts such as rahmatan lil ‘alamin and al-maqasid al-shari‘ah, emphasizing pluralism, dialogue, and institutional reform within a multi-religious society. King grounded his humanitarian vision in Christian theology, particularly Imago Dei and agape, and advanced disciplined nonviolent action as a moral and strategic response to racial segregation and structural injustice. The analysis also reveals a significant divergence in operational strategy. Gus Dur primarily pursued reform through engagement with political and religious institutions, while King mobilized mass participation and moral pressure from outside the state. Read together, their approaches offer a complementary framework for contemporary humanitarian practice that links civic resistance with institutional responsibility. The study contributes to scholarship on religion-based peacebuilding by demonstrating how shared ethical commitments can generate different strategies shaped by political opportunity, social structure, and conflict configuration.
Downloads
References
Afiyanto, H. (2019). Menjejak Keseharian Etnis Tionghoa Madiun 1966’an-2000’an. Candrasangkala: Jurnal Pendidikan Dan Sejarah, 5(2), 48-57.
Ahmad, M. (2010). Ijtihad Politik Gus Dur; Analisis Wacana Kritis. Lkis Pelangi Aksara.
Aldo, A. S. H., Nafsika, S. S., & Salman, S. (2023). Film sebagai media dalam mengubah cara pandang manusia dalam prinsip kemanusiaan. Irama: Jurnal Seni Desain Dan Pembelajarannya, 5(1), 9-14. https://doi.org/10.17509/irama.v5i1.50149.
Andriansyah, T. I. S. W. (2021). Kepemimpinan Transformatif dan Progresif. Penerbit Adab.
Arikunto, S. (2010). Prosedur penelitian suatu pendekatan praktek. Jakarta: Rineka Cipta.
Baidowi, A. (2015). Prinsip Dakwah Tanpa Kekerasan Dalam Al Qura'an. Hermeneutik, 9(2), 151-172.
Barton, G. (2003). Biografi Gus Dur; The Authorized Biography of KH. Abdurrahman Wahid. Lkis Pelangi Aksara.
Basrowi, S. (2008). Memahami penelitian kualitatif. Jakarta: Rineka Cipta.
Bassey, E. E., & Edwin, E. (2020). Martin Luther King Jr’s Theory of Nonviolence in Conflict Resolution. Jurnal Ilmiah Ilmu Administrasi Publik: Jurnal Pemikiran Dan Penelitian Administrasi Publik, 10(2), 409-415. https://doi.org/10.26858/jiap.v10i2.17929.
Biersteker, E., Ferguson, J., Groenewegen, P., & Boersma, K. (2021). Humanitarian support in a denial of access context: emergent strategies at the interface of humanitarian and sovereign law. Journal of Internasional Humanitarian Action, 6(1),1- 14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41018-021-00103-w.
Dwijayanto, A., & Afif, Y. U. (2020). A Religious State (A Study of Hasyim Asyari and Muhammad Iqbal’s Thought on the Relation of Religion, State and Nationalism). JUSPI (Jurnal Sejarah Peradaban Islam), 3(2), 226- 235. http://dx.doi.org/10.30829/juspi.v3i2.6778.
Elkahlout, G. (2025). Humanitarian principles amidst challenging realities: dilemmas faced by local aid workers in Arab conflict zones. Development in Practice, 1- 11. https://doi.org/10.1080/09614524.2025.2489565.
Faishal, M. (2025). Agama Sebagai Proyek Kemanusiaan: Telaah Filsafat Agama atas Pemikiran Gus Dur Tentang Pluralisme dan Kemanusiaan di Indonesia: indonesia. Kartika: Jurnal Studi Keislaman, 5(3), 1616–1630.
Fatah, W. (2020). Humanisme Gus Dur: Pergumulan Islam dan Kemanusiaan, Sebagai Jawaban Dehumanisasi di Era Disrupsi. Jurnal Al-Hikmah: Jurnal Dakwah, 14(1), 95–114.
Hakim, L., & Anjani, E. (2022). Representation of the Massage Peace of Gus Dur About Papua in Stand-up Comedy Mamat Alkatiri’s Representasi Pesan Perdamaian Gus Dur Tentang Papua Dalam Stand-up Comedy Mamat Alkatiri. Tribakti: Jurnal Pemikiran; Keislaman, 33(1), 35-56. https://doi.org/10.33367/tribakti.v33i1.1856.
Hutagalung, R., & Isa, D. R. (2021). Create The Leader in You: Rahasia Menciptakan Pemimpin Hebat dalam Diri Anda. Ideas Publishing.
Keita, F., & Niambele, A. (2024). From Non-Violent Activism to Intersectional Coalition: the Evolution of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Civil Rights Ideology in the US. Revue EVALU’A Experts et Evaluateurs d’Afrique 2024 n°1.
King Jr, M. L. (2010). The trumpet of conscience. Beacon Press.
King Jr, M. L. (2013). A Time to Break Silence: The Essential Works of Martin Luther King, Jr., for Students. Beacon Press.
King Jr, M. L. (2019). Strength to love. Beacon Press.
Kumar, D. (2021). Biography of Martin Luther King (Jr): Biography of Martin Luther King Jr: The Inspiring Story of a Civil Rights Icon. Prabhat Prakashan.
Mardliyah, U., Sos, S., Basri, L., Sos, S., Hidaya, N., Sos, S., Rais, L., & Sos, S. (2025). Pengantar Sosiologi. Cendikia Mulia Mandiri.
Masdar, U. (1999). Membaca Pikiran Gus Dur dan Amin Rais tentang Demokrasi. Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar.
Moleong, L. J. (2007). Metodologi penelitian kualitatif. Bandung: Rosdakarya.
Musa, A. M. (2010). Pemikiran dan sikap politik Gus Dur. Jakarta : Erlangga.
Nababan, D., Pakpahan, R. Y., & Sihombing, J. A. (2023). Yesus Kristus dan Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) sebagai Aktor dalam Mewujudkan Toleransi Beragama di Indonesia. Jurnal Pendidikan Sosial Dan Humaniora, 2(4), 12306-12315.
Napierała, P. (2024). Martin Luther King Jr.’s Theological Evolution and the Impact of the (Black) Social Gospel on His Political Views. Ad Americam. Journal of American Studies, 25, 65-98. https://doi.org/10.12797/AdAmericam.25.2024.25.05.
Narasi, T. (2008). Heroes of Freedom and Humanity. Penerbit Narasi.
Ngabalin, M. (2020). Rasisme dan Kaum Tertindas: Perjuangan Nir-Kekerasan Martin Luther King Jr., dan Implikasinya Bagi Masyarakat Papua. ARUMBAE: Jurnal Ilmiah Teologi Dan Studi Agama, 2(2), 123-136. https://doi.org/10.37429/arumbae.v2i2.448.
Nihaya, K., & Muzaki, M. (2021). Pendekatan Bimbingan dan Konseling Multikultural KH. Abdurrahman Wahid dalam Penyelesaian Konflik Intoleransi menurut Perspektif Sahabat dan Murid. Prophetic: Professional, Empathy, Islamic Counseling Journal, 4(2), 137-152.
P. Arimurti Kriswibowo & Abdon Arnolus Amtiran. (2024). Buku Ajar Teologi Kepemimpinan Kristen Membentuk Pemimpin yang Alkitabiah di Era Modern. Mega Press Nusantara,.
Pranoto, M. M. (2024). Apakah Beragama Itu Seharusnya Memiliki Motif Atau Tidak? Jurnal Amanat Agung, 20(1), 51-85. https://doi.org/10.47754/jaa.v20i1.657.
Putri, E. G. (2015). Non-Violence Principles in King’s Speeches and Its Impacts to African American Society. Rubikon: Journal of Transnational American Studies, 2(2), 40-50. https://doi.org/10.22146/rubikon.v2i2.34262.
Rachman, B. M. (2010). Argumen Islam untuk pluralisme. Grasindo.
Ramadani, A. C., Az-Zahra, F., & Mawarni, H. D. (2023). Implementasi nilai Pancasila sila kedua dalam kehidupan bermasyarakat. Indigenous Knowledge, 2(5), 347-352.
Ridwan, N. K. (2021). Dalil-Dalil Agama Gus Dur. IRCiSoD.
Ridwan, Z. (2024). Gus Dur’s Understanding of Humanity and Pluralism in Defending the Indonesian Chinese Community. Jurnal Fuaduna: Jurnal Kajian Keagamaan Dan Kemasyarakatan, 8(1), 83–98. https://doi.org/10.30983/fuaduna.v8i1.8520.
Rifai, M. (2010). Gus Dur, KH Abdurrahman Wahid: Biografi Singkat 1940-2009. Garasi House of Book.
Ronisah, S. (2023). Implementation of Human Values to Create Prosperity in Society. DIROSAT: Journal of Education, Social Sciences & Humanities, 1(3), 121- 129. https://doi.org/10.58355/dirosat.v1i3.51.
Rosidi, H. (2023). Metode Dakwah Masyarakat Multikultur. Selat Media.
Santalia, I. (2015). K.H. Abdurrahman Wahid : Agama dan Negara, Pluralisme, Demokratisasi, dan Pribumisasi. Al- Adyaan, 1(2), 138–139.
Setiawan, E. (2017). Konsep Teologi Pluralisme Gus Dur dalam Meretas Keberagaman di Indonesia. Asketik: Jurnal Agama Dan Perubahan Sosial, 1(1). 12-21.
Sirry, M., Suyanto, B., Sugihartati, R., Tri Kartono, D., & Yani, M. T. (2024). Teachers’ perspectives on tolerance education in Indonesian high schools. British Journal of Religious Education, 46(4), 505–519. https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2024.2345213.
Siswanto, M., & Fakhruddin, M. A. (2022). Islam Kosmopolitan Gus Dur dalam Konteks Sosio-Keagamaan di Indonesia. Journal of Islamic Thought and Philosophy, 1(1), 1–26.
Sukardi, H. M. (2011). Metodologi Penelitian Pendidikan: Kompetensi Dan Praktiknya. Bumi Aksara.
The Martin Luther King, J. R. and E. I. (2022). Agape. Stanford University. https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/agape.
Timothy Keller. (2010). Generous Justice (Keadilan yang Murah Hati) Bagaimana Kasih Karunia Allah Mendorong Kita untuk Memperjuangkan Keadilan dan Kebaikan Bersaina. Literatur Perkantas Jatim.
Wahid, A. (2006). Islamku Islam Anda Islam Kita Agama Masyarakat Negara Demokrasi. The Wahid Institute.
Wahid, A. (2024). Tuhan Akrab dengan Mereka: Kumpulan Tulisan Gus Dur tentang Toleransi dan Keberagaman. Yayasan Bani Kyai Haji Abdurrahman Wahid, Jakarta.
Wahid, A. (2025). Percakapan dengan Abdurrahman Wahid. The Wahid Institute, Jakarta Selatan.
Wandana, A. C., Hudaeri, M., & Dzawafi, A. A. (2025). Memanusiakan Manusia: Refleksi Kritis Atas Gagasan Kemanusiaan Dalam Pemikiran Gus Dur Dan Nelson Mandela. Tajdid, 9(2), 174–195.
Wantoro, J. (2021). Agape Sebagai Landasan Learning Live Together Untuk Mengembangkan Karakter Individu, Keluarga, Dan Masyarakat. Jurnal Excelsior Pendidikan, 2(2), 221-234.
Wellem, F. D. (1996). Riwayat hidup singkat tokoh-tokoh dalam sejarah gereja. PT BPK Gunung Mulia.
Wirastho, E. (2017). Konsep Kemanusiaan dalam Pandangan Islam. Al Karima: Jurnal Studi Ilmu Al Quran Dan Tafsir, 1(1), 51-58. https://doi.org/10.58438/alkarima.v1i1.50.
Zainiyati, H. S., Al Hana, R., & Sakdullah, M. (2021). Pendidikan Islam Berbasis Karakter: Perspektif Gus Dur dan Cak Nur. Rajawali Buana Pustaka.
Zainuri, A., & Al-Hakim, L. (2021). Pemikiran Gus Dur dalam Kehidupan Pluralitas Masyarakat Indonesia. Islamika Inside: Jurnal Keislaman Dan Humaniora, 7(2), 179–180. https://doi.org/10.35719/islamikainside.v7i2.133.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Arya Cipta Wandana, Masykur Masykur, Agus Ali Dzawafi
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish in Jurnal Pemikiran Islam agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work. (See The Effect of Open Acces)
