The Relevance of Civil Religion, Pancasila, and Civil Society in Indonesia: A Sociological Analysis of Robert N. Bellah’s Perspective

Abstract

This paper examines Robert N. Bellah’s contribution from a sociological perspective to the notion of civil religion and its relevance to Pancasila and civil society in Indonesia. Its goal is to address the influence of civil religion on the development of Indonesian society and the contribution of civil religion, Pancasila, and civil society to the emergence of religious nationalism. A qualitative method is used to review existing literature on this subject, including documentation methodologies, and researchers compile data on the role of civil religion in the context of a nation-state such as Indonesia. The study’s conclusion includes several noteworthy findings. First, civil religion plays a crucial role in the formation of civil society, through which nationalist values can be created and conflicts based on religion and race can be prevented. Second, the relationship between Pancasila, civil society, and civil religion forms the state ideology of Indonesia on the foundational ideas of civil religion.