The Animal Sacrifice Ritual as an Entry Point to Theology in the Cultural Context of Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara

Abstract

Doing contextual Theology is the intersection between faith and culture and how the faith transforms culture. For this reason, a cultural ceremony can be an entry point for spreading the faith in a culture. In Sumba, various traditions in the indigenous religion (Marapu) involve an animal sacrifice ritual. This ritual helps the Marapu followers to maintain a good relationship with the Creator. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the meaning of animal sacrifice ritual from the viewpoint of the Sumba community as an entry point in efforts to do contextual theology. Qualitative methods were used to compare this ritual with the biblical concept of sacrifice, particularly the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which is actualized in the Eucharist celebration. The results showed parallel and incompatible themes between the meaning of sacrifice ritual in Sumba culture and in the Christian perspective. Therefore, there can be a convergence between Christian teachings and Sumba cultural practices by addressing parallels while overcoming incompatible themes.