Dibata kaci-kaci: The face of God in the beliefs of the Karo tradition
Yakobus Ndona, Liber Siagian, Elisa Br Ginting

1&2 Universitas Negeri Medan
3 STP Santo Bonaventura KAM

Abstract

The divine face in the Karo traditional faith is discussed in this article. The purpose of this essay is to investigate the origins, structure, and model of the divine in Karo traditional faith, as well as its impact on Karo society^s survival and its applicability and contribution to the growth of religious moderation in Indonesia^s pluralistic religious community. In-depth observations, document gathering, and interviews with traditional leaders were the methods used to gather data.
The collected data was analyzed using Scleimacher^s hermeneutical circle technique. The results of data analysis show that the divine structure in Karo traditional faith resembles a tripolar structure, which is rooted in the experience of natural revelation and resembles a pattern of neutral monism, and underlies the existence of Karo human life. These findings provide inspiration for the development of religious moderation in Indonesia^s plural religious community, especially building faith dialogue, universal brotherhood and cooperation in building a more civilized world.

Keywords: Dibata kaci-kaci, karo tradition, beliefs

Topic: Social Science and Humanities