Leonard Chrysostomos Epafras

Dr. Leonard Chrysostomos Epafras, a lecturer in the Inter-Religious Studies Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada Graduate School, participated in the International Symposium on Religion, Media, and Culture in Southeast Asia, a three-day hybrid conference held from February 19–21, 2026. The symposium was organized by Institut Filsafat dan Teknologi Kreatif (IFTK) Ledalero in collaboration with the Asian Research Center for Religion and Social Communication at St. John’s University (Thailand), providing an important platform for cross-country dialogue on religion, media, and culture in the digital age. The symposium brought together scholars, researchers, and practitioners from across Southeast Asia and beyond (including participants from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Australia) to explore how the digital revolution is transforming religious practices and cultural life in pluralistic societies. Through panel discussions and academic exchanges, participants examined the complex interactions between religion, media technologies, and cultural dynamics in the region. read more

Hendrikus Paulus Kaunang

The Inter-Religious Studies (IRS) Program of the Graduate School at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) is currently developing a micro-credential module titled “Religious Literacy: Enriching Discourses on Religion and Diversity.” This program consists of two modules: Religion and Citizenship and Religion and Social Practices. The modules are designed to support the public service role of Religious Counselors (Penyuluh Agama) in Indonesia. The development of these modules involves a team of scholars and researchers, namely Dr. Leonard Chrysostomos Epafras, Dr. Dicky Sofjan, Hendrikus Paulus Kaunang, M.A., Ida Fitri Astuti, M.A., and David Akbar Hasyemi Rafsanjani. read more

A Special Interview with Dr. Dicky Sofjan
Associate Professor of Inter-Religious Studies, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM)

On Saturday, February 28, 2026, Israel and the United States of America conducted a so-called “pre-emptive strike” against the Islamic Republic of Iran, killing the charismatic Supreme Leader of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, his family and close associates. This special interview was conducted to explore the history and significance of the imposed war on Iran, and what it means religiously, spiritually and politically for the world in general and Indonesia specifically. read more

M. Royyan Nafis Fathul Wahab

On Friday (February 27, 2026), a doctoral student in the Inter-Religious Studies program, M. Royyan Nafis Fathul Wahab, successfully defended his research proposal during a comprehensive examination. The examination highlighted an interesting academic discourse on the Millenarian landscape in Indonesia. The research proposal examined the transformation of the Indonesian Islamic Propagation Institute (Lembaga Dakwah Islam Indonesia, LDII). In front of the board of supervisors, Prof. Dr. Irwan Abdullah, M.A., and Mohammad Iqbal Ahnaf, M.A., Ph.D., and the board of examiners, Dr. Leonard Chrysostomos Epafras and Dr. Munirul Ikhwan, Lc., M.A., a number of critical questions were raised. One of the questions asked how the millenarian discourse is used to analyze the LDII movement. In addition, the board of examiners also criticized the research locus. Was the selection of Pesantren Wali Barokah representative if it were used as the sole research location? read more

The Inter-Religious Studies (IRS) Program, Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada, is inviting UGM students from all levels (undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral) to apply for an internship position as Media and Communication Staff.

Responsibilities
Interns will be involved in managing and developing the IRS Program’s communication platforms, including:

• Website content management
• Social media management (Instagram, etc.)
• Other publication and communication media of the IRS Program

Requirements

Active student of Universitas Gadjah Mada (all levels are welcome)

Strong interest in media, communication, and digital content

Priority will be given to students with skills in social media content production (visual, video, copywriting, or creative storytelling)

Able to work a minimum of 15 hours per week

Responsible, creative, and able to work both independently and in a team

read more

The Doctoral Program in Inter-Religious Studies (IRS), Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), demonstrated its active participation in the prestigious international forum, The International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS) 2025. The conference was organized by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), and held at the Fairmont Ballroom, Raffles City, Singapore, from June 24 to 26, 2025.

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Fuji Riang Prastowo

A parallel session at the Unconference on Polarization and Its Discontents in the Global South, titled “A Discussion Forum on Digital Inclusion and Its Connection to Friction and Polarization in the Digital Landscape,” moved beyond academic discourse. It became a dynamic space where indigenous faith practitioners, scholars, and activists confronted one of the digital age’s core tensions: how to foster inclusion without erasing diverse knowledge systems.

The session revealed a pressing truth: digital inclusion is not merely a neutral endeavor aimed at closing gaps; it actively transforms traditional knowledge systems, reconfigures community delineations, and, if approached without critical scrutiny, threatens to exacerbate socio-religious divisions. Technology emerged not solely as an instrument, but as a catalyst for transformation—a pharmakon, embodying both the promise of healing and the threat of toxicity—for indigenous epistemologies. read more