Spiritualitas Pastoral yang Membebaskan Kritik terhadap Praktik Otoritas Arbitrer dalam Gereja-gereja Pentakostal
Abstrak
This study examines liberating pastoral spirituality as a critique of arbitrary authority in Pentecostal churches, where shepherding authority becomes a tool of control once leaders' decisions are sacralized through claims to the Holy Spirit and obedience. Using a qualitative-constructive, practical-critical method, data draw on literature covering Pentecostal spirituality, spiritual abuse, spiritual authority, and congregational agency. First, arbitrary authority works through sacralizing leaders' decisions, monopolizing claims to the Holy Spirit, paralyzing communal discernment, and reinforcing personal charisma. Second, its gravest impact is loss of congregants' spiritual agency: weakened capacity to hear, weigh, choose, and answer before God. Third, liberating pastoral spirituality must become a corrective model treating authority as service, spiritual claims as testable, and the pastor-congregation bond as space for restoring dignity. The study argues authentic Pentecostal pastoral spirituality rests not on a leader's claims but on its power to free the congregation toward mature faith, freedom of conscience, accountability, and participation.
Abstrak
Penelitian ini mengkaji spiritualitas pastoral yang membebaskan sebagai kritik terhadap otoritas arbitrer dalam gereja-gereja Pentakostal, yaitu ketika otoritas penggembalaan bergeser menjadi mekanisme pengendalian melalui sakralisasi keputusan pemimpin atas nama Roh Kudus dan ketaatan. Menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif-konstruktif dengan metode teologi praktis-kritis, data dari kepustakaan mencakup spiritualitas Pentakostal, spiritual abuse, otoritas rohani, dan agensi jemaat. Pertama, otoritas arbitrer bekerja melalui sakralisasi keputusan pemimpin, monopoli klaim Roh Kudus, pelumpuhan diskernemen komunitas, dan penguatan karisma personal. Kedua, dampak paling serius ialah hilangnya agensi rohani jemaat, yaitu melemahnya kemampuan untuk mendengar, menimbang, memilih, dan bertanggung jawab di hadapan Allah. Ketiga, spiritualitas pastoral yang membebaskan perlu dikonstruksi sebagai model korektif: otoritas sebagai pelayanan, klaim rohani yang harus diuji, dan relasi gembala-jemaat sebagai ruang pemulihan martabat. Penelitian ini berargumen bahwa spiritualitas pastoral Pentakostal yang autentik diukur bukan dari kuatnya klaim rohani pemimpin, melainkan dari kemampuannya membebaskan jemaat menuju kedewasaan iman, kebebasan nurani, akuntabilitas, dan partisipasi dalam komunitas.
Artikel teks lengkap
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Penulis
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