Reports from Indonesia’s Yogyakarta Province say a Christian worship service was stopped by a group of people during a gathering on Sunday, 24 May, in what Christians and rights advocates describe as another incident of religious intolerance.
The service, organised by the Neo-Christian Gereja Misi Sejahtera (GMS), also known as the Prosperous Mission Church, was being held in a rented building in Sewon, Bantul district, when it was interrupted.
According to church representatives, a group of individuals entered the venue and pressured the congregation to stop the service. Worshippers, including children, were reportedly left frightened and the service was brought to an abrupt end.
A spokesperson for the church said the disruption has caused concern among members and has raised questions about the safety of peaceful worship in the area.
Local officials confirmed that there had been an ongoing disagreement between some members of the local community over the use of the building for religious services. Authorities said the church had shifted its meeting place from a hotel to a rented facility before the incident occurred.
Officials also noted that while the church had submitted notification documents from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, there is ongoing discussion over whether additional permissions are required to use the site for regular worship.
Police in Bantul said the situation was later brought under control and that discussions were held between both sides to ease tensions. An agreement was reportedly reached requiring the church to complete administrative procedures before resuming services at the location.
Authorities emphasised that Indonesia’s Constitution guarantees freedom of worship, while also stressing the importance of maintaining public order and resolving disputes through legal processes rather than confrontation.
The Governor of Yogyakarta Special Region called for mutual respect between religious communities, saying differences in faith should be accepted as part of social life and not become a source of division.
Leaders from Indonesia’s largest Muslim organisation, Nahdlatul Ulama, also expressed concern over the incident. They stated that disagreements over permits or administrative issues should be resolved through dialogue and legal channels, not through intimidation or forced closure.
The case reflects wider ongoing challenges in Indonesia regarding the regulation of places of worship. A government regulation introduced in 2006 requires approval from local authorities and interfaith bodies before a religious site can be officially used, a policy intended to promote harmony but which has also been linked to delays and disputes.
Human rights observers say such regulations have, in some cases, contributed to tensions and restrictions on Christian worship in different regions of the country, despite constitutional guarantees of religious freedom.
The latest incident has renewed calls for clearer protections and better enforcement of worship rights for all religious communities.
Rewritten version of the original article published on UCA News.
