Contemporary Islamic Thought in Indonesia 2010-2023: Contested Public Sphere

Indonesian Islamic thought is important in the context of contemporary Indonesian politics. Contemporary politics has seen a shift from sectarian and ideological toward more inclusive and dynamic dialogues. In Indonesian Islamic thought, there is a contestation in the public sphere between conservative and progressive currents. The conservative trends are usually rather closed to new interpretations, while the progressive tend to be open to new trends based on social realities. The future of open Islamic thought in Indonesia as a characteristic of wasatiyah Islam will be maintained as its two largest Islamic organizations, Muhammadiyah and the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), continue to fight for the ideals of Islam. In addition, inclusive Islam will gain strength if political parties are no longer sectarian but extend the post-Islamism movement.