Esoteric Forum Initiated by Denny JA Colors the Campus Gardens of Universities in Indonesia
By,Jacob Ereste
Journalist Freelance
A new era in the history of faith: an era where religion and spirituality are not only interpreted by humans, but also by machines with endless data. Denny JA conveyed this idea while opening the third session of the Estetika Fellowship Workshop on April 23, 2025. He proposed the establishment of a Center for the Study of Religion and Spirituality in the AI Era, which is considered superior to religious institutions. According to Denny JA, no scholar, priest, monk, or pastor – no matter how talented – can match the ability of Artificial Intelligence to read millions of documents across scriptures, faiths, schools of thought, and centuries. All of this happens in a matter of minutes or even seconds. AI can now explore and process millions of documents from the past to the present, from East to West, from orthodox to mystical – all in an instant. The result is not just a pile of information, but opportunities: opportunities to reignite the lamp of spirituality in a more inclusive and universal way. And an interdisciplinary institution that studies, integrates, and disseminates universal messages from the world’s religious treasures.
The follow-up to this workshop is marked by an important milestone of cooperation between the Esoterika Spiritual Forum and nine universities with diverse traditions in Indonesia. These universities include UIN (State Islamic University) Sunan Gunung Djati, Bandung, Parahyangan Catholic University (UNPAR), Indonesian Christian University (UKI), IPMI International Business School, Hindu University of Indonesia (UHN) I Gusti Bagus Sugriwa, IAIN Ambon, STAB Sriwijaya Palembang, UIN Siber Syekh Nurjati, Cirebon, and President University.
Denny JA’s idea of building a Center for the Development, Research, and Study of Religion is based on technology and liberation theology from Latin America. This 20th-century theological movement, according to him, not only took root in the classroom but also flourished and grew among the oppressed people. Liberation theology, which grew out of Latin American soil, is not just about explaining God, but also about defending those who have been wounded by history. Therefore, liberation theology was born out of suffering, and spirituality in the AI era is also born out of the awareness that the modern world requires a new interpretation of meaning, faith, and humanity.
It is clear that Denny JA, with the Esoterika he built, aims to bring spiritual interpretation into the classroom and society. According to Denny JA, spirituality should not stop at the level of ideas; it should touch the ground of conflict, historical wounds, and today’s social reality. Based on data from the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI), Denny JA concludes that there have been enough conflicts and riots between religions, ethnicities, and tribes, such as those that occurred in Ambon, Jakarta, Central Kalimantan, Lampung, and Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, to be wise and prevent the regression of civilization for a better and more noble future.
In this context, spirituality is needed, not to replace old faiths that have been embedded, but to ignite a faint light that is universal in nature: love, mutual understanding, and justice. This firm step is part of an effort to form a new curriculum, open interfaith forums, and take initial academic and social steps from the depths of spirituality. What is certain is that history always favors those who dare to start. And the movement for spiritual awakening and awareness has been gaining momentum, entering the gap of a beautiful future. It seems that the joy of GMRI (Indonesian Moral Reconciliation Movement), which is now inherited by Sri Eko Sriyanto Galgendu from Paku Buwono XII along with Gus Dur, has found its momentum in the movement for spiritual awakening and awareness that has been promoted since 30 years ago.
Until now, its legacy is held firmly by Sri Eko Sriyanto Galgendu, and it has started to grow and develop in Indonesia’s academic gardens. Meanwhile, the strategic choice of GMRI, which has been oriented towards opening up spiritual nurseries in various foreign countries, is increasingly certain and clear that it needs to be realized soon. Because the superior seeds of spiritual variety truly exist and are owned by the archipelago’s diverse ethnic groups, which are incredibly rich.
Banten,April 24,2025
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