Archimandrite Daniel Byantoro to visit Walla Walla
This Saturday and Sunday, Saint Silouan Church will be privileged to have Father Daniel Byantoro as a visiting celebrant and speaker. On Saturday evening we will serve Vespers at 5:00 as usual, followed by a presentation by Father Daniel on his experience inculturating the Gospel for the largely Muslim people of his native Indonesia. On Sunday morning at 9:30, he will serve the Divine Liturgy and give a homily.
Archimandrite Daniel is an Indonesian Muslim convert to Christianity, who is largely responsible for the modern birth of Orthodoxy in Indonesia. Under his leadership, the Indonesian Orthodox Church has grown steadily for the last two decades, and uniquely reflects the Indonesian culture in which it was formed.
Father Daniel has said that the mission is a completely new phase of the modern mission movement within Orthodoxy, in that it is being done by a local son of the Indonesian soil rather than by the missionary efforts of a foreign mission body; it is the Church for the Indonesians started by an Indonesian. His missionary effort eventually brought official government recognition of the Orthodox Church in Indonesia.
During his service in Indonesia, over 2000 people have been brought into the Orthodox Church, using principles and practices tried and tested throughout the Church’s evangelistic experience. Under his leadership, the Indonesian Orthodox Church has grown to its present size of over 20 clergy, approximately 30 local parishes and missions, and several thousand Orthodox Christians. For this his life has been threatened more than once.
Theologically speaking, Father Daniel has used the existing thought patterns of Indonesian culture to present Orthodox teaching within the Indonesian mindset.
Father Daniel now has a regular podcast available: Christ, the Eternal Kalimat: An Indonesian Perspective on the Person and Identity of Jesus Christ
More information: