Hybrid Religious Festivity as an Interreligious Civil Sphere in Central Java, Indonesia

Abstract While previous works focus on theological and philosophical approaches to interfaith dialogue, this study explores an interreligious civil sphere through the lens of cultural sociology. This article examines the Saparan-Aprilan (purification ritual) as a hybrid festivity in Central Java, Indonesia. The festivity is based on Christian narratives, local cultural texts, and Indonesian political codes as a social script for civic engagement. Although Saparan took on a new form following the community’s conversion to Christianity, the essence of Javanese purification remains deeply embedded in the Aprilan celebration. Utilizing an ethnographic approach with participant observations and in-depth interviews with interreligious communities on the Merbabu mountainsides from 2017 to 2023, this study concludes that hybrid festivities foster an interreligious civil sphere, promoting mutual understanding through indigenous performances, cultural texts, and political scripts.