USD Conference Systems, Theology International Conference 2025

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Reflecting on Kamisan Action through the Lens of Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) as the Voice of the Oppressed
Bobby Steven Octavianus Timmerman

Last modified: 2025-03-10

Abstract


In the past 17 years, the mothers of human rights violations in Indonesia together with human rights observers have held Kamisan Action. This Kamisan action voices the cry of the oppressed. Since January 18, 2007 until now, more than 800 Kamisan actions have taken place. Every Thursday (Kamis), families of victims of human rights violations and activists gather opposite the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta. They hold a silent action to fight for justice. This Kamisan action can be read through the lens of the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). The Magnificat is thought by some interpreters to come from a source called the “Poor People or Anawim” source. The Magnificat shows clear similarities to Hannah's hymn of praise in 1 Sam 2:1-10. The anawim was applied to people in Israel who were sick and oppressed. The enemies of the anawim were proud people who felt they did not need God. Using the literature study method, this research aims to reflect on the Kamisan Action led by women human rights defenders in the lens of the Magnificat as the voice of the oppressed. The result of this study is that the Kamisan Action and the Magnificat both contain a message of reversal of position for the oppressed. Luke's emphasis on the role of women, the poor, and the marginalized is revealed in the Magnificat.

 

 


Keywords


Human Rights, Magnificat, Anawim, Indonesia.