Peace Education From The Perspective of The Face of God In The Midst of Suffering: Reinterpretation of Levinas and Ricoeur's Thought in The Context of Persistent Conflict

Abstract

The conflict between Masihulan and Sawai villages on April 3, 2025, caused significant social, economic, psychological, and spiritual impacts on the affected community. This study aims to explore how the people of Masihulan interpret the presence of God amid post-conflict suffering by employing Emmanuel Levinas's concept of the Face of the Other and Paul Ricoeur's narrative hermeneutics. This research uses a qualitative approach through fieldwork, including in-depth interviews with displaced persons, church council members, congregants, security personnel, and a key informant, namely the pastor. The findings reveal that suffering is understood not merely as a social tragedy but as a locus theologicus, a space of encounter with God who is present relationally through social solidarity, protection, resilience, and efforts to rebuild life. Interreligious solidarity, particularly assistance from Muslim communities and other external parties, becomes a concrete manifestation of God's presence beyond religious boundaries. The study also shows that suffering is reinterpreted as a narrative of transformation that shapes a new collective identity characterized by resilience, hope, and renewed faith. Furthermore, reconciliation is understood not only as a social process but as a spiritual journey rooted in inner transformation and faith. The church plays a significant role as an agent of recovery and a mediator in interpreting the meaning of suffering. This study proposes a theological model, namely "The Face of God in Transformative Solidarity," which emphasizes that God's presence is manifested in three dimensions: suffering, relational solidarity, and transformation. This research contributes to the development of Indonesian contextual theology, particularly in understanding suffering and divine presence in post-conflict contexts.