[eBook]The New Santri: Challenges to Traditional Religious Authority in Indonesia

"Just like the Gutenberg revolution in the fifteenth century, which led to the emergence of non-conventional religious authority in the Christian world, the current information technology revolution, particularly through mediums such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter, has triggered the re-construction and decentralization of religious authority in Islam. New santri (pious individuals) and preachers emerged from the non-conventional religious educational system. They not only challenged the traditional authorities, but also redefine and re-conceptualize old religious terminologies, such as hijra and wasatiyya. This book explores the dynamics of religious authority in Indonesia with special attention to the challenges from the “new santri”. It is a rich and important book on religion. I recommend students of religion in Indonesia and other countries to read it."