Be My Witness to the Ends of the Earth.(book review)

2. Title :- Be My Witness to the Ends of the Earth.- The Catholic Church in Indonesia before the 19th Century.
By :- Adolf Heuken SJ.
Published :- Yayasan Cipta Loka Caraka, Jakarta, 2002 (200 pages)

Outline :- The Portuguese sailed to the Indies (1511) to find direct supplies of spices (traded since Egyptian times) and were accompanied by missionary priests. They were always under resourced but had strong commitment. Various efforts to form Christian communities among the often cannibal & warring tribes in the Timor, Sulawesi, Maluku areas. The Dutch arrived some 50 years later with competing form of Christian religion, and essentially promoted the growth of Islam as large numbers to eventually push out the Portuguese. Fransis Xavier was prominent here 450 years ago. Interestingly there are references to early Christian & Jewish presence in Sumatra around the 4th Centenary