Is S.A.E. Nababan Living or Dead?

About S.A.E. Nababan

S.A.E. Nababan, the Indonesian Lutheran prelate, was born on May 24, 1933, in the small village of Sipirok, North Sumatra. His father was a Lutheran pastor, and from a young age, Nababan was exposed to the teachings of the church. He went on to study theology at the Jakarta Theological Seminary and was ordained as a pastor in 1961.

Nababan's career in the church was marked by his commitment to social justice and human rights. He was a vocal critic of the Suharto regime, which ruled Indonesia from 1967 to 1998, and spoke out against the government's human rights abuses. He also advocated for the rights of indigenous peoples and worked to promote interfaith dialogue.

In 1984, Nababan was elected as the bishop of the Huria Kristen Batak Protestan (HKBP), one of the largest Protestant denominations in Indonesia. He served in this role until his retirement in 1999. During his tenure as bishop, Nababan worked to strengthen the church's role in promoting social justice and human rights. He also oversaw the construction of new churches and the expansion of the HKBP's outreach programs.

Nababan's contributions to the church and to Indonesian society were recognized with numerous awards and honors. In 1998, he was awarded the Niwano Peace Prize for his work in promoting peace and understanding between different religious communities. He was also awarded the Bintang Mahaputra Utama, Indonesia's highest civilian honor, in 2000.

Nababan passed away on September 19, 2010, at the age of 77. His legacy lives on through the work of the HKBP and the many individuals whose lives he touched through his commitment to social justice and human rights.

References:

- "S.A.E. Nababan." Niwano Peace Foundation. https://www.npf.or.jp/english/laureate/nababan.html

- "S.A.E. Nababan." Huria Kristen Batak Protestan. https://www.hkbp.or.id/bishop-s-a-e-nababan/

About Death

Soritua died at approximately 16:18 WIB (West Indonesian time) on 8 May 2021 in the Medistra Hospital, Jakarta. His body was laid in state at the Gatot Subroto Army Hospital funeral home the day after. His body was brought to North Tapanuli on 11 May with a chartered flight and he was buried at his house in Siborong-Borong on the same day.