El, Baal, and Allah

Abstract

This article compares the appropriations of the divine names El and Baal into the Yahwistic faith in ancient Israel with the Christian use of the word "Allah" in contemporary Indonesia. This study finds that, like El and Baal, "Allah" can function as both an appellative and personal name in contemporary Indonesia. However, the term ''Allah'' in Indonesia is at a crossroads to develop either to be more generic, like El, or to be more personal, like Baal. Learning from the peaceful appropriation of El as a generic name and the polemical appropriation of Baal as a personal name in ancient Israel, Indonesian Christians need to advocate the use of the name Allah as an appellative because it may prevent unnecessary conflicts in the Christian-Muslim relationship in Indonesia. Furthermore, the use of the common word "Allah" in Indonesia to refer to the supreme being is crucial for promoting interreligious dialogue between Islam and Christianity.The process of translating divine names has always been a complicated and daunting task. It requires a mastery of cross-cultural understanding, and the process is not always peaceful. The recent polemics against the use of the word "Allah" to translate the word "God" in Arabic-speaking or predominantly Muslim countries, including in Indonesia,