The Centre for Religion and Society (CRS) was established by Seminari Theoloji Malaysia (STM) in 2007 under the leadership of its founding director Rev Dr Solomon Rajah, a former Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia. The Centre’s first title was the “Institute of World Religions (IWR)”. The name change came in 2016 to clearly reflect its emphasis on religion and society.
Mission: Equip Malaysian Christians with a deeper understanding of the various religions around them, both locally and globally.
Vision: explore fields such as politics, culture, and civil society through forums on public theology, featuring European and Asian perspectives. Establish collaborations with organisations like Project Dialogue and World Vision Malaysia to address Christian-Muslim relations and nation-building. Organize field trips and interdisciplinary initiatives to deepen contextual understanding of religion and society.
Engagements and Partnerships: CRS has worked alongside various partners to foster dialogue and advocacy and built collaborations with NGOs, including Kairos Dialogue Network and Sisters in Islam, to address religious concerns and build solidarity. CRS equally participated in workshops, consultations, and initiatives on topics such as religious extremism, nation-building and tolerance, engaging groups like the Islamic Renaissance Front and Iman Research.
Programmes and Initiatives: CRS organises and supports events, workshops, and talks that address the role of religion in society. Highlights include talks on topics like Islamic law, religion and mental health, and digital religion; events such as “Women and Islam” and discussions on religion along the Silk Road; and contributions to research and dialogue on issues affecting religious minorities and society transformation.
Theological and Social Collaborations: CRS has fostered collaborations with theologians, researchers, and institutions to enhance theological reflections and social research. We intensified collaboration efforts with theological collaborators to strengthen the Malaysian church’s identity and witness; and multiplied research initiatives exploring interactions between Christianity and media, politics, and intercultural relations.
Future Objectives:
