Interfaith marriage in Indonesia: A normative analysis of legal arrangements and judicial practices

Authors

  • Yenny Febrianty Faculty of Law, Pakuan University, Bogor, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
  • Putri Ayi Winarsasi Faculty of Law, Antakusuma University, Pangkalanbun, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
  • Lilis Suryani Andi Sapada Institute of Social Sciences and Business (IAS), Pare-Pare, Indonesia
  • Vivi Hayati Faculty of Law, Samudra University, Langsa, Indonesia
  • Sahrul Sahrul Legal Studies Program, Sultan Adam College of Law, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55942/pssj.v6i2.1629

Keywords:

constitutional rights, court decision, interfaith marriage, interpretation of the judge, legal certainty

Abstract

Interfaith marriage in Indonesia persists in inciting legal controversies due to disparate interpretations and implementations of regulations by the court. This article aims to analyze the legal framework regulating interfaith marriage in the Indonesian legal system, emphasizing statutory provisions and judicial decisions, while evaluating how discrepancies in the interpretation and application of these laws affect legal certainty and the protection of citizens' constitutional rights. This study utilizes normative juridical methodologies, incorporating legislative, conceptual, and case approaches, to analyze Law Number 1 of 1974 on Marriage, Law Number 23 of 2006 on Population Administration, Constitutional Court Decisions Number 68/PUU-XII/2014 and Number 24/PUU-XX/2022, as well as various district court rulings regarding the registration of interfaith marriages. The study's results reveal that, under Indonesian law, the validity of marriage is largely regulated by religious law, but the state retains authority over administrative issues to provide legal order and clarity. Prior to the implementation of rigorous judicial standards, the court used diverse interpretations, resulting in discrepancies in decisions and legal uncertainty. This conflict stems not from an absence of standards but from inconsistencies in legal enforcement. The Constitutional Court has affirmed that restrictions on interfaith marriage do not violate constitutional rights when based on religious beliefs and Article 28j of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia. The issuance of Supreme Court Circular Letter Number 2 of 2023 has improved normative legal clarity; nonetheless, the subsequent obstacle lies in the consistency of its application in judicial practice.

Author Biographies

Yenny Febrianty, Faculty of Law, Pakuan University, Bogor, Jawa Barat, Indonesia

Yenny Febrianty serves as a Lecturer in the Faculty of Law, Pakuan University, located in Bogor, Indonesia. Her scholarly specialization includes family law, Islamic law, and socio-legal studies, emphasizing marital law, child protection, and gender-related legal matters. She has widely written in national and international journals and has actively engaged in normative and comparative legal research concerning modern issues in Indonesian family law and judicial practice.

Putri Ayi Winarsasi, Faculty of Law, Antakusuma University, Pangkalanbun, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

Putri Ayi Winarsasi is a Lecturer of Law, Antakusuma University, located in Pangkalanbun, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Her research focuses on constitutional law, human rights, and pluralism within Indonesian legal institutions, especially with interfaith interactions and access to justice. She has advanced legal research via scholarly papers and analyses concentrating on the interplay between statute law and judicial interpretation.

Lilis Suryani, Andi Sapada Institute of Social Sciences and Business (IAS), Pare-Pare, Indonesia

Lilis Suryani serves as a Lecturer at the Andi Sapada Institute of Social Sciences and Business (IAS) in Pare-Pare, Indonesia. Her areas of specialization are socio-legal studies, legal sociology, and community-oriented legal research. She has participated in research initiatives investigating legal awareness, social norms, and the application of law across many socioeconomic situations, enhancing interdisciplinary methodologies in legal academia.

Vivi Hayati, Faculty of Law, Samudra University, Langsa, Indonesia

Vivi Hayati is a Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Samudra University, Langsa, Indonesia. Her specializations encompass family law, constitutional law, and Islamic legal studies, with a specific focus on marriage law, legal pluralism, and judicial practice in Indonesia. She has engaged in normative and doctrinal legal research, concentrating on the interplay between legislative regulation, religious norms, and judicial interpretation within the Indonesian legal system.

Sahrul Sahrul, Legal Studies Program, Sultan Adam College of Law, Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Indonesia

Sahrul is a Lecturer associated with the Legal Studies Program at Sultan Adam College of Law in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Indonesia. His academic interests are on legal theory, judicial practice, and the implementation of normative legal frameworks in Indonesian courts. He has engaged in research and scholarly discourse about law enforcement, judicial reasoning, and the advancement of legal education in Indonesia.

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Published

2026-02-28

How to Cite

Febrianty, Y., Winarsasi, P. A., Suryani, L., Hayati, V. ., & Sahrul, S. (2026). Interfaith marriage in Indonesia: A normative analysis of legal arrangements and judicial practices. Priviet Social Sciences Journal, 6(2), 741–753. https://doi.org/10.55942/pssj.v6i2.1629

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 2 (2026): February 2026

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Yenny Febrianty, Putri Ayi Winarsasi, Lilis Suryani, Sahrul Sahrul

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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