Born inMojowarno,East Java, in 1869, Kruyt grew up in a missionary family[2] and went to the Netherlands for education in 1877. Returning to the Indies in 1890, he was stationed inGorontalo. TheNederlandsch Zendelinggenootschap (NZG,Netherlands Missionary Society) sent him to establish a new mission in Poso in 1892.[3][4] Despite early setbacks, the first baptism occurred in 1909, and the number of converts grew steadily.[5] His mission expanded through the highlands to theGulf of Bone by the 1920s.[6] Elected a corresponding member of theRoyal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1898, Kruyt resigned in 1932 but became a regular member in 1933.[7] Kruyt left the Dutch East Indies in 1932 and died inThe Hague in 1949.
Kruyt is known for hisethno-sociological approach, believing that understanding local cultures was essential for successful missionary work.[8] He argued that missionaries must understand the link between thought and community life to win hearts[9] and preferred voluntary conversions over coercion.[10] Kruyt is regarded as a leading theorist, missionary, and ethnographer of the early 20th century.[11] His mission in Poso and Central Sulawesi was a significant success.[6] His works on ethnography and evangelism are highly valued, especially the book he co-authored withNicolaus Adriani,De Bare'e-sprekende Toradja's van Midden-Celebes (TheBare'e speakingToraja of Central Sulawesi), which remains a key ethnological resource.[12]
Hefner, Robert W. (2001). "Fields of the Lord: Animism, Christian Minorities, and State Development in Indonesia". Book Reviews - Anthropology of religion.Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute.7 (3):612–623.doi:10.1111/1467-9655.00079.
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