KENOSIS Vol. 5 No. 1 Juni 2019 1 MELAMPAUI OPOSISI BINER: STUDI KOMPARATIF TENTANG THE THIRD FORCE, METAXU, DAN THE THIRD SPACE Hardiyan Triasmoroadi Pendeta Gereja Kristen Jawi Wetan (GKJW) Email: hardiyan.triasmoroadi@gmail.com Abstract Binary opposition is a necessity in the context of identity contestation which puts forward arguments and loneliness to test truth claims. In responding to the binary opposition, some theoretical elaborations which pretended to go beyond binary opposition are emerged, as Richard Kearney’s conception of metaxu, Homi K. Bhabha’s construction of the third space, and Cynthia Bourgeault’s proposal regarding the third force. Based on the writer point of view, these three theoretical constructions are effectivein breaking the deadlock. Therefore, the researcher elaborated and compared the main ideas and key conceptions of the third force, metaxu, and the third space, to further present some conclusion points as a theoretical contribution in underlying movement praxis that longs to transcend binary opposition. Keywords: Binary Opposition, Binary System, Ternary System, Metaxu, the Third Space, The Third Force. Abstrak Oposisi biner merupakan keniscayaan di tengah konteks kontestasi identitas yang mengedepankan adu argumentasi dan kesalingan untuk menguji klaim kebenaran. Dalam rangka merespons oposisi biner, muncul elaborasi-elaborasi teoretis yang berpretensi melampaui oposisi biner, sebagaimana konsepsi Richard Kearney mengenai metaxu, konstruksi Homi K. Bhabha tentang the third space, dan proposal Cynthia Bourgeault perihal thethird force. Saya berpendapat bahwa ketiga konstruksi teoretis tersebut mangkus dalam meretas kebuntuan. Dus, saya akan menguraikan dan mengkomparasi ide pokok serta konsepsi kunci dari the third force, metaxu, dan the third space, untuk selanjutnya menyajikan beberapa poin kesimpulan sebagai sebuah kontribusi teoretis dalam mendasari praksis pergerakan yang rindu untuk melampaui oposisi biner. Kata kunci: Oposisi Biner, Binary System, Ternary System, Metaxu, The Third Space, The Third Force