Click for Tolerance The Transformation of Christian Religious Education through Digital Media in Fostering Inclusive Attitudes in Indonesia
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study examines the transformation of Christian Religious Education (CRE) in Indonesia through the integration of digital media as a pedagogical and theological tool for nurturing inclusivity and tolerance in a plural society. Employing a qualitative–interpretive approach, the research combined semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and digital ethnography involving Christian educators, students, and online learning communities. This design allowed the study to capture how digital platforms influence religious formation, interfaith engagement, and ethical awareness within virtual learning environments. The findings indicate that digital media can democratize access to theological education and foster intercultural dialogue by creating new spaces of communication and collaboration. However, challenges emerge in the form of digital alienation, ethical ambiguity, and the risk of superficial spiritual engagement. Through a critical–reflective framework, the study argues that the effectiveness of digital Christian education depends on its ability to integrate technological innovation with moral discernment and theological depth. The research concludes that inclusivity in digital pedagogy is not merely a technical or institutional concern but a spiritual and ethical endeavor grounded in love, justice, and respect for human dignity. Ultimately, this study proposes a vision of “clicking for tolerance”—a model of Christian education that transforms digital spaces into environments of dialogue, compassion, and peace, contributing to Indonesia’s broader project of interreligious harmony.
Contribution: This study contributes to the development of digital theology and Christian Religious Education by offering a reflective framework for integrating faith, ethics, and technology in Indonesia’s pluralistic context. It provides practical insights for educators and policymakers on how digital platforms can become instruments of inclusion, empathy, and peacebuilding through faith-informed pedagogy.
Penelitian ini mengkaji transformasi Pendidikan Agama Kristen (PAK) di Indonesia melalui integrasi media digital sebagai alat pedagogis dan teologis untuk menumbuhkan sikap inklusif dan toleransi dalam masyarakat yang majemuk. Dengan menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif–interpretatif, penelitian ini menggabungkan wawancara semi-terstruktur, analisis dokumen, dan etnografi digital yang melibatkan para pendidik Kristen, siswa, serta komunitas pembelajaran daring. Desain ini memungkinkan penelitian untuk menangkap bagaimana platform digital memengaruhi pembentukan religius, keterlibatan lintas iman, dan kesadaran etis dalam lingkungan pembelajaran virtual. Temuan menunjukkan bahwa media digital dapat mendemokratisasi akses terhadap pendidikan teologis dan mendorong dialog antarbudaya melalui penciptaan ruang-ruang komunikasi dan kolaborasi baru. Namun, tantangan muncul dalam bentuk keterasingan digital, ambiguitas etika, serta risiko keterlibatan spiritual yang dangkal. Melalui kerangka kritis–reflektif, penelitian ini berpendapat bahwa efektivitas pendidikan Kristen digital bergantung pada kemampuannya untuk mengintegrasikan inovasi teknologi dengan kepekaan moral dan kedalaman teologis. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa inklusivitas dalam pedagogi digital bukan sekadar persoalan teknis atau kelembagaan, tetapi merupakan upaya spiritual dan etis yang berakar pada kasih, keadilan, dan penghormatan terhadap martabat manusia. Pada akhirnya, penelitian ini mengajukan visi “klik untuk toleransi” — sebuah model pendidikan Kristen yang mentransformasi ruang digital menjadi lingkungan dialog, belas kasih, dan perdamaian, serta berkontribusi pada proyek besar harmoni antaragama di Indonesia.
Kontribusi: Studi ini berkontribusi terhadap pengembangan teologi digital dan Pendidikan Agama Kristen dengan menawarkan kerangka reflektif untuk mengintegrasikan iman, etika, dan teknologi dalam konteks pluralistik Indonesia. Studi ini memberikan wawasan praktis bagi para pendidik dan pembuat kebijakan tentang bagaimana platform digital dapat menjadi sarana inklusi, empati, dan pembangunan perdamaian melalui pedagogi yang berlandaskan iman.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
References
Asmara, Alexander Hendra Dwi. "Fostering Religious Education for Transformation in Indonesia: Dialogue with Transformative Learning Theory". Journal of Asian Orientation in Theology 2, no.2 (2020): 119-148. https://doi.org/10.24071/jaot.2020.020201.
Banks, James. Transforming the Multicultural Education of Teachers: Theory, Research and Practice. Edited by M. Vavrus. New York, NY: Teachers College Press, 2002.
Basuki, Eko, Liantoro Liantoro, Dunant Frederick Saukotta, & Yusak Tanasyah. “Peran Pendidikan Agama Kristen Dalam Pembentukan Iman Kepada Anak Di Jemaat Gereja Bethel Injil Sepenuh Yerusalem Baru, Surabaya Berdasarkan Kitab Ulangan 6:4-9”. Journal of Religious and Socio-Cultural 5, no. 1 (2024): 70-85. https://doi.org/10.46362/jrsc.v5i1.239.
Campbell, Heidi A. “Introduction: The Rise of Study of Digital Religion.” In Digital Religion: Understanding Religious Practice in New Media Worlds, edited by Heidi A. Campbell, pp. 1–21. London: Routledge, 2012.
Cho, Jinmin & Manuela Heinz. “The Intersection of Faith, Spirituality and Interreligious Engagement in Catholic Schools: Teachers’ Perspectives from Ireland and South Korea.” British Journal of Religious Education (2025): 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2025.2489054.
Hammond-Todd, Michael & Monk, David. “Embracing love as an educational force in the Anthropocene”. Southern African Journal of Environmental Education 37, no. 1 (2021): 53–62. https://doi.org/10.4314/sajee.v37i1.4.
Hanes, Paul & De Muynck, Bram. “Deification of technology and the dignity of the human person”. Communications – Scientific Letters of the University of Zilina 19, no. 1 (2017): 121–125. https://doi.org/10.26552/com.C.2017.1.121-125.
Hardiman, F. Budi. Aku Klik Maka Aku Ada: Manusia dalam Revolusi Digital. Yogyakarta: Kanisius, 2021.
Hjarvard, Stig. “The Mediatisation of Religion: Theorising Religion, Media and Social Change.” Culture and Religion 12, no. 2 (2011): 119–35. https://doi.org/10.1080/14755610.2011.579719.
Malinowska, Ania. Love in contemporary technoculture. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2022.
Manalu, Immanuel Lando, Iswahyudi Iswahyudi, Lista Valentina, Wahyu Bintoro, & Damaria Pasaribu. “Model Pendidikan Agama Kristen Dalam Mengembangkan Masyarakat Majemuk Di Indonesia”. Indonesian Journal of Religious 6, no. 1 (2023): 45–57. https://doi.org/10.46362/ijr.v6i1.29.
Mashuri, Saepudin, Sauqi Futaqi, Muhammad Irfan Hasanuddin, Khaeruddin Yusuf, Rusdin, Rusli Takunas, Bahdar, Rizqi Dwicahyanti, & Ilham Dwitama Haeba. “The Building Sustainable Peace through Multicultural Religious Education in the Contemporary Era of Poso, Indonesia.” Cogent Education 11, no. 1 (2024). a2389719. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2389719.
Mualim & Aulia Naufal. “Attitudes Toward Digital Content on Religious Tolerance: A Comparative Study of Students from Religious and Non-Religious Campuses”. ESENSIA: Jurnal Ilmu-Ilmu Ushuluddin 26, no. 1 (June 29, 2025): 97–109. https://doi.org/10.14421/esensia.v26i1.6563.
Nagymzhanova, Karakat M., Olga N. Evdokimova, Zhannur Asetova, Gulzhanar Jumazhanova, & Zhanar S. Irzhassova. “The Use of Digital Technologies in the Formation of the Spiritual Culture of Primary School Teachers.” International Journal of Children’s Spirituality, (2025): 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/1364436X.2025.2527041.
Pantan, Frans. "Humanistic and inclusive Christian education: A framework for learning transformation". HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies 81, no. 1 (2025): a10488. https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v81i1.10488.
Suhardi, Untung, Muhammad Khoirul Anwar, and Yudi Yasa Wibawa. “Tantangan Moderasi Beragama Dalam Disrupsi Teknologi.” Widya Aksara: Jurnal Agama Hindu 27, no. 2 (September 26, 2022): 257–268. https://doi.org/10.54714/widyaaksara.v27i2.198.
Sumadi, Tjipto, Elindra Yetti, Yufiarti, & Wuryani. "Transformation of Tolerance Values (in Religion) in Early Childhood Education". Jurnal Pendidikan Usia Dini 13, no. 2 (2019): 386-400. https://doi.org/10.21009/JPUD.132.13.
Tran, Khoa & Tuyet Nguyen. "Preliminary Research on the Social Attitudes toward AI’s Involvement in Christian Education in Vietnam: Promoting AI Technology for Religious Education" Religions 12, no. 3 (2021): a208. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12030208.
Utami, Lutfi Ayu fadhilah, Tri Sulistiorini, & Ira Lestari. “Analisis Pentingnya Peran Moderasi Beragama Di Era Digital.” MODERATIO: Jurnal Moderasi Beragama 3, no. 2 (2023): 214–224. https://doi.org/10.32332/moderatio.v3i2.8021.
Werner, Dietrich. "Religious Education and Ecumenical Formation in Post-confessional Settings – Essentials for the Theological Education of Pastors and Teachers of Religion" International Journal of Practical Theology 28, no. 1 (2024): 135-157. https://doi.org/10.1515/ijpt-2024-0035.
Zemmrich, Eckhard. “Making Sense of Shifts in Perspectives: Perceiving and Framing Examples of Interreligious Learning in Indonesia.” Islam and Christian–Muslim Relations 31, no. 2 (2020): 151–172. https://doi.org/10.1080/09596410.2020.1782096.