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The phenomena of stigmata and divine apparitions represent profound religious experiences that demonstrate the dynamic relationship between faith, body, and consciousness. Through a phenomenological-theological approach and literature review, this study examines how these extraordinary events reflect the spiritual and psychological dimensions of faith. The results demonstrate that stigmata and apparitions are not simply supernatural phenomena, but existential encounters that express human participation in the suffering and presence of Christ. Phenomenological reflection affirms that faith is lived through bodily awareness, not merely understood conceptually. This study emphasizes the importance of discernment and theological interpretation of the church so that extreme religious experiences deepen authentic spirituality, rather than giving rise to superstition. Understanding stigmata and apparitions as transcendental experiences that transcend worldly limitations requires an openness to assess these phenomena in light of the doctrines of Christian faith. Furthermore, this study explores how these experiences contribute to the development of personal and church community spirituality and open up space for deeper reflection on the human relationship with God. Ultimately, this study bridges phenomenology and theology, demonstrating that divine experiences enrich the Christian understanding of the incarnation, suffering, and grace of God present in human existence.

In today's world, the crisis of moral integrity and low quality of leadership have become one of the most serious challenges in education and social life. This study aims to examine how Christian Religious Education and family interactions contribute to the formation of a culture of quality that supports the growth of leadership character based on faith, responsibility, and a spirit of service. The approach used is a reflective literature study with a review of eleven journals, sixteen books or other sources from theological and educational philosophy perspectives, and leadership studies. The results of the study show that Christian Religious Education not only fosters spiritual awareness and ethical thinking skills, but also strengthens students' commitment to excellence as a manifestation of living faith, hence the emphasis is on the active role of parents. The integration of faith education and family interaction creates a culture of quality that encourages continuous growth, self-reflection, and integrity in leadership. The novelty in this study is the formation of an integrated culture of quality.

The understanding of the doctrine of humanity and sin in Christian theology reveals the essence of human nature and the need for divine redemption. This study aims to examine theological perspectives on human nature and sin, focusing on the relationship between the Imago Dei and the fall of humanity. Using a qualitative descriptive approach through literature review, the research analyzes biblical texts and theological interpretations from various Christian scholars. The results show that humans, created in the image and likeness of God, were originally good and endowed with moral and spiritual capacity. However, through sin, humans experienced separation from God and moral corruption. Nevertheless, God’s grace through Jesus Christ enables the restoration of humanity’s divine image and reconciles the broken relationship with the Creator. The study highlights that understanding these doctrines helps believers realize their dependence on God’s grace, leading to repentance, transformation, and ethical living. The implication encourages Christians to maintain a responsible, spiritual, and moral life as a reflection of the renewed image of God within them.

The role of Darul Falah Islamic Boarding School's policy in instilling an attitude of tasamuh (tolerance) among students amidst the challenges of the digital era is the subject of this research. In addition to offering many conveniences, the digital era has also become a tool for spreading exclusive ideologies, hoaxes, and hatred that threaten tolerance. As an Islamic educational institution, Islamic boarding schools have a responsibility to protect their students. This research collected data through in-depth interviews with Islamic boarding school leaders, ustadz, and students, as well as observation activities and analysis of policy documents (qanun). A qualitative approach, case study method, was used. The results of the study show that Darul Falah Islamic Boarding School implements three levels of policy: (1) Curricular Policy that focuses on the study of moderate yellow books (fiqh muqaranah and tasawuf) as the theological basis of tasamuh; (2) Student Policy that encourages discussion and interaction (such as bahtsul masail) with strict sanctions for bullying; and (3) Digital Adaptive Policy that establishes strict regulations on the use of gadgets and the "Ngaji Cyber-Akhlaq" program.

The statement of Jesus in Luke 18:16, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them,” contains a theological message that remains relevant for the church throughout the ages. This study aims to examine the meaning of this phrase through a biblical exegesis approach, considering the historical, grammatical, and theological context of the Gospel of Luke. The research employs a qualitative method with historical-grammatical hermeneutics and a literature review on children’s ministry from a New Testament perspective. The findings indicate that the phrase emphasizes Jesus’ indiscriminate acceptance of children as full members of the faith community while rejecting any structural, cultural, or spiritual barriers that diminish the value and rights of children in congregational life. The implication for the contemporary church is the need to develop an inclusive, holistic, and child-friendly ministry in liturgy, education, and spiritual formation, as well as to remove obstacles that may hinder the spiritual growth of children. Thus, the message of Luke 18:16 provides a strong theological foundation for building a church that honors and empowers children as heirs of the Kingdom of God.

This article examines Moses’ leadership narrative from his divine appointment to the post-succession phase through the lenses of servant, transformational, and situational leadership. Using a qualitative narrative approach and thematic analysis, the study explores selected texts in Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy to identify leadership patterns that are theologically grounded and practically relevant for churches in Indonesia. The findings show that Moses’ leadership integrates service and empowerment, vision and transformation, as well as contextual adaptation and succession preparation. Moses’ delegation in Exodus 18 reflects servant leadership that distributes responsibility and forms accountable structures. His call in Exodus 3 represents transformational leadership that shapes collective identity and mobilizes hope. His response to conflict and his public commissioning of Joshua demonstrate situational leadership and responsible succession. The article argues that Moses’ leadership offers a theological-practical model for Indonesian churches seeking leadership that is participatory, visionary, adaptive, and regenerative. This model is especially relevant amid plural social contexts, intergenerational transitions, organizational complexity, and the need for ecclesial accountability.

This study examines the role of the church in building congregational social solidarity through a dialogue between Émile Durkheim’s sociology of religion and Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s theology of community. It responds to the tendency to reduce congregational solidarity to worship attendance, programmatic activity, or occasional charity, whereas genuine solidarity requires relational formation, trust, shared responsibility, and public witness. Using library research and conceptual-theological analysis, the study engages classical works and recent scholarship on religion, social capital, congregational cohesion, and ecclesial community. The findings show that the church functions as a relational infrastructure that forms belonging and participation, yet such solidarity remains ambivalent when it is not theologically corrected. Durkheim clarifies the social power of ritual and collective consciousness, while Bonhoeffer insists that ecclesial solidarity must be grounded in Christ, forgiveness, service, and life for others. The study concludes that a healthy church is not merely cohesive, but transforms internal cohesion into restorative public witness within fragmented plural societies, where Christian community must become critical, open, transformative, and contextually accountable to vulnerable persons and the wider public as gospel praxis.  

This study aims to formulate theopreneurship as a theological-entrepreneurial paradigm for empowering the church and society. The study is grounded in the problem that church ministry often remains predominantly charitable, while poverty, economic vulnerability, limited congregational independence, and weak access to productive ecosystems require a more transformative approach. This research employs a qualitative approach using a conceptual-constructive method through a literature review of theology of work, vocation, stewardship, social entrepreneurship, religion and entrepreneurship, and faith-based community empowerment. The data were analyzed through thematic content analysis and conceptual synthesis to construct a theopreneurship framework that avoids reducing church engagement in entrepreneurship to church business, commercialization of ministry, or prosperity theology. The findings indicate that theopreneurship can be understood as a reconstruction of the church’s ministry paradigm from a charitable model toward a productive empowerment ecosystem. Theopreneurship integrates theological values, ethical governance, congregational capacity formation, economic innovation, cross-sector collaboration, and social impact measurement. The central finding of this study affirms that the church does not need to become a corporation to generate economic impact; rather, it must become an empowerment ecosystem that forms congregants who are productive, ethical, independent, and socially transformative.  

This study examines in depth the meaning of gratitude expressed in the traditional Wu’u Nura ceremony in Daniwato Village, West Solor, as well as in the Eucharistic celebration, which stands as the central liturgy of the Catholic Church. The Wu’u Nura ceremony is a communal tradition of thanksgiving for the harvest, expressed through symbolic rituals, offerings of agricultural produce, collective prayers, and ceremonial practices that reflect a harmonious relationship between humans, nature, ancestors, and God. Through these rituals, the community strengthens social cohesion, cultural identity, and religious awareness that have been passed down across generations. In contrast, gratitude within the Eucharistic celebration is understood as an expression of faith and a theological response to God’s salvific grace manifested through Christ’s sacrifice, made present in the consecration of bread and wine. Using a qualitative method and comparative approach, this study reveals that although differing in expression, structure, and theological foundations, both practices uphold gratitude as a universal value that fosters spiritual relationships and social solidarity. The findings affirm that dialogue between local culture and Church liturgy—within the spirit of inculturation—can enrich the understanding of faith, deepen spiritual life, and support the preservation of meaningful local traditions. This study contributes significantly to cultural and theological scholarship, as well as pastoral efforts aimed at fostering harmony between religion and culture in pluralistic societies.

This study examines Christian ethics in responding to the moral crisis of young people in the digital era. The development of social media, algorithmic culture, and the attention economy has shaped how young people construct identity, manage desire, build relationships, and make moral decisions. The central issue explored in this study is not merely digital misconduct, such as hoaxes, cyberbullying, pornography, self-display culture, and social media addiction, but the fracture of Christian self-awareness that separates faith from everyday digital practices. This research employs a descriptive qualitative method through library research and theological-ethical analysis. The data were analyzed through thematic reduction, categorization of digital moral issues, and interpretation based on Christian ethical principles. The findings show that the digital moral crisis must be understood as a problem of identity, desire formation, and character development. Therefore, this study constructs a model of digital Christian ethics consisting of digital moral literacy, digital character discipline, digital discipleship community, and digital witness. The implication is that families, churches, and Christian educational institutions must develop systematic, contextual, and transformative digital ethics formation.

This study is motivated by the increasing complexity of ethical challenges in public healthcare services in the modern era, characterized by rapid technological advancement, professional pressures, and shifting moral values. Within this context, Christian healthcare professionals face significant dilemmas in maintaining their faith-based ethical principles amid pragmatic service demands. This research aims to construct a Christian ethical framework on human dignity as a normative foundation for public healthcare practice. The study employs a descriptive qualitative method using a literature review approach, analyzing theological, philosophical, and social sources related to ethics, human dignity, and public service. The findings reveal that Christian ethics is rooted in the concept of Imago Dei, affirming that every human being possesses intrinsic dignity as created in the image of God. The principles of love (agape), justice, and moral responsibility serve as the core foundation for ethical healthcare practice. The implications of this study emphasize that healthcare services should not be merely technical but must also embody spiritual and humanistic values. Therefore, Christian healthcare professionals are called to act as moral agents who promote compassionate, dignified, and holistic care within the public healthcare system.

Marriage preparation courses have become increasingly important for couples who wish to build a strong foundation for their relationships. These courses provide couples with the tools to understand and navigate their roles and responsibilities in a marriage. For Catholic couples, attending marriage preparation courses is seen as an essential step in preparing for a lifelong commitment, in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church. According to John Paul II (1981) in Familiaris Consortio, a document that outlines the duties and responsibilities of families, the preparation for marriage should be holistic, addressing not only the emotional and social aspects but also the spiritual and theological dimensions of family life. This study specifically aims to explore the meaning and impact of marriage preparation courses on the happiness of Catholic families at the St. Paul Beganding station. Using a qualitative approach, the research employed a combination of observation, interviews, and documentation techniques to gather data. The study involved 12 informants, including five married couples who had attended marriage preparation courses, one Porhanger (a community leader), and one parish priest under the St. Peter and Paul Kabanjahe parish. The findings reveal that marriage preparation courses had a significant and positive effect on the happiness of Catholic families, particularly those at the St. Paul Beganding station. The course content provided couples with a deeper understanding of their roles and duties as spouses and parents, allowing them to build stronger, more resilient relationships. Participants expressed that the courses helped them address challenges more effectively and fostered a greater sense of commitment and mutual respect. This, in turn, contributed to the overall happiness of their families. Couples who had attended the course reported stronger emotional and spiritual connections, further emphasizing the importance of comprehensive marriage preparation for long-term marital success.

This study examines the understanding of the sacredness of nature in the beliefs of the Detunggali indigenous community as a reflection of the theology of creation. The study is based on the view that long before the emergence of formal religions, indigenous communities had already possessed a profound cosmological awareness regarding the relationship between humans, nature, and the Divine. The purpose of this research is to analyze how the meaning of the sacredness of nature is experienced within Detunggali customs and to interpret its relevance from the perspective of the theology of creation. This research employs a descriptive qualitative method with a library research approach supported by theological, anthropological, and local cultural sources. The findings reveal that the Detunggali indigenous community does not perceive nature merely as a physical environment or a means of fulfilling human needs, but rather as a sacred reality containing spiritual values and the presence of ancestors. This understanding creates a harmonious relationship between humans and nature, manifested through attitudes of respect, responsibility, and customary practices aimed at preserving environmental balance. The study also demonstrates that indigenous local wisdom contributes significantly to enriching the theology of creation, particularly in responding to ecological crises, environmental degradation, and the increasing exploitation of nature in the modern era.

This study provides an in-depth analysis of the urgency of employing a contextual approach to the Qur’an and Sunnah as a hermeneutical framework for addressing the increasingly complex social problems in Indonesia. Based on the premise that divine revelation encompasses both textual and contextual dimensions, this research underscores the necessity of reinterpreting Islamic teachings by considering the sociocultural, economic, and intellectual transformations of modern society. Utilizing library research and extensive scholarly literature review, the study examines the contributions of the contextual approach in revitalizing maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah, advancing social exegesis, promoting productive zakat models, strengthening child protection policies, developing environmental jurisprudence, and enhancing social ijtihād during crisis situations such as the Covid-19 pandemic. The findings demonstrate that a contextual approach enables Islamic teachings to be articulated into more adaptive, inclusive, and progressive ethical principles without compromising their theological foundations. This approach also reinforces the integration of social sciences into Islamic studies, thereby producing legal formulations and public policies that promote public welfare, social justice, and ecological sustainability. Overall, the study concludes that the contextual approach is not merely a method of interpretation but a civilizational paradigm essential for shaping Islam’s relevance within Indonesia’s multicultural society. By fostering a dialogical encounter between scriptural texts and empirical realities, this approach preserves the vitality of Islamic teachings while ensuring their constructive and sustainable contribution to resolving national issues.  

The globalization era presents considerable challenges to the development of Islamic identity among university students. Technological progress, intercultural interaction, and exposure to various ideologies significantly affect students’ values and moral orientations. This study aims to analyze the Aqidah Akhlak paradigm as a framework for reinforcing students’ Islamic identity within the global context. This research applies a qualitative method through library research by examining classical and contemporary Islamic educational literature as well as relevant scholarly works. The findings demonstrate that the Aqidah Akhlak paradigm, which combines solid theological belief (aqidah) with moral character development (akhlak), plays an essential role in cultivating spiritual strength, ethical consciousness, and social responsibility. The reinforcement of Islamic identity is not limited to religious rituals, but also includes the internalization of faith-based values and the consistent application of moral principles in academic and social environments. Therefore, a contextual and integrated approach to Aqidah Akhlak education is necessary to develop intellectually competent and ethically grounded Muslim students in the era of globalization.

Indonesia's cultural diversity demands a process of inculturation, in which local values ​​enter into dialogue with faith. This study examines the Lodong Me tradition in Sikka, East Nusa Tenggara, as a ritual of thanksgiving for birth that is essential and relevant amidst the challenges of modernity. The aim is to describe the meaning of Lodong Me and analyze its encounter with Christian faith through an inculturation approach. Using a qualitative approach with a case study design, data were collected through in-depth interviews with key informants and tested using source triangulation. The results show that Lodong Me is interpreted culturally and theologically as gratitude for divine grace, where gratitude to ancestors and God (Ama Pu) is placed in a harmonious arrangement. This ritual has been proven to meet the criteria for genuine adaptation because it has compatible values ​​(such as work ethic and responsibility to care for creation) and effectively strengthens the congregation's faith experience. By implication, this case study enriches the literature on inculturation in Indonesia and makes an important contribution to the Church's pastoral care in Sikka to prevent duality of belief.

This study aims to analyze the role of catechesis in preparing couples for marriage in the Catholic Church comprehensively, encompassing theological, spiritual, mental, and emotional dimensions. The background of this study is based on the phenomenon that some couples still enter into marriage without adequate faith preparation, thus implicating a low understanding of the meaning of the sacrament of marriage as a holy and inseparable life partnership. The research method used is a quantitative approach with a Likert-scale questionnaire as the data collection technique. The research instrument was compiled based on three main indicators, namely understanding the teachings of the sacrament, family function, and church life. Data were analyzed descriptively to measure respondents' perceptions of the effectiveness of catechesis in preparing for Catholic marriage. The results showed that the role of catechesis obtained a high average score of 37.34, with 83.87% of respondents in the strongly agree category. This indicates that catechesis plays a significant role in shaping the spiritual and psychological readiness of prospective couples. The implications of this research confirm that catechesis does not only function as a process of teaching faith, but also as an integral pastoral tool in building Catholic families based on love, loyalty, and Christian responsibility, and contributes to strengthening the faith of the church community. .

Pastoral ministry plays a crucial role in shaping the spiritual growth of the congregation so that they live according to the principles of the Kingdom of God. In practice, many congregations do not fully understand the meaning of Matthew 6:33, so its values are merely spiritual slogans without concrete application in daily life. This study aims to design a more effective pastoral strategy within the GEREJA KRISTEN SETIA INDONESIA (GKSI) Getsemani Palah Parajo, focusing on five main aspects: (1) a theological understanding of Matthew 6:33 as the basis for pastoral care; (2) the role of the pastor and congregation in building healthy relationships; (3) identifying the congregation's spiritual needs and challenges; (4) developing contextual pastoral strategies and methods; and (5) evaluating the congregation's spiritual growth. Through this approach, it is hoped that pastoral care will become a means of forming Christ-like character, which is not only theologically relevant but also has a real impact on the congregation's daily lives.

The contemporary digital era has triggered the normalization of pornography and promiscuous sexual behavior, which significantly threatens the theological understanding and sacramental practice of Catholic marriage among young adults. This article aims to examine, from a theological-juridical perspective, how canons 1055–1101 of the Code of Canon Law (CIC) serve as the authoritative foundation for the Church in safeguarding the dignity and validity of the sacrament of marriage. The method employed is a comprehensive literature study of the CIC, relevant magisterial documents of the Church, and contemporary scholarly works on the dynamics of young adult relationships. The concise findings indicate that exposure to and normalization of pornography directly weaken three fundamental aspects of Catholic marriage, namely the capacity to give free consent, the intention to practice permanent fidelity, and the correct understanding of the body’s meaning as a total self-gift. Nevertheless, the Church possesses solid canonical and pastoral instruments to address these challenges and facilitate restoration. In conclusion, a synergistic integration of canonical approaches, moral teachings, and pastoral guidance is required to assist young adult couples so that they may realize marriages that are not only canonically valid but also psychologically mature and sacramentally holy.

This study examines the Lom Plai tradition of the Dayak Wehea community from the perspective of Catholic inculturation theology. Although this tradition has been widely studied from an anthropological perspective, no research has specifically examined the meaning of its values, symbols, and rituals in the light of inculturation. Therefore, this study is important to see the possibility of dialogue between the Gospel and local culture. The purpose of this study is to understand how elements of Lom Plai culture can be interpreted and processed within the framework of inculturation theology and how the values ​​contained therein can enrich the pastoral life of the community. The study uses a literature review method with a qualitative-contextual theological approach through analysis of theological literature, Church documents, and ethnographic studies of the Dayak Wehea. The research findings indicate that the values ​​of harvest gratitude, respect for the land, community solidarity, and symbols such as rice and thanksgiving rituals are aligned with Christian spirituality and have the potential to be integrated into pastoral practice. The implications of this study emphasize the need for ongoing discernment so that the inculturation process runs authentically, enriches the community's faith, and maintains the cultural identity of the Wehea community.