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This study examines how parents can serve as role models in fostering the spiritual growth of their adolescents. Parents play a fundamental role in shaping their children's character and faith by providing positive examples that adolescents can imitate in their daily lives. Spiritual growth during adolescence is particularly important because it serves as a strong foundation for their future faith, values, and moral development. The purpose of this study is to explore how parental role modeling influences adolescents' spiritual growth. This research employed a qualitative methodology using a library research approach. Relevant books, journal articles, theological literature, and other scholarly references were analyzed to examine theories and concepts related to parental roles and adolescent spiritual formation. The findings indicate that effective parental role modeling is demonstrated through words, behavior, love, faithfulness, integrity, and purity, which encourage adolescents to develop a deeper relationship with God and practice Christian values consistently. The study concludes that parents should actively model faith in everyday life as an essential part of educating their adolescents. By becoming living examples of Christian values, parents can significantly contribute to nurturing adolescents' spiritual maturity and strengthening their commitment to a lifelong life of faith.

The development of social media has significantly changed human communication patterns. On the one hand, digital media provides a space for freedom of expression, but on the other hand, it has also given rise to digital judgmental cultural phenomena such as Cancel culture and cyberbullying. These phenomena often give rise to verbal violence, public humiliation, and massive social exclusion in cyberspace. This article aims to analyze the phenomena of Cancel culture and cyberbullying from a Christian ethical perspective. The research method used is a literature review with a theological-ethical approach. The results of the study indicate that the digital judgmental culture contradicts the principles of love, respect for human dignity as the Imago Dei, and Christian communication ethics taught in the Bible. Christian ethics views every individual as having value before God, so the practices of humiliation, digital bullying, and public judgment are unjustifiable. The church and believers are called to present constructive, loving, communication in the digital space.

Christian religious education teachers act as agents of social, spiritual, and cultural transformation by integrating Christian values ​​into the lives of communities that are still strongly bound to ancestral customs and beliefs. The transformation of customs through contextual evangelism is both a challenge and an opportunity for Christian religious education (PAK) teachers in carrying out their roles as educators and servants of God in a pluralistic society. This study aims to analyze the strategic steps of PAK teachers in integrating Gospel values ​​with local culture without eliminating the identity of the Christian faith or damaging the noble values ​​of customs. The research method used is a qualitative approach and literature study. The results of the study indicate that PAK teachers need to have three main strategic steps, namely contextual understanding by studying in depth the values, symbols, and practices of local customs, a transformational approach, namely presenting Gospel values ​​through education that respects culture but leads to renewal of life and pedagogical implementation through creative and reflective learning methods that foster students' awareness of faith and social responsibility. With this strategy, Christian Religious Education teachers can become agents of transformation, bridging the gap between Christian faith and local culture, ensuring that evangelism is not confrontational but contextual, dialogical, and builds lives rooted in the love of Christ.

This study is motivated by the author’s interest in the concept of God’s faithfulness (khesed) as revealed in the book of Hosea, which portrays God’s steadfast love through the marriage of Hosea and Gomer. Gomer represents Israel, the unfaithful spouse, while Hosea embodies God’s enduring love despite betrayal. Contemporary family life faces numerous challenges, including infidelity, economic hardship, incompatibility, and divorce problems also affecting Christian families in the Toraja Church congregation of Tabang. This study aims to describe the hermeneutics of khesed in the book of Hosea and its practical theological implications for families in that congregation. A qualitative research method was employed, incorporating library research, field research, and interviews with six informants. The findings reveal that khesed refers to an act of faithfulness rooted in obedience to previously agreed vows, commitments, and principles. The practical theological implication is that every Christian family is called to reflect God’s faithfulness by remaining loyal to their spouse, to others, and to God in every dimension of life.

Human happiness does not lie in physical pleasure, victory, wealth, honour, worldly power, a beautiful body, or the senses. People in religious communities seek something deeper, contemplating and acknowledging the highest value in union with God. Thomas Aquinas, in his Summa Contra Gentiles, arguments that human happiness lies in the contemplation of God, through which one attains peace and fulfilment in total self-surrender to God. However, in the lived experience of religious communities, a fear of matters related to sexuality is evident. Indeed, some misunderstand and misinterpret these matters, resulting in monks and nuns who become cold, dry, and rigid, acting in ways that violate sexual morality, thereby disrupting or even destroying—their ministry due to such improper conduct. Based on this, the author recognises the importance of education and the appreciation of sexual values for religious communities. Using a literature review method involving relevant books, journals, articles, and Church documents with a theological approach, it was found that the education of religious people requires aspects of happiness and sexuality education. The results of the study indicate that Thomas Aquinas’s concept of happiness can bridge religious life with sexuality education, which is one aspect that must be understood and lived out. Therefore, the happiness of love and the sexuality education of religious people need to be explored and lived out in the course of living and experiencing life as a religious person.

This research is motivated by the importance of understanding the development of the Kingdom of God in Indonesia as a reality present in the lives of the people through the values ​​of love, justice, and peace in a pluralistic society. The purpose of this research is to analyze the factors that support and hinder the development of the Kingdom of God in Indonesia and explain its application in contemporary life. The method used is a qualitative descriptive method through a literature review and theological analysis of the social, cultural, and religious dynamics that are developing in Indonesian society. The results of the study indicate that the development of the Kingdom of God is supported by the role of the church in evangelistic missions, holistic services, universal values ​​of love and justice, and a spirit of religious moderation. On the other hand, this development is hampered by local cultural resistance, socio-political dynamics, a lack of comprehensive theological understanding, and the potential for conflict in poorly managed plurality. The implications of this research emphasize that the Kingdom of God needs to be lived as a contemporary reality through personal and social transformation, obedience to God's will, and the realization of identity as citizens of the Kingdom of God in everyday life.

The book on the City of God and the City of Man is a masterpiece by St. Augustine that is very influential in the history of philosophy and theology. This book contains the background of Augustine's philosophical and theological reflections on the accusation of the destruction of the Roman Empire against Christianity. The City of God described in Augustine's perspective is a city that prioritizes love for God. While the City of Man is a city that reflects self-love. The implications of both types of cities in Augustine's perspective are very relevant to be discussed in the discourse on the concept of statehood. This paper also aims to analyze the relationship between democracy and capitalism in the perspective of Augustine of Hippo's thought, especially through the concept of civitas Dei (City of God) and civitas terrena (World City). This study uses a qualitative method with a library research approach. The results of this study show that democracy and capitalism, although providing space for freedom, are vulnerable to deviations when not guided by the correct moral orientation. In light of Augustine's thought, the crisis in modern democracy such as; Money politics, media manipulation, and anarchic demonstrations reflect the dominance of self-love (amor sui) that characterizes the civitas terrena. Therefore, democracy can only operate fairly if it is rooted in moral values ​​that lead to the common good (Bonum communae).

This study examines eschatology within the framework of Catholic faith as a reflection of faith and hope of salvation, not merely as a depiction of the end times. The background highlights the need to avoid reducing eschatology to a sole event of judgment day, by emphasizing the close relationship between eschatology, Christology, and soteriology, as well as the role of faith in the daily life of Catholic believers. The aim of the study is to articulate eschatology as an integrative framework that connects faith, hope, love, sacraments, liturgy, and inculturation in the Church’s praxis, and to consolidate the active participation of the faithful in the Kingdom of God, which has been initiated but not yet completed. The research method is descriptive-analytical literature review, comparing the views of experts, the Church Magisterium, and contemporary liturgical and theological documents to construct a comprehensive theoretical framework. The main findings indicate that Catholic eschatology functions as a moral and spiritual engine: (1) it integrates the “already and not yet” in the experience of faith; (2) it links eschatological hope with the actions of love, justice, and social liberation; (3) it bridges private faith with sacramental practice and inculturation. Theological and pastoral implications include strengthening faith formation, participation in liturgy, and an imaginative response to present-day social and environmental challenges. This narrative affirms a living, inclusive, and relevant eschatology for the Church’s life of faith in the contemporary era.

The concept of mahabbah (divine love) is one of the pinnacles of achievement in the Sufism tradition that marks the existential closeness between man and God. In the context of prophetic literature, this concept is not only present as an individual spiritual experience, but also undergoes a transformation into a communicative aesthetic and ethical discourse. This study aims to examine the transformation of the concept of mahabbah in Kuntowijoyo's poems by placing them in a prophetic literary framework that emphasizes the dimensions of transcendence, humanization, and liberation. The method used is literary hermeneutics with an interpretive approach to uncover the layers of symbolic meaning in the text. The data is in the form of selected poems that represent the themes of spirituality, Divine love, and human relationship with God. The results of the study show that the concept of mahabbah in Kuntowijoyo's poems undergoes a transformation from the concept of classical Sufism which is esoteric in nature to a more contextual and communicative symbolic expression. This transformation is seen through the use of symbols of love, longing, sincerity, and sacrifice that represent not only man's vertical relationship with God, but also a horizontal relationship with fellow humans. Thus, mahabbah in prophetic literature does not stop at the mystical dimension, but moves towards social praxisis oriented towards human values. This research confirms that poetry functions as a dialectical medium between spiritual experience and social reality, as well as a means of transforming transcendental values into concrete life.

The book on the City of God and the City of Man is a masterpiece by St. Augustine that is very influential in the history of philosophy and theology. This book contains the background of Augustine's philosophical and theological reflections on the accusation of the destruction of the Roman Empire against Christianity. The City of God described in Augustine's perspective is a city that prioritizes love for God. While the City of Man is a city that reflects self-love. The implications of both types of cities in Augustine's perspective are very relevant to be discussed in the discourse on the concept of statehood. This paper also aims to analyze the relationship between democracy and capitalism in the perspective of Augustine of Hippo's thought, especially through the concept of civitas Dei (City of God) and civitas terrena (World City). This study uses a qualitative method with a library research approach. The results of this study show that democracy and capitalism, although providing space for freedom, are vulnerable to deviations when not guided by the correct moral orientation. In light of Augustine's thought, the crisis in modern democracy such as; Money politics, media manipulation, and anarchic demonstrations reflect the dominance of self-love (amor sui) that characterizes the civitas terrena. Therefore, democracy can only operate fairly if it is rooted in moral values ​​that lead to the common good (Bonum communae).

The contemporary ecological crisis demonstrates an imbalance in the relationship between humans and nature that is not only ecological, but also theological and moral. This article aims to analyze the ecological crisis from the perspective of Augustine of Hippo through the concepts of free will (liberum arbitrium) and the order of love (ordo amoris), as well as their relevance to the relationship between humans and nature. This study employs a qualitative approach using the library research method. The primary data sources are secondary literature, namely books and academic studies discussing Augustine’s philosophical and theological thought, supported by journal articles, Church documents, and contemporary ecotheological studies. The data were analyzed using descriptive-analytical and hermeneutic methods. The results of the study indicate that the ecological crisis originates from the disorientation of human will influenced by excessive self-love, which gives rise to an anthropocentric and exploitative attitude toward nature. From Augustine’s perspective, the restoration of the relationship between humans and nature requires an order of love directed toward God as the highest good. Therefore, the ecological crisis is understood as a spiritual crisis that demands an inner transformation of humanity in establishing an ethical relationship with all creation.

Church leadership with integrity is a major challenge today. Melchizedek, a biblical figure of leadership (Genesis 14 and Hebrews 7), serves as a special example because he was both a priest and a king who had no beginning or end. This study aims to determine how Melchizedek's leadership with integrity can be applied by the leaders of the Indonesian Bethel Church in Manokwari. The method used in this research is a qualitative study through reading and reviewing various books and writings. The results indicate that Melchizedek's leadership principles, such as justice, a love of service, and remaining faithful to God, are highly suitable for application in today's church. In conclusion, integrity is crucial in church leadership because it can build trust and create a healthy church community.

Divorce has become an increasingly common reality in Christian family life and poses serious challenges for the church in carrying out pastoral family ministry. Theologically, divorce stands in tension with Christian ethics, which views marriage as a sacred and covenantal institution established by God. This article aims to analyze Christian ethics regarding divorce from a biblical theological perspective and to examine its implications for family ministry within the context of Ketapang, West Kalimantan. This study employs a qualitative research method with a theological-normative and contextual approach through a literature review of biblical texts, theological books, and scholarly journals. The findings indicate that Scripture affirms marriage as God’s ideal will, while divorce is understood as a consequence of human sinfulness and relational brokenness. In the context of Ketapang, social, economic, and cultural factors contribute significantly to the vulnerability of families to divorce. Therefore, the church is called to develop a contextual family ministry that not only upholds Christian ethical norms but also embodies love, justice, forgiveness, and restoration for broken families. This article emphasizes that Christian ethics concerning divorce must be practiced pastorally and transformatively within the life of the local church.

This research is motivated by the reality of human life that is inseparable from suffering and a crisis of hope, particularly within the context of faith experiences. Lamentations 3:1–24 was chosen as the object of study because it contains a profound expression of suffering that transforms into hope through an awareness of God's steadfast love. The purpose of this study is to theologically examine the meaning of hope amid suffering and to explore how this text provides spiritual strength for believers in the contemporary era. The research employs a qualitative method with a library research approach and theological-biblical hermeneutical analysis of the text of Lamentations 3:1–24. The novelty of this research lies in its integrative interpretation, which emphasizes existential honesty, faith reflection, and spiritual refinement as a path to forming spiritual character through suffering. The findings indicate that suffering is not the end but a divine means to direct believers toward true hope in God’s steadfast love. Thus, honest faith, prayer, and waiting become tangible expressions of a spirituality that endures and grows amid darkness.

This study examines the meaning of eschatology in the teachings of the Catholic Church as a source of hope and comfort for the faithful. The eschatological meaning of comfort and hope is rooted in the belief that human life is not completed in limitations, suffering, and death at this time, but leads to the fulfillment of God's promise of life with Him. This research uses a qualitative method through literature study by analyzing church documents, theological thoughts and execes from books and articles to compile and present the topic of this research. The results show that the principle of eschatology is rooted in belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and that it affirms the promise of eternal life and provides comfort and hope over suffering and death. The teachings of death, judgment, and eternal life are the basis of hope as well as comfort for the people in facing the various crises of life. In addition, eschatology is also relevant in today's life because it encourages people to live in love, justice, and moral responsibility as a manifestation of faith.  

This research aims to examine the values contained in Dalihan Na Tolu through the perspective of Christian eschatology and examine its relevance to the mission of the Catholic Church in society. Dalihan Na Tolu as a socio-cultural system of the Batak community contains the values of respect, solidarity, responsibility, and brotherhood which play an important role in building social harmony. This research uses a qualitative method with a library research approach through the collection of data from various books, journals, Church documents, and scientific sources relevant to the research theme. The results of the study show that the values in Dalihan Na Tolu are related to eschatological expectations in the Christian faith, especially in building a life that reflects the love, brotherhood, and fellowship that God wills. In addition, Dalihan Na Tolu also has relevance in the Church's mission as a means of inculturation in the proclamation of the Gospel that is more contextual in the Batak community. Thus, local culture is not seen as an obstacle to faith, but rather as a means that can support the realization of the values of God's Kingdom in common life.

This study aims to examine the message of repentance in Jonah 3:1-10 through an interpretive analysis focusing on the manifestation of God's mercy toward non-Israelite nations. The background of this study is rooted in the theological tension between Israel's exclusivism and the universality of God's love reaching Nineveh, a nation notorious for its cruelty. The method used is qualitative with a historical-grammatical exegesis approach to uncover the meaning of the text in its original context. The research results show that Nineveh's repentance was a radical response to the warning of judgment, involving all elements of society from the common people to political authorities. This phenomenon proves that the primary purpose of God's prophecy of judgment is not destruction, but the transformation of human behavior. This analysis confirms that God's mercy is sovereign and transcends ethnic or geographical boundaries. The implications of this research emphasize the importance for modern faith communities to adopt an inclusive attitude and understand that the sovereignty of God's love cannot be limited by human prejudice against groups perceived as strangers or enemies

From the beginning of creation, God had forbidden the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, warning that anyone who ate it would face death. However, this warning was ignored when Eve, tempted by Satan's persuasion, chose to disobey God's command. This action led to sin, as it reflected a wrong decision and went against God's will. Originally, Adam and Eve lived in a state of holiness and freedom from sin. God Himself stated that humans were created in His image and likeness, meaning they possessed a purity and nobility that reflected His love. However, their decision to eat the forbidden fruit removed that purity. As a result, humans were separated from God's holiness and fell into sin. This is the basis for the teaching affirmed in Romans 3:23, which states that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." This wrong choice had profound consequences, illustrating the importance of obedience to God's commands for maintaining purity and an intimate relationship with Him.

This study aims to examine the theological meaning of love for the poor in the apostolic exhortation Dilexi Te and to reflect on its relevance within the context of Indonesia’s pluralistic society. The research employs a qualitative method with a literature study approach, using Dilexi Te as the primary source, supported by relevant theological and social literature. The findings reveal that love for the poor in Dilexi Te is not merely a charitable act but constitutes the core of Christian faith, inseparable from one’s relationship with God. This love is integral, encompassing spiritual, moral, and structural dimensions, and calls for active engagement in promoting social justice and addressing the root causes of poverty. Theologically, solidarity with the poor is grounded in the mystery of Christ’s incarnation and the principle of the preferential option for the poor. In the Indonesian context of diversity, this teaching holds strong relevance as a foundation for fostering interreligious solidarity, strengthening social cohesion, and encouraging both the Church and society to work toward a more just, inclusive, and humane social order. Therefore, this study highlights that theological reflection on love for the poor is not merely normative but also carries concrete social implications in a pluralistic society.

The rapid development of digital technology and artificial intelligence has transformed human life in significant ways while simultaneously fostering a reductionist understanding of the human person based on productivity, efficiency, and technical capability. This phenomenon poses serious challenges to the understanding of human dignity and identity. This study aims to examine the concept of the human person according to Pope Leo XIV in the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas and to analyze its relevance for contemporary society. The research employs a qualitative method with a literature review approach, drawing primarily on the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas and related scholarly sources. The findings reveal that Pope Leo XIV understands the human person as created in the image and likeness of God (imago Dei), possessing an inherent dignity that does not depend on ability, social status, or productivity. This understanding is grounded in Christological and Trinitarian foundations, which affirm the human person as a relational being called to communion with God and others through love and self-giving. The encyclical also offers a critical response to technocratic paradigms, transhumanism, and posthumanism, which risk reducing human beings to technological objects or economic instruments. In the context of contemporary society, Pope Leo XIV’s thought provides a theological and ethical foundation for the development of human-centered technology while reinforcing respect for human dignity in social, educational, economic, and ecclesial life. This study concludes that the anthropological reflection presented in Magnifica Humanitas offers a significant contribution to addressing the human challenges emerging in the digital and artificial intelligence era.