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This study examines the implementation of religious freedom in Indonesia, focusing on the case of the sealing of the POUK Tesalonika House of Prayer in Teluknaga, Tangerang Regency, in April 2026. This incident reflects the tension between administrative regulations, specifically the Building Permit, and the constitutional right to freedom of religion as guaranteed in Article 28E and Article 29(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia. This study employs a normative legal method with legislative,conceptual, and case-based approaches. The analysis reveals that the sealing action fails to meet the principle of proportionality in administrative law, and results in legal discrimination that contradicts the principle of equality before the law and the spirit of Pancasila. These findings affirm that the right to worship is a non-derogable right that cannot be diminished by technical permitting regulations. Therefore, the state must prioritize a facilitative and protective approach in regulating places of worship, to guarantee freedom of religion and uphold Indonesia’s integrity as a democratic and tolerant rule of law state.

This study aims to examine relevant and effective Christian Religious Education (CRE) learning methods in the digital era. The rapid development of information and communication technology has brought significant changes in education, including CRE instruction. The research method employed is a literature study with a descriptive-analytical approach to various academic sources and technology-based CRE learning practices. The results indicate that integrating digital media such as online learning platforms, Bible-based interactive applications, and social media creatively can enhance students' engagement and understanding of Christian faith values. Furthermore, the use of digital technology opens wider opportunities for contextual and meaningful faith formation across diverse learning environments. The study also identifies key challenges faced by CRE teachers, namely digital readiness, infrastructure limitations, and maintaining relational and spiritual dimensions in virtual learning environments. Teachers must therefore be equipped not only technologically but also theologically to navigate these complexities. The research concludes that the transformation of CRE methods in the digital era is not merely a technology adoption but a holistic theological integration of faith, technology, and pedagogy.

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.

This research aims to examine how the functions of Christian counseling (preventive, curative, developmental, and pastoral) can be integrated into the practice of Christian Religious Education as an effective strategy to support adolescents’ faith development. The background of this study arises from the fact that adolescents experience a crisis of faith that is not only related to theological aspects but also affects their psychological and emotional well-being. On the other hand, christian religious education practices in schools often remain focused on the transfer of doctrinal knowledge without being balanced by adequate personal guidance. This study applies a qualitative method through literature review and conceptual analysis of christian counseling theory, theories of adolescent faith development, and pedagogical practices in christian religious education. The findings indicate that integrating Christian counseling functions into the design of christian religious education learning can create a dialogical, reflective, and pastoral classroom atmosphere, providing opportunities for adolescents to develop spiritual discernment, self-awareness, and the ability to make responsible moral decisions. This article discusses the relevance of counseling to adolescents’ spiritual development, the characteristics of their faith development, the challenges of implementing counseling in Christian educational institutions, and the design of learning based on dialogue, reflection, and mentoring. In this way, the integration of christian counseling in christian religious education is considered a holistic approach that enriches the meaning of faith education and supports adolescents’ faith growth in a contextual, profound, and sustainable manner.

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.

The paradigmatic transformation of Christian Religious Education (CRE) in the digital era has become a crucial issue to be examined because the development of information technology, virtual culture, and globalization has brought significant changes to adolescents’ mindsets, behaviors, and character formation. These conditions have created various moral and spiritual challenges, such as identity crises, declining ethical sensitivity, and the increasing influence of individualistic and hedonistic values among young people. This study aims to analyze the paradigm transformation of Christian Religious Education in shaping adolescent character through a theological-pedagogical perspective that is relevant to the context of the digital era. The research employs a qualitative method using a library research approach and descriptive analysis of various scientific, theological, and pedagogical sources related to Christian education, teacher spirituality, and adolescent character development in the digital age. The findings indicate that the transformation of the CRE paradigm should be directed toward contextual, participatory, and transformative learning by positioning teachers as spiritual role models and facilitators of character formation. Furthermore, the integration of Christian values, the ethical use of technology, and collaboration among schools, families, and churches are important factors in shaping adolescents who possess strong character, integrity, and spiritual maturity amid increasingly complex digital challenges.

This article theologically analyzes the role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers through a study of the doctrine of pneumatology, traced from the testimony of Scripture to its impact on the practice of Christian faith. The purpose of this study is to explain how the work of the Holy Spirit is understood not merely as a theological concept, but also as a spiritual reality that shapes the identity, character, and dynamics of believers’ service. The method employed is qualitative research with a library research approach, involving the analysis of relevant theological and biblical sources to construct a conceptual framework concerning the work of the Holy Spirit in guidance, conviction, the sealing of salvation, spiritual transformation, and empowerment in ministry. This research is necessary because there remains a limited understanding of pneumatology that tends to be doctrinal and disconnected from concrete faith experiences. The findings of this study indicate that the presence of the Holy Spirit plays a vital role in leading believers into truth, forming Christian character, strengthening their identity as children of God, and empowering them to serve effectively within the community. Therefore, pneumatology holds significant practical relevance in fostering a dynamic, reflective, and transformative life of faith in the contemporary Christian context.

This study aims to explore how the inquiry approach functions as a pedagogical strategy in Christian Religious Education to enhance students’ spiritual discernment. The background of this research arises from the tendency of learning practices that remain predominantly focused on cognitive aspects, thereby not fully cultivating spiritual sensitivity in life decision-making. This study employs a qualitative method with a descriptive-analytical approach through a review of theological and pedagogical literature, conceptual analysis, and reflection on classroom learning practices. The analysis focuses on the relationship between the core elements of inquiry questioning, investigating, dialoguing, and reflecting on knowledge and the process of developing the ability to discern God’s will in the real-life contexts of students. The findings indicate that inquiry effectively creates a reflective learning experience that integrates cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions, enabling students not only to understand faith teachings theoretically but also to consider Christian values in concrete situations. This approach encourages active participation, constructive and critical dialogue, and fosters habits of faith reflection, moral sensitivity, and personal responsibility. Thus, inquiry is proven to be a relevant pedagogical method for achieving the theological goal of Christian Religious Education, namely the formation of spiritual discernment that guides students’ attitudes, decisions, and actions in daily life.

Urban poverty remains a complex social problem that affects various community groups, including scavengers who work within the informal sector. This study aims to analyze the survival strategies of scavengers in Tangerang City and reflect on their experiences from a Christian theological perspective. The research uses a qualitative approach through literature study and descriptive analysis of relevant social phenomena. The findings show that scavengers develop several survival strategies, including utilizing family and community networks, working persistently, selecting strategic collection areas, managing limited income, and adapting to uncertain environmental and economic conditions. Nevertheless, scavengers continue to face social marginalization, economic vulnerability, occupational risks, limited access to health services, and inadequate social protection. From a Christian theological perspective, this reality calls for a response grounded in love, justice, human dignity, and concern for marginalized communities. Therefore, churches, local communities, and wider society are expected to participate actively in empowering scavengers through holistic, inclusive, and contextual approaches that strengthen welfare, social recognition, and sustainable livelihoods.

This article discusses the dynamics of Christian students’ spirituality in the digital era, characterized by the currents of globalization, information overload, and a culture of virtual communication that influence patterns of thinking, lifestyles, and character formation. The novelty of this study lies in its analysis of the direct relationship between the digital-global context and the process of students’ faith formation through an integrative theological–pedagogical perspective. This research aims to analyze the implications of digital globalization for the spirituality of Christian students and to formulate directions for faith formation that are relevant to the contemporary context. The method employed is a qualitative approach using a library research design through conceptual, theological, and pedagogical analysis of various relevant scholarly sources. The findings indicate that the digital era presents both opportunities and challenges for faith development, in which students experience a dynamic tension between the strengthening of spiritual insight and the potential value crisis resulting from exposure to global ideologies. In conclusion, contextual, reflective, and selective strategies of faith formation are required to ensure that the spirituality of Christian students remains firm, critical, and relevant amid the currents of digital globalization.

This study aims to analyze the role of Christian Religious Education (CRE) teachers as counselors in shaping students’ social behavior amid increasing behavioral deviations such as bullying, violence, misuse of social media, and low tolerance. These phenomena are influenced by internal factors such as emotional instability and identity formation, as well as external factors including family, environment, and digital culture. This research employs a descriptive qualitative method using a library research approach by collecting data from books, scholarly journals, and relevant documents. The findings reveal that CRE teachers play a strategic role not only as educators but also as counselors who accompany students holistically, covering spiritual, moral, emotional, and social aspects. The counseling role performed by CRE teachers includes modeling behavior, mediating conflicts, strengthening self-control, providing social support, and building empathetic relationships with students. Through this approach, students undergo a process of internalizing Christian values such as love, forgiveness, responsibility, and tolerance, which contribute to the development of positive social behavior. Furthermore, collaboration among teachers, parents, and the community serves as a supporting factor in successful character formation. Therefore, the role of CRE teachers as counselors is proven to be effective in shaping students’ social behavior in accordance with moral, social, and religious values, while contributing to the development of a generation with integrity and competitiveness.

Digital technology has significantly transformed adolescents’ lives, including the process of character formation. While the digital era provides broad opportunities for accessing information and developing personal potential, it also presents challenges such as identity crises, individualism, instant culture, cyberbullying, moral relativism, and declining spiritual engagement. These conditions create unique challenges for Christian adolescents in maintaining values and character grounded in biblical teachings. This study aims to examine the challenges of Christian adolescent character formation in the digital era, analyze the perspectives of the Christian worldview and educational psychology on character development, and explain the relevance of integrating these perspectives in addressing contemporary challenges. The research employed a qualitative approach using a library research method. Data were collected from books, scholarly journals, and other relevant academic sources and analyzed through content analysis. The findings indicate that the Christian worldview provides a theological foundation for shaping identity, values, and character based on biblical truth, while educational psychology offers scientific insights into adolescent development and effective character-building strategies. The integration of these perspectives creates a holistic approach that addresses spiritual, moral, social, emotional, and cognitive dimensions. Therefore, this integration is essential for helping Christian adolescents navigate the challenges of the digital era wisely, responsibly, and in accordance with Christian values.

This article examines the use of cooperative learning strategies in Christian Religious Education (CRE) as an instructional approach that emphasizes the strengthening of students’ faith and Christian character. The discussion covers the definition, objectives, conceptual foundations, principles, and operational procedures of cooperative learning, which are then connected to the theological goals of CRE. The study employs a qualitative approach using a library research method, analyzing pedagogical and theological literature to construct a conceptual framework for implementing cooperative learning within the context of CRE. The findings indicate that cooperative learning strategies are highly aligned with the essence of CRE, as they foster dialogical interaction, shared responsibility, empathy, and the internalization of Gospel values through collaborative learning processes. The effective implementation of this strategy can create a participatory, reflective, and formative learning community that enhances not only cognitive understanding but also students’ attitudes, spirituality, and Christian character. This research is significant in providing both theoretical and practical foundations for CRE educators in designing learning experiences that are relevant, relational, and transformative in accordance with the goals of faith formation.

Churches and Christian institutions frequently face the challenge of congregations whose understanding of ministry remains confined to the spiritual dimension alone, while the holistic ministry mandate calls for active engagement across social, educational, and economic spheres. This study examines two primary objectives: first, how Christian Religious Education (CRE) shapes congregational understanding of holistic church ministry; and second, how CRE equips congregants with the concrete capacity to serve comprehensively. A qualitative approach with a case study design was employed at Yayasan Sola Gratia Medan. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews with seven informants comprising foundation leaders, program coordinators, active church members, volunteers, and beneficiaries. Analysis followed a thematic framework encompassing data reduction, display, and conclusion drawing. Findings reveal that: (1) consistent CRE implementation at Yayasan Sola Gratia has successfully shifted the congregational ministry paradigm from exclusively spiritual to holistically transformative; and (2) congregants who have internalized CRE values demonstrate more structured ministry capacity, stronger theological motivation, and significant cross-dimensional engagement. This research contributes a contextual CRE model relevant for church-based institutions operating in multidimensional urban environments.

This article examines the dialogue between John Calvin’s educational thought and the Merdeka Curriculum within the context of Christian Religious Education (PAK) in Indonesia. Employing a qualitative-comparative approach with descriptive analysis, this study traces the points of convergence and tension between Calvin’s educational principles particularly the concept of imago Dei, holistic education, and the God-centered purpose of education and the principles of the Merdeka Curriculum such as flexibility, differentiated learning, and the Profil Pelajar Pancasila (Pancasila Student Profile). The analysis reveals significant convergence in terms of respect for the potential and uniqueness of learners, holistic educational orientation, and the role of teachers as facilitators and character formers. However, fundamental tensions also exist regarding Calvin’s theocentric theological foundation vis-à-vis the secular Pancasila foundation, the concept of discipline and authority versus student freedom, and the ultimate goal of education glorifying God versus forming the Pancasila Student Profile. Based on these findings, this article offers practical recommendations for PAK curriculum design based on the Merdeka Curriculum, a Kingdom of God-nuanced project-based learning approach, holistic assessment, and Christian character formation within the Profil Pelajar Pancasila framework. This research contributes to filling the gap in studies that dialogue the Reformed theological tradition with contemporary Indonesian national education policy.

This study aims to analyze the relevance of Robert Raikes' Christian educational thinking to the character formation of children in contemporary Sunday School services. This study uses a qualitative approach with a library research method. Data were obtained from various literature sources such as books, scientific journals, and research articles related to Christian education, character education, and the history of Sunday School development. Data analysis techniques were carried out through the stages of data reduction, grouping themes, interpretation, and drawing conclusions using descriptive qualitative methods. The results show that Robert Raikes' thoughts remain relevant in modern Christian education, especially in the formation of children's character through the teaching of God's Word, discipline, role models, and the instilling of Christian values. Sunday School plays an important role as a means of fostering faith, morality, and social responsibility in children from an early age. In addition, the challenges of the digital era require churches to develop more creative, interactive, and contextual learning methods without abandoning the basic values ​​of the Christian faith. This study confirms that the success of children's character formation depends not only on the church, but also on the role of Sunday School teachers and families who work together to build a conducive spiritual environment. Thus, Robert Raikes' thinking makes an important contribution to the development of Christian education that is relevant in the modern era.

The rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed various sectors of human life, including church ministry and religious organizational management. This study aims to analyze Christian leadership ethics in the use of AI within modern church ministry. The research employs a qualitative descriptive method through theological literature review and analysis of recent studies concerning digital technology and pastoral ministry. The findings indicate that AI provides significant benefits for church administration, digital communication, congregational data management, and online evangelism. Nevertheless, ethical challenges also emerge, such as the weakening of pastoral relationships, data privacy concerns, algorithmic bias, and the risk of dehumanization in ministry practices. From a Christian theological perspective, ministry is fundamentally relational and incarnational, reflecting the example of Jesus Christ who ministered through personal presence, compassion, and direct interaction with people. Therefore, AI should be understood as a supportive instrument rather than a substitute for spiritual authority and pastoral presence. Christian leadership in the digital age must be grounded in integrity, transparency, spiritual discernment, and respect for human dignity as the image of God (imago Dei). This study contributes to the development of ethical guidelines for churches in utilizing AI responsibly while maintaining theological integrity and Christian spiritual values.

This study aims to examine the methods, models, strategies, as well as the design and development of the Christian Religious Education curriculum within the family. The research employs a qualitative approach with a descriptive type through library research, using data sources such as books, scientific journals, and relevant articles. The results of this study indicate that faith education in the family should be carried out holistically through various methods such as modeling, habituation, teaching, and mentoring. In addition, educational models such as the theocentric, relational, and participatory models provide clear direction in nurturing children’s faith. Effective strategies include modeling, dialogical communication, spiritual habituation, mentoring, and discipline based on love. Meanwhile, a simple family-based curriculum that includes objectives, materials, methods, media, and evaluation is essential to support a well-directed educational process. The success of Christian Religious Education in the family largely depends on the active role and consistency of parents in implementing methods, models, strategies, and curriculum in an integrated manner. With the right approach, the family can become an effective center of faith education in shaping children who are faithful, have strong character, and are prepared to face life’s challenges.

This study aims to examine the components of the Christian Religious Education (CRE) curriculum in the family, its design and development, and its concrete implementation. The research employs a qualitative approach with a descriptive design through library research, using data sources such as books, academic journals, and relevant articles. The data were analyzed using descriptive qualitative techniques to produce a systematic and in-depth description. The findings show that the CRE curriculum in the family consists of interconnected components, namely objectives, content, strategies, methods, and evaluation, which must be implemented in an integrated manner. Faith education in the family is carried out through methods such as role modeling, habituation, teaching, discussion, mentoring, and practical application. Effective strategies include parental role modeling, dialogical communication, and love-based discipline. The implementation of the curriculum is realized through concrete activities such as family prayer, family worship, Bible reading, and the application of Christian values in daily life. In conclusion, the success of Christian Religious Education in the family largely depends on the active role and consistency of parents in implementing the curriculum in a holistic and continuous manner. With the right approach, the family can become an effective center of faith education in shaping children who are faithful, character-driven, and prepared to face life’s challenges.

This article explores the map of Christian education approaches from theological, pedagogical, psychological, and contextual perspectives. Christian education plays a vital role in shaping the faith, character, and spirituality of students in a comprehensive manner. Using a literature review method, the study analyzes various sources on Christian education theology. The findings reveal that the theological approach emphasizes the Bible as the primary foundation for learning, while the pedagogical approach focuses on active and participatory teaching methods. The psychological approach tailors instruction to the developmental stages of students, and the contextual approach links faith with students' real-life experiences. Each approach has its strengths and limitations, and Christian educators are encouraged to integrate these approaches to achieve holistic learning goals. The study emphasizes the importance of collaboration among schools, families, and churches to create an educational ecosystem that fosters the spiritual and character growth of students. By combining these approaches, educators can better equip students for both spiritual and personal development.