Abstract
Religious education plays an important role in Indonesia, not only in religious schools but also in all schools and in community development. A number of studies show that Indonesian religious education currently faces challenges in managing the problem of religious radicalism, especially in the context of a conservative society. This research focuses on various religious problems in the community that teachers often encounter during their interactions in schools and communities, with specific reference to Islamic education. This research was conducted using the Focus Group Discussion method which involved 28 religious education teachers from DKI Jakarta, Banten, and West Java. This research explores recurring religious issues in Indonesian society that require further attention in developing religious education programs. Looking at it from the perspective of religious literacy, this study found that multiculturalism, tolerance, and prejudice are the most recurring problems in society. Recognizing the growing challenges to Indonesia's plural society, religious literacy can be used as an alternative destination for religious education. Religious education must be directed towards students’ correct understanding of various religious beliefs and traditions, in addition to strengthening the faith and practice of students' own religious beliefs.
Highlights
Religious education has been and continues to be an important part of Indonesia’s national education system. As it is mandated by law, every school should provide religious education teachers that share the same belief with students (Law No 20/2003)
Teaching religion means teaching people to have good behavior and actions in accordance with God's words. This positive assumption of religious education goes from generation to generation along with the fact that people of different religions live in harmony in Indonesia
In order to understand the actual views of Islamic religious teachers on religious issues in Indonesia today, a focus group discussion was conducted involving a number of religious teachers from various cities in Jakarta, Banten, and West Java
Summary
Religious education has been and continues to be an important part of Indonesia’s national education system. Despite the fact that the majority live together harmoniously in social diversity, a number of conflicts between religions and between groups within religion have shown that various ideological interests can lead to social conflicts Conflicts such as Muslim-Christian disputes about building a church in Bogor, West Java (Hamdani 2012: 1), Ahmadiyah-Sunny conflict in Pandeglang, Banten (Tempo 2011: 1), Muslim-Christian conflict in Bekasi, West Java (Kompas 2010: 1), Muslim-Christian conflict in Ambon, Maluku (Betts 2004: 1), Sunny-Shiite conflict in Madura, East Java (Raharjo 2015: 1) and indigenous Muslim conflicts with Chinese descendants in Tanjung Balai, North Sumatra (Harahap and Hasibuan 2017: 31) indicate that relations among religious adherents in Indonesia need serious attention. It will rather analyze the issue of religious literacy through the lens of religious education teachers
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