The Shift in the Authority of Islamic Religious Education: A Qualitative Content Analysis on Online Religious Teaching

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed people’s social behavior in various fields, especially education and religion. Religious learning activities through social media have increased along with the shift from offline to online learning. Restrictions on physical activity encourage increased online activity. Religious education and teaching began to shift from traditional face-to-face to online teaching. Educational institutions no longer monopolize Islamic religious education. This study examines the shift in religious education authority due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study has analyzed videos of popular religious studies broadcast on social media, YouTube, and Facebook using a qualitative content analysis method. This study finds that the shift in the authority of religious education can be seen in three aspects: popularity, themes, and learning models. The findings of this study indicate the weakness of traditional educational paradigms and authorities and the opening of new spaces for religious learning. This study complements previous work on Islamic religious education authorities.