Purpose: This study aims to explore how the Instagram account @walmajelena functions as a digital space for expressing the religiosity of Catholic women and to examine how its content shapes the followers’ perspectives, understanding, and spiritual experiences in the digital sphere. Methodology: This study uses a qualitative approach within a sociological and media studies framework with descriptive-analytical methods. Data were collected through digital observation and analysis of content and responses from followers of the account. Findings: The findings reveal that @walmajelena serves as a warm, reflective, and contextual medium of faith expression for Catholic women. Through four major themes—prayer, worship attire, Catholic identity, and faith education—the account constructs a dynamic and participatory spiritual space relevant to younger generations. Interaction between the account owner and her followers illustrates a collective process of religious identity construction, turning social media into a site for the negotiation, affirmation, and internalization of evolving faith values. Research Implications: These findings demonstrate that social media can act as an interactive and dialogical sacred space that empowers lay Catholic women to articulate faith beyond institutional boundaries. The study highlights the need for digital–theological literacy and pastoral accompaniment to ensure that digital evangelization remains both spiritually grounded and contextually relevant. Originality/Value: This research offers an original contribution by applying Berger and Luckmann’s social construction theory to explain how religious identity is dynamically shaped through digital interaction. It also presents a new understanding of female digital religiosity, showing how personal faith narratives evolve into collective expressions of Catholic identity within Indonesia’s plural digital culture.

Purpose: This study aims to develop an Islamic ontological framework for digital religious practice as a response to the reductionism and fragmentation characterizing digital New Age spirituality. The research addresses a critical gap in contemporary scholarship, where digital spirituality is often examined descriptively or pragmatically without sufficient engagement with underlying ontological foundations, particularly within Islamic philosophical discourse. Methodology: This research employs a qualitative conceptual–philosophical approach using systematic conceptual synthesis. The study analyzes twenty-five peer-reviewed scholarly articles published between 2018 and 2025 on digital religiosity, New Age spirituality, and Islamic ontology, alongside classical Islamic sources. Following Jaakkola’s framework for conceptual research, the analysis proceeds through thematic categorization, comparative ontological analysis across six dimensions, and abductive theoretical synthesis to construct a normative framework of Islamic cyberspirituality. Findings: The study identifies four constitutive patterns of digital New Age spirituality—individualism, syncretism, aesthetic spirituality, and commodification—which collectively generate three ontological ruptures: displacement of transcendence by subjective emotionalism, replacement of religious authority by algorithmic validation, and transformation of spiritual discipline into consumable experience. In contrast, Islamic cyberspirituality is shown to rest on two interlocking principles: tawhid as the ontological axis preserving the Creator–creation distinction and revelation-based truth, and tazkiyah al-nafs as a transformative discipline orienting spiritual growth vertically toward God. This framework repositions technology as wasīlah (instrumental means) rather than ghāyah (end), and generates concrete implications across five domains: digital da‘wah, online Sufism, authority structures, attention governance, and religious identity formation. Implications: The findings offer actionable guidance for Muslim content creators, educators, religious institutions, technologists, and individual believers seeking to cultivate authentic digital spirituality. The framework provides evaluative criteria for digital religious content, ethical principles for technology design, and practical strategies for resisting commodification and algorithmic domination in religious practice. Originality/Value: This study contributes original value by moving beyond critique toward constructive ontological reconstruction. It is among the first to systematically integrate classical Islamic metaphysics with contemporary digital practice theory, demonstrating that tawhid and tazkiyah al-nafs provide robust conceptual resources for addressing algorithmic authority, attention commodification, and spiritual fragmentation in digital environments.

In the context of post-9/11 Islamophobia and rising global religious nationalism, Hollywood cinema has evolved from explicit orientalism toward subtle representational strategies that appear progressive while maintaining Western epistemological hegemony. Despite ostensibly positive portrayals, contemporary films may perpetuate cultural hierarchies through sophisticated soft power mechanisms. This study examines how Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven (2005) employs sympathetic orientalism positive portrayals of Islam conditional upon conformity with Western secular values and analyzes implications for indigenous pluralism discourse in Indonesia as a Muslim-majority society. Using Postcolonial Critical Discourse Analysis (PCDA), we systematically analyzed 12 key Muslim-Christian interaction scenes (47 minutes total) and 87 visual sequences from the Director's Cut (194 minutes), examining dialogue patterns, character construction, cinematography, and mise-en-scène. Analysis integrated five Indonesian pluralism policy documents to explore intersections between global media narratives and local tolerance frameworks. The film constructs "acceptable Muslims" through three mechanisms: hierarchical character construction privileging secular rationality (83% of positive Muslim representations require Western values with zero Islamic theological references), visual semiotics that aestheticize yet distance Islamic civilization (Christian sites receive 57% more screen time with eye-level humanizing shots versus high-angle exotic framing for Islamic spaces), and conditional inclusion through mimicry requiring Muslims to adopt Western epistemological standards. Statistical analysis reveals rational characters receive significantly more stable cinematography than religious characters (χ² = 12.4, p < 0.01). Sympathetic orientalism operates as evolved hegemonic strategy more ideologically powerful than explicit stereotypes by concealing epistemological hierarchies behind progressive rhetoric. This potentially marginalizes Indonesia's indigenous pluralism models based on Bhinneka Tunggal Ika and Islamic principles, replacing them with Western liberal-secular frameworks. Contribution: This study advances sympathetic orientalism as a novel analytical framework for understanding contemporary soft power in global media, revealing how ostensibly progressive representations undermine authentic indigenous approaches to religious diversity management in Muslim-majority societies

Purpose: This study analyzes how a Hindu pandita’s transcendent communication (mantra recitation and ritual practice) is mediatized on TikTok by examining content characteristics, engagement dynamics, and audience negotiations between sacred values and platform logic. Methodology: Using a qualitative netnographic approach, the study focuses on the TikTok account @idapandita65. Data were collected through non-participant observation of 86 video posts and 2,144 user comments from January–April 2025, alongside recorded engagement metrics (likes, views, and comments). Findings: Three main findings emerged. First, extended rituals were recontextualized into short-form videos with an average duration of 3.2 minutes, and 67.4% of posts involved self-recording during mantra/ritual performance. Second, engagement increased sharply in April 2025 (20,322 likes; 509,204 views), representing 5,084% and 4,822% increases respectively compared to January, occurring in temporal proximity to the post-Nyepi period (Nyepi: 29 March 2025) and Galungan (23 April 2025), followed shortly by Kuningan (3 May 2025). Third, audience responses were polarized: 45% were appreciative (n=964), 38% were critical—particularly regarding sanctity, concentration, and sesana in self-recorded ritual content (n=814)—and 17% were humorous/ambivalent (n=366). Implications: Theoretically, the findings suggest that TikTok affordances and platform metrics do not merely transmit religion but actively reshape the logic of spiritual authority through algorithmic visibility and public participation. Practically, the study offers guidance for Hindu leaders and institutions to develop digital strategies that protect ritual integrity (e.g., considering delegated recording), and it highlights for platform designers and policymakers the sensitivity of contemplative and sacred ritual content in entertainment-oriented environments. Originality: This study extends mediatization theory to embodied and sonic Hindu ritual practices on short-video platforms, providing empirical evidence on audience polarization and demonstrating how production methods (self-recording vs. third-party recording) shape perceptions of authenticity and religious legitimacy.

The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated unprecedented digital transformation across religious institutions, with approximately 80% of congregations worldwide adopting digital ministry by mid-2020. However, existing research predominantly examines isolated catechetical models, neglects semiotic dimensions, inadequately analyzes pedagogical mechanisms across platforms, and overlooks context-specific implementation in infrastructure-diverse settings, particularly in the Global South where 60% of Catholics reside. This study examined how the Diocese of Ruteng, Indonesia's largest Catholic diocese, implemented digital catechesis during 2020–2022, focusing on model integration, language strategies, pedagogical approaches, and contextual adaptation across heterogeneous infrastructural contexts. A qualitative phenomenological design involved 39 participants (diocesan leaders, priests, catechists, and young Catholics) selected through purposive maximum variation sampling across urban, sub-district, and rural parishes. Data collection combined structured interviews, platform observations of 150+ posts, and document analysis. Thematic analysis generated three major themes with methodological triangulation ensuring rigor. Findings revealed simultaneous deployment of three complementary catechetical models creating comprehensive ecosystems. Persistent misalignment existed between content production (55–75% conceptual language) and youth preferences (symbolic language generating substantially higher interaction), attributed to semiotic capacity gaps rather than awareness deficits. Pedagogical effectiveness proved fundamentally constrained by facilitator capacity rather than platform affordances, with asynchronous platforms remaining underutilized despite dialogic potential. Rural parishes developed innovative "digitally-sourced analog catechesis" downloading content for offline face-to-face sessions demonstrating that digital transformation in resource-constrained contexts requires reconceptualizing digital-analog boundaries. Successful digital catechesis demands integrated model strategies, semiotic capacity building, facilitator training for asynchronous pedagogy, access equity attention, and institutional support for hybrid approaches. Effectiveness depends on context-responsive adaptation rather than uniform solutions. Contribution: This research introduces "digitally-sourced analog catechesis" as a fourth model in digital catechesis typology and establishes "semiotic capacity" as a critical variable in content effectiveness, challenging technological determinism while providing evidence-based frameworks for religious education in infrastructure-diverse contexts, with implications for faith formation practices globally.

Background: The talaqqī system in Qur’anic education traditionally emphasizes direct interaction between teacher and student to ensure authenticity of recitation and the transmission of spiritual values. However, the advancement of digital technology—particularly the use of artificial intelligence (AI)—has introduced new models in Qur’anic pedagogy. One example is the Qara’a application, which offers a self-directed learning method without the physical presence of a teacher. Purpose: This study aims to analyze the transformation of the talaqqī system into a digital format through the Qara’a application and to evaluate the accuracy of its Qur’anic recitation assessment system. Methodology: This study employs a descriptive qualitative approach with structured digital observation of the Qara’a application. The researcher directly engaged with the app to document its navigation flow, AI features, and learning system. Data were collected through screenshots and field notes, and analyzed thematically through the stages of data reduction, categorization, interpretation, and conclusion drawing. Findings: The results show that in the Qara’a system, the teacher’s role is replaced by a machine that provides sample recitations, which are then imitated by the learner through voice recordings. The learning materials are structured in stages—covering writing, recitation, and a combination of both—and users cannot proceed to the next level without completing the current one. While the app offers flexibility in terms of time and place, its AI-based assessment focuses solely on makhraj (articulation point) per letter and does not account for technical issues (such as voice clarity and network stability) or the psychological state of the learner. Research Implication: These findings reveal a shift in the value system of talaqqī, from one rooted in spiritual relationships to an automated evaluative system, affecting both the meaning of authority and the quality of assessment in Qur’anic learning. Contribution: This study offers a new contribution to the field of digital Qur’anic education by presenting a critical analysis of AI integration in Islamic pedagogy. Its focus on the transformation of talaqqī and the evaluation mechanism of the Qara’a application represents a dimension that has not been widely explored in previous studies.

Purpose: This study aims to map the systematics of writing, modes of presentation, and exegetical topics on NU Online during the 2023–2024 period, while also examining exegetical tendencies in responding to contemporary religious and social issues. The research seeks to understand how digital Qur’anic interpretation reflects the interaction between sacred texts and current social dynamics within Indonesia’s largest Islamic organization. Methodology: The research employs a qualitative method with a content analysis approach applied to 274 exegetical articles published on NU Online. The data were systematically analysed through thematic categorization and coding to identify patterns in writing systematics (mushafī and thematic), exegetical approaches (textual and contextual), and thematic tendencies emerging from the corpus. Findings: The findings highlight two major patterns. First, fiqh-oriented interpretation dominates NU Online’s exegesis, particularly in discussions concerning ritual law (ʿibādah) and social transactions (muʿāmalah). Second, the exegesis tends to engage socio-political issues using an accessible, popular style while promoting values of social empowerment and moderation. Research Implications: The study underscores that digital media functions not merely as a channel for reproducing religious knowledge, but as a dynamic site of dialectic between the Qur’anic message and the needs of the Muslim community. It further highlights the potential of digital platforms as spaces for contextualising Islamic scholarship in public discourse. Originality/Value: This research contributes to the growing field of digital Qur’anic studies by offering a systematic mapping of NU Online’s digital exegesis. It highlights the centrality of fiqh as a dominant interpretive framework in addressing contemporary challenges and demonstrates how traditional Islamic reasoning adapts within the digital sphere.

Purpose: This study aims to explore the application of digital philology in Qur’anic manuscript studies, particularly through an analysis of the Corpus Coranicum project as a model for critical engagement with early Qur’anic texts. Methodology: Employing a qualitative approach based on literature review, this research is combined with a case analysis of two core issues: the orthographic variation in early Qur’anic manuscripts and the presence of the ʿUthmānī archetype in written form. Findings: The findings demonstrate that the digital tools within Corpus Coranicum enable more precise and in-depth cross-manuscript textual comparisons. These results reveal orthographic variations based on geographical regions and provide preliminary evidence for the consolidation of the ʿUthmānī text. Research Implications: Implicatively, the study illustrates how digital philology can enrich methodologies in Islamic studies, create opportunities for digital-based academic training, and enhance access to manuscript data. Originality/Value: This research offers an original contribution by emphasizing the importance of integrating digital technologies into Qur’anic studies—particularly in Indonesia, where academic contexts have yet to widely develop this approach.