Abstract:Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menyelidiki genealogi pendidikan Kristen dengan fokus pada asal, makna, dan tujuan yang mendasarinya. Melalui pendekatan interdisipliner yang mencakup sejarah, teologi, dan sosiologi pendidikan,…
ikan, penelitian ini merunut kembali akar-akar pendidikan Kristen dari masa lampau hingga perkembangannya dalam konteks modern. Studi ini akan menelusuri sejarah pendidikan Kristen, mengidentifikasi peran gereja dan pemikir-pemikir Kristen dalam membentuk prinsip-prinsip pendidikan. Selain itu, penelitian ini akan membahas makna pendidikan Kristen dalam konteks spiritual, moral, dan sosial, serta bagaimana nilai-nilai tersebut tercermin dalam praktik pendidikan sehari-hari. Tujuan utama penelitian ini adalah memberikan pemahaman yang lebih mendalam tentang esensi pendidikan Kristen, serta bagaimana nilai-nilai tersebut dapat memberikan kontribusi positif dalam pembentukan karakter dan perkembangan individu. Implikasi praktis dari penelitian ini dapat membantu pengembangan kebijakan pendidikan Kristen yang relevan dan efektif dalam memenuhi tuntutan zaman modern sambil tetap setia pada akar-akar tradisionalnya.
Abstract:The Mamat tradition as a betel nut chewing practice within the Timor Lelogama community faces significant challenges due to the forces of modernization, which have the potential to weaken social cohesion and collective identity.…
dentity. This condition raises critical questions regarding how Mamat functions as an effective cultural instrument to maintain unity, nurture solidarity, and preserve noble intergenerational values. This study aims to analyze the role of the Mamat tradition as a living and dynamic cultural system amid ongoing social transformation. A descriptive qualitative approach was employed through observation, in-depth interviews, and literature review to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the symbolic meanings and social functions embedded in the tradition. The findings reveal that Mamat is not merely a habitual practice of betel nut consumption, but a cultural mechanism that strengthens social integration, serves as a medium for conflict reconciliation, and reinforces kinship relations and social respect. The tradition also functions as a vehicle for transmitting cultural values that shape the collective character of the Timor Lelogama community. The novelty of this research lies in its analysis of Mamat as an integrated cultural system encompassing the dimensions of ideas, activities, and cultural artifacts, thereby enriching perspectives on local cultural studies grounded in social practice. The study concludes that preserving the Mamat tradition constitutes a relevant cultural strategy for strengthening social cohesion and sustaining community identity amid the dynamics of globalization.
Abstract:Idealism has made a significant contribution to the development of modern education, particularly in shaping curricula, learning orientations, and the reinforcement of moral values that foster students’ character formation.…
tion. The shift in educational paradigms that increasingly emphasizes intellectual and ethical dimensions demonstrates the relevance of idealist thought as a philosophical foundation that views reality as grounded in ideas, concepts, and rational consciousness. This study addresses the question of how the essence of idealism is philosophically understood and how its implications extend to religion, economics, politics, and education as spheres of human praxis. The research employs a literature review method through critical analysis of various scholarly articles discussing idealism as a philosophical school of thought and its contemporary relevance. The findings indicate that idealism posits ideas as the fundamental reality, while matter is understood as the outward manifestation of deeper inner dimensions such as mind, soul, and values. This perspective affirms that education should not merely focus on material and pragmatic aspects, but rather on the formation of character, morality, and spiritual awareness. The novelty of this study lies in its comprehensive synthesis between the metaphysical concepts of idealism and their multidimensional application in religion, economics, politics, and education, thereby offering an integrative perspective that underscores the urgency of ideal values in building a civilization grounded in thought and ethics.
Abstract:The Natoni tradition, as an oral cultural heritage of the Timorese community, embodies religious and social dimensions that reflect the relationship between Christian faith and local wisdom. However, the currents of modernization…
rnization and shifts in the lifestyle of younger generations have led to a diminishing understanding of its symbols, ritual language, and moral messages, thereby placing its existence at risk of marginalization. This study addresses the question of how the theological meaning and anthropological values of Natoni are understood and actualized within Christian communities, and to what extent this tradition contributes to the formation of faith identity and social cohesion. A descriptive qualitative approach was employed, utilizing in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and document analysis to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the practice and its meanings. The findings reveal that Natoni functions as a contextual medium of prayer, a means of internalizing faith teachings, a bond of communal solidarity, and a vehicle for transmitting values of respect, responsibility, and intergenerational togetherness. The tradition provides an integrative space between incarnational theology and local cultural realities, thereby enriching contextual expressions of Christian spirituality. The study concludes that the revitalization of Natoni requires synergy among the church, traditional leaders, families, and educational institutions to ensure its continued relevance and responsiveness to contemporary challenges. The novelty of this research lies in its simultaneous integration of theological and anthropological analyses of Natoni as a contextual praxis of faith rather than merely a cultural phenomenon, thus offering a conceptual contribution to the development of Indonesian contextual theology.
Abstract:The crisis of integrity, ethical disorientation, and the declining quality of strategic decision-making in contemporary leadership demand a robust and transhistorical normative foundation. The figure of King Solomon in ancient…
ncient Israelite tradition represents a prototype of leadership legitimized by divine wisdom, making it critically relevant for scholarly examination. This study addresses the problem of how the construction of Solomon’s character and the praxis of his wisdom in Old Testament texts can be transformed into a conceptual paradigm for modern leadership without falling into historical romanticism. The objective of this research is to formulate a theoretical leadership model grounded in biblical wisdom through an analysis of Solomon’s character, theological orientation, and decision-making patterns. The method employed is a theological hermeneutical approach integrated with interdisciplinary literature studies, including leadership theory, public ethics, and Old Testament theology. The analysis focuses on key narratives that portray the judicial, administrative, and spiritual dimensions of Solomon’s leadership. The findings indicate that Solomon’s wisdom is theocentric, deliberative, and oriented toward distributive justice, thereby shaping an integrative and visionary model of leadership. The relevance of these findings lies in their capacity to offer a normative framework for leadership formation rooted in transcendent morality while remaining adaptive to modern social complexity. The novelty of this study resides in the formulation of a hermeneutical reconstruction model of Solomonic wisdom as a normative-strategic paradigm for the development of contemporary leadership theory based on sacred texts.
Abstract:The growing dominance of self-image construction in modern religious practice has diminished the authenticity of faith and shifted moral orientation from God toward public approval, indicating the need for an ethical framework…
mework capable of realigning the direction of Christian witness. This study employs Matthew 5:16 as the basis for reinterpreting the ethics of light as a corrective to performance-oriented religiosity and for formulating principles of sincere, theocentric, and contextually relevant faith testimony. The research utilizes literature review and historical-grammatical exegesis of the key Greek terms φῶς (phōs), καλὰ ἔργα (kalā erga), and δοξάσωσιν (doxasōsin), drawing on academic commentaries and recent scholarly findings. The analysis demonstrates that the ethics of light is not merely a moral exhortation but a participatory ethic that positions human beings as reflectors of God’s love rather than autonomous producers of moral virtue. Authentic good works direct glory to the Father, eliminating the pursuit of social recognition and rejecting religious self-presentation. The concept of hidden righteousness emerges as a theological critique of visual culture that prioritizes visible spiritual performance, affirming instead that genuine piety grows through inner integrity and spiritual perseverance. Its relevance to the digital age is expressed through a form of faith witness that promotes justice, solidarity, and consistent spiritual character within public spaces shaped by identity curation. The study concludes that the ethics of light constitutes a spirituality of witness integrating faith, morality, and social responsibility while offering novelty through a theocentric reinterpretation of the ethics of light as a constructive critique of contemporary religious self-imaging and an ethical paradigm for cultivating authentic Christian faith in the digital era.
Abstract:The cultural transformation resulting from secularization, digitalization, and a crisis of values in the modern era has posed serious challenges to the resilience of Christian marriages. The relationship between husband…
and wife is threatened not only by external issues but also by a lack of deep understanding of marital spirituality in the light of Christian faith. This study aims to examine marital counseling from pastoral and biblical perspectives as a theologically integrative approach to Christian family formation. The focus of the study is directed toward identifying the absence of a counseling model grounded in contextual theology and rooted in biblical foundations. The methodology employed is a literature review with a critical analysis of pastoral theology sources, biblical studies, and contemporary counseling practices published between 2015 and 2025. The findings reveal that marital counseling, when grounded in pastoral and biblical frameworks, serves not only as a means of conflict resolution but also as a channel for reconciliation, faith development, and relational restoration based on God's grace. The novelty of this study lies in its formulation of a marital counseling approach that contextually integrates transformative pastoral principles and biblical theological narratives. Theoretically, this research expands the horizon of pastoral family theology in the digital-modern context, while practically, it provides a pastoral framework for churches to facilitate the restoration and formation of Christian households. Thus, pastoral-biblical-based marital counseling can play a strategic role in building a resilient and theocentric marital spirituality.
Abstract:The phenomenon of low congregation involvement in the preaching and intercessory prayer segments indicates structural and conceptual weaknesses in church worship management, which impact the quality of the congregation’s…
�s spiritual participation. Although physical attendance is maintained, the apparent spiritual absence, reflected in passive behavior or the departure of congregants during crucial liturgical moments, reveals a management failure to holistically integrate liturgical, theological, and pastoral aspects. This study employs a descriptive qualitative approach with data collected through participatory observation and in-depth interviews to examine the role of management in designing, implementing, and evaluating worship services that facilitate meaningful spiritual engagement. The analysis confirms that weak liturgical formation, the absence of a structured participatory evaluation system, and a less dialogical pastoral approach are dominant factors contributing to low congregation participation. Worship management that is purely administrative and procedural without reinforcement of the spiritual dimension contributes to a less transformative worship atmosphere. This study recommends reforming worship management through strengthening liturgical education, innovating more participatory and contextual forms of worship, and establishing worship evaluation teams involving leadership and congregants collaboratively and sustainably. The novelty of this research lies in emphasizing worship management not merely as a technical-administrative process but as a means of dynamically and contextually shaping the congregation’s spirituality, thereby providing a conceptual contribution to developing an adaptive and transformative worship management model within the modern church environment.
Abstract:Sexual violence can occur in any environment, including the family. Most victims of sexual violence are women. One narrative depicting violence in a family context is the story of Tamar and Amnon in 2 Samuel 13:1-39, which…
ch is part of King David’s family history. The family, which should be a place of refuge, instead becomes an unsafe place. The patriarchal system that gives power to men and places women in a subordinate position is one of the causes. The text of 2 Samuel 13:1-39 is implied in the modern context because the problem of sexual violence in private spaces such as the home is also experienced by women today. A feminist approach is used to draw out women’s values and analyze the structure of the Davidic Kingdom family, identifying the causes and impacts, and how Tamar, as a woman, faced and overcame the moral crisis and sexual violence she experienced. This study uses a qualitative descriptive method with a hermeneutic approach, focusing on literature review to discuss related topics. The author found that Tamar, who experienced sexual violence in the family environment, did not receive justice. The cause of violence is the patriarchal system. Power struggles and invalid laws. Tamar did not remain silent but sought justice for herself by communicating her experiences to the public through religious and social symbolism. Learning from Tamar teaches modern women how to speak out about the injustices they experience.
Abstract:Ecclesiastes 9:1-6 presents a fundamental and provocative theological statement about the reality of death as an inevitable fate for all humanity, without distinguishing between the righteous and the wicked. This discourse…
se explicitly challenges the retributive ethical framework that assumes a linear relationship between morality and reward, while also revealing the existential absurdity of humans who often seek meaning through fragile worldly achievements. This study aims to interpret the pericope through an existential and contextual theological approach, focusing on its theological relevance in addressing the crisis of spirituality and ethics in modern culture dominated by ambition for power, economic exploitation, and the marginalization of transcendental values. Utilizing a reflective-critical hermeneutical method, this study argues that awareness of mortality should not lead to ontological despair, but rather serve as a starting point for forming a more authentic, relational, and ethical orientation to life. Death in this text functions as an epiphanic moment that unveils human limitations while reorienting existential focus toward God and social responsibility. The novelty of this research lies in its prophetic reading of a wisdom text that has often been interpreted pessimistically, highlighting its potential as a theological critique against modern nihilistic and anti-spiritual ideologies. This study contributes to the development of a contextual theological framework capable of constructively and transformatively responding to the crisis of meaning and ethics in contemporary society.