The Personality Competence of Christian Religious Education and Character-Building Teachers in Enhancing the Character of Christian Students at Public Elementary School 091497 PEM. Tanah Jawa

Abstract

Character education constitutes a central priority in Indonesia’s national education framework, positioning teachers as role models and agents of transformation. Within this context, Christian Religious Education (CRE) and Character-Building teachers bear the dual responsibility of transmitting knowledge and shaping moral integrity, particularly in pluralistic public schools. This study explores the personality competence of CRE teachers at Public Elementary School (SD Negeri) 091497 Pematang Tanah Jawa and its impact on Christian students’ character formation. Personality competence, encompassing emotional maturity, moral consistency, and role-modeling capacity, is viewed as a decisive factor in fostering values such as honesty, responsibility, love, and tolerance among students. A qualitative descriptive-analytical approach with a case study design was employed, enabling in-depth exploration of processes and practices. Data were collected over four months through participatory observation, structured and semi-structured interviews with two CRE teachers, the school principal, twelve Christian students, eight parents, and four classroom teachers, as well as document analysis. The findings reveal that both CRE teachers exhibit strong personality competence, demonstrated through consistent modeling of Christian values, empathetic engagement, and spiritual guidance. Their practices positively influenced students’ honesty in academic and social contexts, sense of responsibility, and ability to cultivate love and tolerance within a religiously diverse environment. Supporting factors included principal support, parental cooperation, and adequate facilities, while challenges comprised limited instructional time, denominational diversity, and the absence of continuous professional development. The study concludes that CRE teachers’ personality competence is pivotal for character formation in Christian students and recommends greater institutional support, ongoing training, and integrated school-wide character programs.