Cultivating Students’ Empathy through Christian Social Pedagogy: A Study of Genesis 34:1-2 at SMP Eka Tjipta Tasik Mas

Abstract

Empathy is a foundational moral value in Christian education, yet its cultivation among students requires intentional pedagogical strategies that integrate biblical reflection with relational practice. This study examines how students’ empathy can be cultivated through Christian social pedagogy by reflecting on Genesis 34:1-2, the narrative of Dinah, within the context of SMP Eka Tjipta Tasik Mas, Seruyan. Employing a qualitative research design, the study combines a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) with simple semi-structured interviews to explore the role of teacher social competence in mediating biblical narratives for moral formation. The SLR synthesizes contemporary scholarship on empathy education, teacher social competence, and narrative-based Christian pedagogy, while the interviews provide contextual insights from Christian teachers serving a minority group of 26 Christian students in a public-school setting. The findings reveal that empathy development is most effective when biblical texts are taught not merely as doctrinal content but as ethical narratives that invite emotional engagement, moral reflection, and relational awareness. Genesis 34:1-2 functions as a powerful pedagogical resource by exposing vulnerability, injustice, and the consequences of disregarding human dignity. The study further shows that teacher social competence, expressed through emotional attentiveness, respectful communication, and ethical consistency, significantly influences students’ capacity to internalize empathetic values. This research concludes that Christian social pedagogy grounded in Scripture can meaningfully contribute to students’ empathy formation when supported by socially competent teaching. By integrating biblical narrative, pedagogical skill, and relational modeling, Christian Religious Education can foster compassionate, ethically aware, and socially responsible students within diverse educational contexts.