Christian Religious Education Teacher Professionalism as a Vocation of Faith: A Biblical Reflection on Philippians 1:27 in the Context of SDN Mendawai 2 Sukamara

Abstract

This study explores Christian Religious Education (CRE) teacher professionalism as a vocation of faith through a biblical reflection on Epistle to the Philippians 1:27 within the context of SDN Mendawai 2 Sukamara. The Pauline exhortation to “conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” provides a theological framework for understanding professionalism not merely as institutional compliance but as embodied gospel citizenship. The research investigates how teachers integrate pedagogical competence, ethical integrity, and spiritual commitment in daily educational practice. A quantitative descriptive-correlational design was employed involving all seven Christian students enrolled at the school. Total sampling was applied due to the small population size. Data were collected using a structured Likert-scale questionnaire measuring indicators of teacher professionalism (pedagogical competence, subject mastery, discipline, integrity, and relational fairness) and the perceived manifestation of vocational faith (consistency between confession and conduct, responsibility, and visible commitment to gospel values). Instrument validity was established through expert review, and reliability testing met acceptable internal consistency standards (α > 0.70). Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s Product-Moment correlation analysis were conducted at a 0.05 significance level. The findings indicate that teacher professionalism is perceived at a very high level and shows a strong positive correlation with students’ understanding of teaching as a vocation of faith. Students interpret consistent preparation, fairness, and disciplined conduct as tangible expressions of living “worthy of the gospel.” The study concludes that professionalism in Christian education functions as vocational obedience, integrating competence and character in a manner that strengthens students’ spiritual formation within a public school setting.