The Role of Christian Religious Education in Responding to Moral Challenges among Adolescents
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Abstract
Adolescence marks a formative stage of human development, where individuals encounter rapid physical, emotional, social, and spiritual changes while navigating the tension between personal identity and external cultural influences. In today’s context, globalization and digital media expose young people to conflicting values, often undermining moral resilience and weakening ethical awareness. Christian Religious Education (CRE) carries the responsibility of responding to these challenges by equipping learners with a strong spiritual and moral foundation rooted in biblical principles. This study explores how CRE addresses moral challenges among elementary students, focusing on pedagogical strategies, student responses, and contextual barriers. A descriptive qualitative method was employed at SDN 0609323 Medan, involving interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. Findings reveal that students, shaped by diverse socio-economic backgrounds, exhibit early signs of moral decline such as disrespect toward authority, individualistic behavior, inappropriate language, and dependence on digital media. CRE, however, provides a strategic avenue for moral formation through contextual storytelling, role-play, reflective discussions, and service-based activities that encourage students to embody values of love, honesty, forgiveness, and responsibility. Teachers’ roles as moral exemplars proved central, as students often internalized Christian virtues through observation and imitation. Despite constraints such as limited instructional time, weak parental involvement, and unsupportive community environments, CRE demonstrated measurable positive impacts on respect, empathy, and self-control. This study concludes that CRE is not merely cognitive instruction but a transformative practice, requiring stronger collaboration between schools, families, and faith communities to nurture morally resilient and faith-driven young generations.
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