Professional Competence of Christian Religious Education Teachers in Teaching the Value of Self-Control (Genesis 4:7): A Study at UPTD SD Negeri 071077 Madolaoli

Abstract

This study investigates the professional competence of Christian Religious Education (CRE) teachers in teaching the value of self-control based on Genesis 4:7 at UPTD SD Negeri 071077 Madolaoli, Indonesia. The study adopts a quantitative descriptive-correlational design to examine the level of teachers’ professional competence and its relationship with students’ understanding of self-control as a core moral and spiritual value in Christian education. The population consisted of 9 Christian teachers and 54 Christian students, and total sampling was employed to include all members of the population as research participants. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, Pearson product-moment correlation, and simple linear regression. The results indicate that CRE teachers demonstrated a high level of professional competence (M = 4.21), while students showed a high level of understanding of the value of self-control (M = 4.07). Correlational analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between teachers’ professional competence and students’ understanding of self-control (r = 0.62, p < 0.01). Regression analysis further showed that teachers’ professional competence significantly predicted students’ understanding of self-control (β = 0.62, p < 0.001), explaining 38% of the variance. These findings provide empirical evidence that professional competence plays a crucial role in the effective teaching of biblical moral values. The study affirms the pedagogical and theological relevance of Genesis 4:7 as a foundation for character education and highlights the importance of sustained professional development for CRE teachers. Overall, the results suggest that professionally competent CRE instruction contributes meaningfully to students’ moral maturity, emotional regulation, and responsible behavior in elementary school contexts.