Enhancing Students’ Reverence for the Patriarchal Prayer through Pedagogical Competence of CRE Teachers: Insights from Genesis 35:15 at SD Negeri 173270 Siborongborong

Abstract

This study investigates the role of pedagogical competence of Christian Religious Education (CRE) teachers in enhancing students’ reverence for the patriarchal prayer reflected in Genesis 35:15 at SD Negeri 173270 Siborongborong, North Tapanuli. The research is grounded in the assumption that effective CRE instruction requires not only biblical knowledge but also strong pedagogical skills that enable teachers to translate theological content into meaningful learning experiences for elementary students. A quantitative descriptive design was employed involving 370 Christian students and 20 Christian teachers. Data were collected through teacher pedagogical competence questionnaires, student perception surveys, and a learning outcome test measuring students’ cognitive and affective understanding of the biblical text. The instruments were validated by experts and tested for reliability using Cronbach’s Alpha. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and simple regression. The findings indicate that the pedagogical competence of CRE teachers is generally in the good category. Students’ reverence for the patriarchal prayer is also categorized as moderate to high. Inferential analysis reveals a significant positive relationship between teachers’ pedagogical competence and students’ reverential attitudes toward the biblical material. Regression results show that pedagogical competence contributes meaningfully to variations in students’ learning outcomes, although external factors remain influential. The study concludes that strengthening pedagogical competence, particularly in differentiated instruction, interactive learning strategies, and multimodal media use, is essential for deepening students’ spiritual appreciation of biblical teachings. These findings provide important implications for professional development programs for CRE teachers and for improving the quality of faith-based instruction in Indonesian primary schools.