Spiritual Competence of Christian Religious Education Teachers as Agents of Peace: A Reflective Study of Genesis 43:23 at SMP Negeri 3 Dolok Panribuan

Abstract

This study investigates the role of spiritual competence in shaping Christian Religious Education (CRE) teachers as agents of peace through a reflective examination of Genesis 43:23 at SMP Negeri 3 Dolok Panribuan. Genesis 43:23, situated within the Joseph narrative, presents a theological affirmation of peace grounded in divine providence, where fear is transformed into reassurance through trust in God’s sovereignty. In pluralistic educational contexts, such a text provides a foundational framework for cultivating reconciliation, emotional stability, and relational harmony. Employing a quantitative descriptive design with a correlational approach, this study involved 43 Christian students selected through total sampling. Data were collected using a structured Likert-scale questionnaire measuring two variables: the spiritual competence of the CRE teacher (including integrity, emotional self-regulation, humility, forgiveness, fairness, and dialogical openness) and students’ understanding of biblical peace (narrative comprehension, theological interpretation, and ethical application). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product-Moment correlation at a 0.05 significance level. The findings reveal that the teacher’s spiritual competence was perceived at a high level and that students demonstrated strong understanding of the peace theme in Genesis 43:23. A positive and statistically significant correlation was identified between teacher spiritual competence and students’ theological comprehension. The results indicate that when teachers consistently embody peace-oriented spirituality, they create a classroom climate conducive to deeper cognitive engagement and moral internalization. The study concludes that spiritual competence is a central dimension of effective CRE pedagogy, functioning both as a pedagogical instrument and as a theological witness that nurtures peaceable character within contemporary educational settings.