Professionalism of Christian Religious Education Teachers in Cultivating Students’ Respect for Others: An Exegetical Reflection on Exodus 22:21 at SMA Negeri 3 Sibolga
Keywords:
Professionalism, Christian Religious Education, RespectAbstract
The development of students’ respect for others is a central aim of Christian Religious Education (CRE), particularly within Indonesia’s culturally diverse school environments. This study examines how the professionalism of CRE teachers contributes to cultivating respectful attitudes among students, using Exodus 22:21 as an exegetical foundation. The verse offers a theological framework for understanding respect as an ethical obligation grounded in memory, compassion, and justice. Employing a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach, the study synthesizes research published between 2000 and 2024 across educational psychology, teacher professionalism, Christian pedagogy, and biblical studies. Searches were conducted through Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, ATLA Religion Database, and ProQuest Education. The analysis identifies three major dimensions of professionalism relevant to the cultivation of respect: pedagogical competence, relational integrity, and ethical modeling. Findings reveal that CRE teachers’ professionalism significantly shapes school culture and student behavior at SMA Negeri 3 Sibolga. Professional teachers who demonstrate fairness, empathy, clarity of communication, and contextualized biblical instruction create learning environments where students internalize the value of respecting others. The study also highlights that exegetical engagement with biblical texts enriches students’ moral understanding by connecting religious teachings to personal and social realities. The integration of professional pedagogy and biblical ethics enables teachers to address issues such as intolerance, bullying, and discrimination more effectively. The study concludes that strengthening teacher professionalism, intellectually, relationally, and spiritually, is essential for fostering respect and promoting harmonious relationships in contemporary educational settings.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Hermauli Sarumpaet, Lustani Samosir (Author)
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