Spiritual transformation model for ecological responsibility in christian religious education

  • Jolanti Wisje Pentury 
    Sekolah Tinggi Agama Kristen Protestan Negeri Sentani
    Indonesia
  • Fredi Yafet Krey
    Sekolah Tinggi Agama Kristen Protestan Negeri Sentani
    Indonesia

Abstract

This study developed and examined a spiritual transformation-based Christian Religious Education (CRE) learning model to strengthen students’ socio-ecological awareness at SMA Negeri 2 Sentani. The model was conceptually designed by integrating biblical reflection, spiritual experience, contextual ecological issues, collaborative action, habituation, and Papuan Christian responsibility for creation. Five teachers and fifty students participated through classroom observations, in-depth interviews, and pre- and post-implementation assessments. Because the manuscript does not report a validated assessment instrument, reliability coefficients, numerical pre-post scores, intervention duration, or a named qualitative coding framework, the findings are presented as qualitative indications rather than statistically verified effects. Evidence from interviews and observations showed recurring changes in four domains: students increasingly interpreted nature as God’s creation, expressed stronger moral concern about environmental degradation, reported responsible practices such as waste reduction and plant care, and connected ecological responsibility with community well-being and future generations. The study proposes a transformative sequence Word of God, reflection, awareness, action, habituation, and socio-ecological responsibility as its distinctive contribution, positioning spiritual transformation as the internalization mechanism linking Christian faith with ecological practice within secondary-school religious education in Papua.

Keywords
  • Christian religious education,
  • Spiritual transformation,
  • Socio-ecological awareness,
  • Ecological responsibility
Lisensing Information
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

References
  1. Allison, E. (2019). Spirituality and ecology. In The Routledge International Handbook of Spirituality in Society and the Professions. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315445489-8
  2. Andevski, M., Maletaški, T., & Banić, B. (2019). Responsibility for the future – sustainable development from the students’ perspective. Didactica Slovenica - Pedagoska Obzorja, 34(3).
  3. Armstrong, S. (2016). Dominion in Christian Farming. Religious Studies and Theology, 35(2), 131–142. https://doi.org/10.1558/rsth.32549
  4. Ayong, R. M. (2024). Environment-based immersions as catalysts for molding science-oriented advocacy: Lenses from higher education students. Environment and Social Psychology, 9(12). https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v9i12.3234
  5. Baptiste, A. K. (2018). Environmental justice leadership and intergenerational continuity. In Revitalizing Urban Waterway Communities (pp. 62–94). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315474977-4
  6. Birdsall, S. (2010). Empowering Students to Act: Learning About, Through and From the Nature of Action. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 26, 65–84. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0814062600000835
  7. Bone, J. (2016). Environmental Issues and Spirituality: Tracing the Past and Making Contemporary Connections. In Spirituality across Disciplines: Research and Practice: (pp. 245–257). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31380-1_19
  8. Br Hombing, C. M., & Yanti, Y. (2023). Implementasi Model Pembelajaran Kooperatif untuk Meningkatkan Keaktifan Siswa Kelas IX dalam Mata Pelajaran Pendidikan Agama Kristen. Diligentia: Journal of Theology and Christian Education, 5(2), 69. https://doi.org/10.19166/dil.v5i2.6804
  9. Brown, M., & Jones, M. (2021). Adventure and Risk in Outdoor Environmental Education (pp. 89–99). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-75980-3_8
  10. Crainshaw, J. Y. (2018). Teaching the Sacraments through Profane Religious Experiences. In Grounding Education in the Environmental Humanities (pp. 69–82). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351003902-6
  11. Csutora, M., & Zsóka, Á. (2014). May spirituality lead to reduced ecological footprint? Conceptual framework and empirical analysis. World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 10(1), 88. https://doi.org/10.1504/WREMSD.2014.058056
  12. Dalli, C., & Hamarat, E. (2026). Preservice Teachers’ Ecological Citizenship Model: A Grounded Theory Research. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1017/aee.2026.10179
  13. Dirzo, R., Ceballos, G., & Ehrlich, P. R. (2022). Circling the drain: the extinction crisis and the future of humanity. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 377(1857). https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2021.0378
  14. Dranseika, V. (2016). Moral responsibility for natural disasters. Human Affairs, 26(1). https://doi.org/10.1515/humaff-2016-0009
  15. Eom, K., & Ng, S. T. (2023). The Potential of Religion for Promoting Sustainability: The Role of Stewardship. Topics in Cognitive Science, 15(3), 480–499. https://doi.org/10.1111/tops.12641
  16. Fletcher, C., Ripple, W. J., Newsome, T., Barnard, P., Beamer, K., Behl, A., Bowen, J., Cooney, M., Crist, E., Field, C., Hiser, K., Karl, D. M., King, D. A., Mann, M. E., McGregor, D. P., Mora, C., Oreskes, N., & Wilson, M. (2024). Earth at risk: An urgent call to end the age of destruction and forge a just and sustainable future. PNAS Nexus, 3(4). https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae106
  17. Foster, J. B. (2017). The Earth-System Crisis and Ecological Civilization: A Marxian View. International Critical Thought, 7(4), 439–458. https://doi.org/10.1080/21598282.2017.1357483
  18. Giusti, M., Mäkelä, V., Garbett Skagerlid, A., & Nagatsu, M. (2025). Shifting relationships with nature through schools: exploring the social and spatial context for transformative sustainability education. Ecology and Society, 30(2), art34. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-15969-300234
  19. Gottlieb, R. S. (2025). Religious Education and the Environmental Crisis. In The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Education (pp. 670–684). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198869511.013.58
  20. Güler, M., & Ürey, M. (2025). Seeing beyond sight: How students with visual impairments conceptualize environmental issues. British Journal of Visual Impairment. https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196251396533
  21. Hasriyanti, Ali, M. I., Malik, A., Dermawan, & Latief, M. M. (2025). Developing Pro-Environmental Attitudes Through Integrated Environmental Education: Insights from a High School in Indonesia. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning, 20(6), 2619–2626. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.200629
  22. Hedlund-de Witt, A. (2013). Pathways to Environmental Responsibility. Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture, 7(2), 154–186. https://doi.org/10.1558/jsrnc.v7i2.154
  23. Honig, A. S. (2019). Outdoors in nature: special spaces for young children’s learning. Early Child Development and Care, 189(4), 659–669. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2017.1337609
  24. Horrell, D. G. (2009). The Ecological Challenge to Biblical Studies. Theology, 112(867), 163–171. https://doi.org/10.1177/0040571X0911200302
  25. Hottó, I. (2025). Legal Dimensions of Harmonizing National Environmental Policies with International Sustainability Goals. 1005–1014. https://doi.org/10.31410/LIMEN.2024.1005
  26. Imelda Butarbutar, Riana Lumban raja, Sorta Sihombing, Sartika Maria Siregar, & Tomi Jonatan Simbolon. (2025). Integrating Environmental Ethics into Christian Religious Education: An Analytical and Interpretive Approach through Project-Based Learning. International Journal of Education and Humanities, 5(4), 698–707. https://doi.org/10.58557/(ijeh).v5i4.367
  27. Jadgal, M. S., Bamri, A., Fattahi Ardakani, M., Jadgal, N., & Zareipour, M. (2024). Investigation of environmental ethics, spiritual health, and its relationship with environmental protection behaviors in nursing students. Investigación y Educación En Enfermería, 42(1). https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.iee.v42n1e14
  28. Keiluhu, H. J., & Ohee, H. L. (2021). Kampanye Konservasi Danau Sentani. Jurnal Pengabdian Papua, 5(2), 40–45. https://doi.org/10.31957/.v5i2.1583
  29. Kiraz, A., Antip, T. M., & Gunduz, S. (2020). Contributing water pollution control through the use of selected instructional strategies amongst secondary school students. Desalination and Water Treatment, 177, 257–263. https://doi.org/10.5004/dwt.2020.25011
  30. Le Roux, C. (2020). Teaching towards Christian environmental stewardship - to what extent are the Tbilisi Declaration objectives for environmental education relevant? Koers, 85(1). https://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.85.1.2422
  31. Leal Filho, W., Salvia, A. L., Ulluwishewa, R., Abubakar, I. R., Mifsud, M., LeVasseur, T. J., Correia, V., Consorte-McCrea, A., Paço, A., Fritzen, B., Ray, S., Gordon, N., Luetz, J. M., Borsari, B., Venkatesan, M., Mukul, S. A., Carp, R. M., Begum, H., Nunoo, E. K., … Farrugia, E. (2022). Linking sustainability and spirituality: A preliminary assessment in pursuit of a sustainable and ethically correct world. Journal of Cleaner Production, 380, 135091. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.135091
  32. Lee, C. M. (Angela), & Taylor, M. J. (2013). Moral education trends over 40 years: A content analysis of the Journal of Moral Education (1971–2011). Taylor & Francis, 42(4), 399–429. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057240.2013.832666
  33. Lewis, J. (2025). Cultivating Empathy for Earth: Integrating Empathy into Ecological Religious Education. Religious Education, 120(2), 146–160. https://doi.org/10.1080/00344087.2024.2448389
  34. Liang, M., Chen, Q., & Zhou, Y. (2022). The Influence of Various Role Models on Children’s Pro-environmental Behaviours. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.873078
  35. Lin, W.-C., Nguyen, L.-H.-P., Tran, N.-H., & Huang, C.-F. (2022). Impact of an action-oriented environmental education course on students’ environmental awareness. Applied Environmental Education & Communication, 21(4), 331–347. https://doi.org/10.1080/1533015X.2022.2099482
  36. Lo, J.-H., Lai, Y.-F., & Hsu, T.-L. (2021). The Study of AR-Based Learning for Natural Science Inquiry Activities in Taiwan’s Elementary School from the Perspective of Sustainable Development. Sustainability, 13(11), 6283. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116283
  37. Mahat, H., Norkhaidi, S. B., Saleh, Y., Hashim, M., Nayan, N., Said, Z. M., Matnoor, M., & Hamid, N. (2022). A Study on the Responsibility of Environmental Ethics Among Secondary School Students in the 21st Century. International Journal of Educational Methodology, 8(3), 585–593. https://doi.org/10.12973/ijem.8.3.585
  38. Mary, E., Darmawan, I. P. A., & Udau, S. (2026). Reimagining the Domestic Church: An Integrative Theological Framework for Family-Based Bible Education for Generation Z in Indonesia. Pharos Journal of Theology, 107(2). https://doi.org/10.46222/pharosjot.107.29
  39. McKercher, B., Mackenzie, M., Prideaux, B., & Pang, S. (2014). Is the Hospitality and Tourism Curriculum Effective in Teaching Personal Social Responsibility? Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 38(4), 431–462. https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348012451452
  40. Merz, J. J., Barnard, P., Rees, W. E., Smith, D., Maroni, M., Rhodes, C. J., Dederer, J. H., Bajaj, N., Joy, M. K., Wiedmann, T., & Sutherland, R. (2023). World scientists’ warning: The behavioural crisis driving ecological overshoot. Science Progress, 106(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/00368504231201372
  41. Mishra, A., & Muddgal, A. (2022). Nurturing Spirituality: In Conjunction with Integral Education. Journal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research, 39(2), 185–195. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40961-022-00285-7
  42. Morin, C. M., Muhammad, F., & Maryono. (2024). Strategi Pengendalian Pencemaran Perairan Danau Sentani di Distrik Sentani Timur, Kabupaten Jayapura. Jurnal Teknologi Lingkungan, 25(2), 257–263. https://doi.org/10.55981/jtl.2024.1675
  43. Ng, S. T., & Eom, K. (2024). Religious stewardship and pro-environmental action: The mediating roles of environmental guilt and anger. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 16(3), 263–271. https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000499
  44. Ngutra, L. M., Mujiati, M., Rante, H., Julison, B., Awaluddin, D., & Rusim, D. A. (2024). Overview of the Influence of Land Use Change and Sediment Control Structures on Sedimentation in Lake Sentani. Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, 5(12), 5609–5618. https://doi.org/10.59141/jist.v5i12.1254
  45. O’Neil, J. M., Newton, R. J., Bone, E. K., Birney, L. B., Green, A. E., Merrick, B., Goodwin-Segal, T., Moore, G., & Fraioli, A. (2020). Using urban harbors for experiential, environmental literacy: Case studies of New York and Chesapeake Bay. Regional Studies in Marine Science, 33, 100886. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2019.100886
  46. Ohee, H. (2013). The ecology of the red rainbowfish (Glossolepis incisus) and the impact of human activities on its habitats in Lake Sentani, Papua. https://ediss.uni-goettingen.de/handle/11858/00-1735-0000-0001-BBC8-3?locale-attribute=en
  47. Panggarra, R., Budiman, S., & Wijaya, H. (2025). A Study of Ecotheology and its Implementation in Teaching in the Dayak Kubint Community in an Effort to Prevent an Environmental Crisis in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Pharos Journal of Theology, 106.5. https://doi.org/10.46222/pharosjot.106.520
  48. Pantan, F. (2025a). Homo Educandum and Homo Viator: Embracing nature as Eschatological community. Verbum et Ecclesia, 46(1). https://doi.org/10.4102/ve.v46i1.3435
  49. Pantan, F. (2025b). Humanistic and inclusive Christian education: A framework for learning transformation. HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 81(1). https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v81i1.10488
  50. Robredo, B., & Ladrera, R. (2020). ¿Preparados para la acción climática al finalizar la educación primaria? In Revista Mexicana de Investigacion Educativa (Vol. 25, Issue 87).
  51. Rosales, R. J. J. (2024). Climate-Sensitive Religious Education Curriculum in the Unified Schools of the Archdiocese of Lipa. International Journal on Culture, History, and Religion, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13270913
  52. Ruiz-Corro, C. G., Pérez-Azahuanche, M., Leyva-Aguilar, N. A., Rabanal-León, H. C., Aroni-Salcedo, K. M., & Ruiz-Corro, A. K. (2024). Environmental awareness: A pedagogical commitment. Producción + Limpia, 19(1), 23–40. https://doi.org/10.22507/pml.v19n1a3
  53. Samarawickrama, S. K., Richmond, S., Kirk, H., & Freeman, N. C. (2026). ‘We will fix the environment’: a qualitative exploration of children’s knowledge and emotional responses to the environmental crisis. Environmental Education Research, 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2026.2660132
  54. Shin, F., & Preston, J. L. (2021). Green as the gospel: The power of stewardship messages to improve climate change attitudes. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 13(4), 437–447. https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000249
  55. Supit, S. (2023). Model pembelajaran multiple intelligences pendidikan agama Kristen bagi anak dalam menghadapi era society 5.0. KURIOS, 9(1), 136. https://doi.org/10.30995/kur.v9i1.624
  56. Suyatno, S., Suhartawan, B., M. Iriyanto, S., & Daawia, D. (2024). Application Of Story Method To Determine Lake Sentani Water Quality Status In Papua Province. Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, 5(3), 920–929. https://doi.org/10.59141/jist.v5i3.942
  57. Syamsiah, S., Jamaluddin, A. Bin, & Pratiwi, A. C. (2024). Exploring the impact of educational background, spiritual beliefs, and media exposure on environmental knowledge and attitudes. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 20(11), em2537. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15644
  58. Tewu, P. S., & Kampilong, J. K. (2026). Biblical stewardship and environmental sustainability: A scriptural study. Verbum et Ecclesia, 47(1). https://doi.org/10.4102/VE.v47i1.3695
  59. Tri Pudji Rahayu, & Rode Sri Rahayu. (2024). Penerapan Pendidikan Agama Kristen Berbasis Transformasi Spiritual Upaya Pengembangan Karakter dan Resiliensi Siswa Rentan Studi Kasus di SMP Harapan Arcawinara Bekasi. Sukacita : Jurnal Pendidikan Iman Kristen, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.61132/sukacita.v2i1.323
  60. Village, A. (2021). Stewardship: Solution or Problem? Rural Theology, 19(2), 110–119. https://doi.org/10.1080/14704994.2021.1968643
  61. Waring, T. M., Wood, Z. T., & Szathmáry, E. (2024). Characteristic processes of human evolution caused the Anthropocene and may obstruct its global solutions. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 379(1893). https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2022.0259
  62. Warwer, F., Malatuny, Y. G., & Layan, S. (2024). Kehilangan Hutan, Kehilangan Masa Depan: Krisis Ekologi Dalam Pendekatan Biblis. DIEGESIS: Jurnal Teologi Kharismatika, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.53547/diegesis.v7i1.446
  63. Yanthy, N. O., Pawennari, & Ismail, A. (2025). Spatial Analysis Of Customary Forest Degradation In Sereh Village, Cycloop Mountains, Jayapura Regency. International Journal of Environmental Sciences, 1364–1372. https://doi.org/10.64252/z9snav36
  64. Zhang, H. (2024). The Ecological Theology of Holmes Rolston, III: Refining Environmental Ethics in the Anthropocene through the Grace of Life. Sino-Christian Studies, 2024(38).

Downloads

PDF

Statistic

Abstract Views
: 45 times
PDF
: 31 times