Promoting Student Tolerance via Religious Moderation: Evidence from Indonesian Multicultural High Schools

Muh. Rani Rachmansyah Bachtiar 1 Indonesia , Kartini Kartini 1 Indonesia , Bulu’ Kanro 1 Indonesia
1 Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training, Universitas Islam Negeri Palopo, Indonesia
Link Copied!
Published 2026-09-05
Vol. 6 No. 1 (2026) PAGES 271-282
DOI 10.51574/ijrer.v6i1.5475
Views / Downloads 13 7

This qualitative case study investigated how religious moderation-based Islamic Education (PAI) strengthens interfaith tolerance and social harmony in an Indonesian multicultural public senior high school (SMAN 2 Palopo, South Sulawesi). Grounded in Social Learning Theory, Constructivist Learning Theory, and Allport's Contact Theory, the research addressed three questions: how moderation values are structurally integrated into PAI instruction, how these values manifest in students' daily cross-religious social interactions, and how institutional support drives tolerance outcomes. Participants comprised N = 26 purposively selected key stakeholders: 3 administrators, 3 PAI teachers, 2 guidance counselors, and 18 students representing diverse religious affiliations (Muslim, Protestant, Catholic, Hindu). Data were collected over three months via 14 classroom observations, 26 semi-structured interviews, and analysis of 12 institutional artifacts, and analyzed using Miles, Huberman, & Saldaña's interactive model. Rigor was established through Lincoln and Guba's trustworthiness framework (Cronbach's α = 0.89/0.91 inter-coder agreement). Findings revealed three core mechanisms: (1) instructional integration through contextualized problem-based learning and multi-perspective theological reasoning; (2) authentic social enactments featuring equal-status cross-faith academic collaboration (88.8% positive peer interaction rate) and joint civic activities; and (3) an institutional ecosystem enforcing inclusive school regulations. The study formulates the Integrated Religious Moderation Ecosystem (IRME) Model, demonstrating that PAI acts as an operative vehicle for social cohesion when classroom pedagogy, teacher modeling, and inclusive governance converge.

Bachtiar, M. R. R., Kartini, K., & Kanro, B. (2026). Promoting Student Tolerance via Religious Moderation: Evidence from Indonesian Multicultural High Schools . ETDC: Indonesian Journal of Research and Educational Review , 6(1), 271–282. https://doi.org/10.51574/ijrer.v6i1.5475
More Citation Formats
Download Citation

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.
  1. Alias, H., Haddade, H., Syamhari, S., & Harisah, A. (2025). Enhancing Religious Moderation: Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Islamic Religious Education Strategies At State Senior High School 7 Wajo. The 2nd International Conference on Science and Islamic Studies (ICOSIS-2024). https://proceedings.uin-alauddin.ac.id/index.php/icosis/icosis2024/paper/view/1948
  2. Aprilianto, D., Aslamiyah, S. S., Zahidi, S., Crisnasari, N. A., & Febbrianti, T. (2025). Religious moderation as a counter-narrative of intolerance in schools and universities. Tafkir: Interdisciplinary Journal of Islamic Education, 6(1), 188–212. https://doi.org/10.31538/tijie.v6i1.1361
  3. Attahakul, P. (2025). Education’s role in creating a sustainable and equitable society. Journal of Asian Language Teaching and Learning, 6(1), 81–93. https://so10.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/jote/article/view/1794
  4. Azizah, L., Amien, S., & Nurhakim, M. (2025). Developing religious school culture: Strategies and impacts on Islamic religious education outcomes. AL-ISHLAH: Jurnal Pendidikan, 17(4), 7324–7337. https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v17i4.7836
  5. Bukhari, B., Bastiar, B., Hatta, M., Iswandi, I., & Diah, M. (2025). Islam, religious moderation, and digital political polarization: Religious authority and social cohesion in the age of social media. Lentera: Indonesian Journal of Multidisciplinary Islamic Studies, 7(2), 201-212. https://doi.org/10.32505/lentera.v7i2.14433
  6. Chotimah, C., Qudsy, S. Z., & Yusuf, M. (2024). Superficial implementation of religious moderation in Islamic educational management. Cogent Education, 11(1), Article 2442235. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2442235
  7. Culp, J. (2025). Multicultural education for transnational democratic citizenship. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 59(3-4), 413-433. https://doi.org/10.1093/jopedu/qhaf011
  8. Danial, D., Nadaraning, H., Baihaqi, F. A., & Raya, N. N. (2026). Contested identities: How ethnic and religious communities perceive multiculturalism in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. Journal of Law, Social Science and Management, 3(1), 165–178. https://doi.org/10.36685/jlssm.v3i1.2047
  9. Fasyiransyah, F., Warsah, I., & Istan, M. (2025). Islamic religious education learning approach based on religious moderation. Al-Hayat: Journal of Islamic Education, 9(1), 181–199. https://doi.org/10.35723/ajie.v9i1.45
  10. Firdaus, S. A., & Suwendi, S. (2025). Fostering social harmony: The impact of Islamic character education in multicultural societies. AL-ISHLAH: Jurnal Pendidikan, 17(1), 942–955. https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v17i1.6579
  11. Gule, Y., & Keliat, J. (2025). The role of religious moderation in enhancing social harmony and interfaith tolerance among university students. QALAMUNA: Jurnal Pendidikan, Sosial, Dan Agama, 17(1), 611–622. https://doi.org/10.37680/qalamuna.v17i1.7101
  12. Husain, M. Z. (2025). Religious moderation and the development of multicultural societies in Indonesia: A normative-Islamic legal study. ASEAN Journal of Islamic Studies and Civilization, 2(1), 27–60. https://doi.org/10.62976/ajisc.v2i1.1368
  13. Islamic, G., Supriyono, S., Ishaq, M., & Dayati, U. (2024). Character education through philosophical values in traditional Islamic boarding schools. Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences, 45(1), 31–42. https://so04.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/kjss/article/view/269466
  14. Kaharuddin, K., & Hisbullah, H. (2022). Integrated local wisdom values in strengthening student character: Curriculum design for Madrasah Ibtidaiyah. Edukasi Islami: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 11(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.30868/ei.v11i01.5095
  15. Kamraju, M. (2025). The evolving role of religion in modern society: Influence, challenges, and paths toward coexistence. ASEAN Journal of Religion, Education, and Society, 4(1), 67–74. https://ejournal.bumipublikasinusantara.id/index.php/ajores/article/view/649
  16. Komalasari, M., & Yakubu, A. B. (2023). Implementation of student character formation through Islamic religious education. At-Tadzkir: Islamic Education Journal, 2(1), 52-64. https://doi.org/10.59373/attadzkir.v2i1.16
  17. Mahrus, M., & Afandi, N. K. (2024). Building tolerance from an early age: Instilling religious moderation values in elementary schools. EDUKASIA: Jurnal Pendidikan Dan Pembelajaran, 5(2), 159–168. https://doi.org/10.62775/edukasia.v5i2.1168
  18. Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2014). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
  19. Octavianne, H., Suhariadi, F., Mudzakkir, M. F., Trianto, D., & Chamdan, U. (2024). Identity politics and polarization in contemporary Muslim countries. MILRev: Metro Islamic Law Review, 3(2), 263–286. https://doi.org/10.32332/milrev.v3i2.9909
  20. Pettigrew, T. F. (2021). Advancing intergroup contact theory: Comments on the issue's articles. Journal of Social Issues, 77(1), 258-273. https://doi.org/10.1111/josi.12423
  21. Prabowo, C. D. (2024). Moral values in digital learning: Applying Thomas Lickona’s Framework in online higher education. Journal of Islamic Education Management Research, 2(2), 165-180. https://doi.org/10.14421/jiemr.2024.22-07
  22. Ratnah, R., Shah, S. A. A., & Alam, M. (2024). Integrating religious moderation into Islamic religious education: Strategies and impacts. At-Tadzkir: Islamic Education Journal, 3(2), 120–133. https://doi.org/10.59373/attadzkir.v3i2.67
  23. Saepulmilah, C., Musthafa, L. A.-H., & Ruswandi, U. (2025). Building harmony in diversity: A study of pluralism and multiculturalism in Indonesia. Electronic Journal of Education, Social Economics and Technology, 6(1), 1136–1147. https://doi.org/10.33122/ejeset.v6i1.733
  24. Shamoa-Nir, L. (2024). Exploring contact theory in intergroup dialogue: an examination of attitudes and experiences in secular-religious discourse across diverse socio-religious subgroups. Cogent Social Sciences, 10(1), 2318858. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2024.2318858
  25. Siregar, A., & Siregar, J. I. (2025). Foundations of multicultural education: Education in a multiethnic and multireligious society. TABLIGH: Journal of Islamic Studies, 1(2), 217–230. https://journal.maalahliyah.sch.id/index.php/tabligh/article/view/563
  26. Suparto, S., Rahmayanti, I., & Tholchah, M. (2026). Critical Thinking and Religious Moderation in the Bahtsul Masa’il Tradition at Darus Sunnah Islamic Boarding School. Dialog, 49(1), 63-83. https://doi.org/10.47655/dialog.v49i1.1288
  27. Syafii, I., Harjanto, M. A. D., & Syifaulhanani, I. (2025). Religious Moderation Education as a Means to Prevent Bullying in Schools. Tadris: Jurnal Keguruan Dan Ilmu Tarbiyah, 10(2), 517-534. https://doi.org/10.24042/tadris.v10i1.27672
  28. Zajda, J. (2021). Constructivist learning theory and creating effective learning environments. In Globalisation and education reforms: Creating effective learning environments (pp. 35-50). Cham: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71575-5_3

Copyright (c) 2026 Muh. Rani Rachmansyah Bachtiar, Kartini Kartini, Bulu’ Kanro

Creative Commons License

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

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.

Dimension Badge

Downloads

Downloads
Crossmark Badge
Crossmark Badge
Section
Articles
Keywords
IRME Model Islamic Education Multicultural High School Religious Moderation Social Harmony