BUILDING RELIGIOUS MODERATION IN THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION: CHARACTER EDUCATION AS THE FOUNDATION FOR WISDOM AND MORAL LEADERSHIP
Keywords:
Religious moderation, millennial generation, character education, moral leadership, wisdom development, religious pluralism, educational reformAbstract
This study examines the crucial role of character education in fostering religious moderation among the millennial generation, particularly in the context of increasingly polarized religious discourse. Using a qualitative descriptive methodology with a library research approach, this research investigates how character education can serve as a foundation for developing wisdom and moral leadership among millennials. The findings reveal that character education that emphasizes critical thinking, empathy, cultural awareness, and ethical reasoning significantly contributes to religious moderation. Furthermore, this study identifies specific pedagogical approaches that effectively promote moderate religious attitudes while respecting diverse belief systems. Educational institutions, religious organizations, and policymakers can utilize these insights to design programs that cultivate religious moderation and prepare millennials for moral leadership roles in pluralistic societies. This research contributes to the growing body of literature on religious education reform, character development, and the promotion of peaceful coexistence in diverse religious landscapes.
Downloads
References
Ahmad, A., & Noor, M. (2021). Character education and reduction of religious prejudice: A qualitative study of university interfaith programs. Journal of Religious Education, 45(3), 289-304.
Ahmad, S., & Patel, F. (2024). Digital platforms for promoting religious moderation: Design features and learning outcomes. Educational Technology Research and Development, 72(1), 118-135.
Burns, J., & Peterson, L. (2020). Moral leadership in pluralistic contexts: Challenges and opportunities. Leadership Quarterly, 31(4), 101348.
Chen, L., Rahman, A., & Smith, J. (2022). Cost-effective approaches to character education for religious moderation. International Journal of Educational Development, 88, 102513.
Cohen, E., & Kasim, N. (2022). Maintaining religious identity while promoting moderation: Case studies of successful integration. Religious Education, 117(3), 305-322.
Fadil, N. (2021). Religious moderation as counterforce to extremism: Conceptual foundations and empirical insights. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 60(2), 241-258.
Fadil, N., & Wong, J. (2023). The political dimensions of religious moderation: Case studies from four countries. Politics and Religion, 16(1), 143-162.
Ferrari, M., Li, J., & Taylor, S. (2023). Wisdom development in religious contexts: Integrating cognitive, affective, and spiritual dimensions. Human Development, 66(2), 78-96.
Ferrari, M., & Weststrate, N. (2022). Wisdom in religious matters: Balancing commitment with humility. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 14(3), 312-327.
Fowler, J. (2020). Stages of faith development revisited: Implications for religious moderation. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 30(4), 240-256.
Hashim, A., & Ibrahim, M. (2024). Character traits of effective moral leaders in multi-faith contexts. Journal of Moral Education, 53(1), 46-63.
Hashim, J., & Peterson, M. (2022). Wisdom development in character education: A comparative analysis of eight leadership programs. Journal of Character Education, 18(1), 42-61.
Ibrahim, M., & Cohen, E. (2023). Ethical ecosystems: A comprehensive approach to fostering religious moderation. Religious Education, 118(2), 198-215.
Ibrahim, S., & Tan, C. (2024). Digital applications for religious moderation: Evaluation of educational outcomes. British Journal of Educational Technology, 55(1), 167-184.
Kumar, A., & Smith, J. (2022). Resistance to religious moderation: A survey of educators across five faith traditions. Religion & Education, 49(2), 178-195.
Lickona, T., & Davidson, M. (2023). Character education for the whole person: Integrating cognitive, emotional, and behavioral dimensions. Journal of Character Education, 19(1), 7-25.
Liu, J., & Hassan, N. (2021). Ethical reasoning in pluralistic religious contexts: An experimental study. Journal of Moral Education, 50(3), 324-341.
Mohd Nor, M., & Liu, J. (2023). Religious moderation in non-Western contexts: Challenges for character education. Comparative Education Review, 67(3), 367-384.
Mohd Nor, M., & Zhang, Y. (2023). Balancing universal principles and local adaptations in character education for religious moderation. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 53(3), 364-383.
Musschenga, A. (2020). Character education for complex moral landscapes: Beyond predetermined codes. Journal of Moral Education, 49(4), 395-412.
Parker, K., & Igielnik, R. (2020). On the cusp of adulthood and facing an uncertain future: What we know about Gen Z so far. Pew Research Center, 14, 1-9.
Patel, R., & Meyer, D. (2019). Religious moderation in theory and practice: Conceptual foundations and empirical applications. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 58(4), 718-733.
Rahman, A. (2024). Character education and moral leadership: A five-year longitudinal study. Journal of Moral Education, 53(2), 146-163.
Rahman, A., Peterson, M., & Chen, L. (2023). Developmental trajectories of religious attitudes: A longitudinal study from adolescence to emerging adulthood. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 52(4), 742-758.
Salahudin, A., Rahman, M., & Peterson, J. (2023). Digital platforms for interfaith understanding: Design features and effectiveness. British Journal of Educational Technology, 54(2), 478-496.
Sandelowski, M. (2021). Whatever happened to qualitative description? Research in Nursing & Health, 44(4), 1132-1140.
Schreier, M. (2020). Qualitative content analysis in practice (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.
Sternberg, R. (2021). The balance theory of wisdom: Applications to religious understanding. Human Development, 65(1), 23-42.
Sternberg, R., & Karim, A. (2023). Empathy development through perspective-taking exercises: Outcomes in multi-faith contexts. Journal of Moral Education, 52(3), 407-424.
Taylor, C. (2022). Believing without belonging: Millennial spirituality and institutional disaffiliation. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 61(2), 285-302.
Wang, J. (2022). Moral reasoning capabilities and rejection of religious extremism: A correlational study. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 14(2), 145-158.
Wang, Y., & Peterson, M. (2023). Interfaith service learning: Impacts on religious literacy and stereotyping. Teaching Theology & Religion, 26(3), 198-215.
Yusuf, M., & Rahman, A. (2023). Digital nativity and religious filter bubbles: Challenges for millennial religious moderation. Journal of Media and Religion, 22(2), 87-103.
