Pancasila as a Philosophical Basis of Religious Education in the Context of Indonesian Religious Diversity

Abstract

For many years, the Indonesian people have lived in a harmonious diversity of religions and beliefs. In the last decade, the harmony of living together has been torn apart by various issues of horizontal conflict, which are often triggered by religious sentiments. In the context of a multi-religious Indonesia, this qualitative research using Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (unity in diversity) method and the interpretative phenomenological analysis focusing on exploring Pancasila as the foundation for constructing religious education. The purpose of this research is to emphasize that Pancasila is an articulation of religious values that unites various groups of people in the midst of problems and threats of disharmony in a multireligious Indonesia. There are three important ideas generated from this research. First, religious education in schools, families, and communities applies the values of Pancasila as moral imperatives that bind each person with a different religious background to work in developing a harmonious and brotherly social life. Second, religious experience and belief are the main content of religious learning in schools that unites individuals from different religious backgrounds. Third, religious learning in schools in the context of multicultural-religious Indonesia is oriented towards developing solidarity and compassion with others in a harmonious living together.