Pendidikan Moral dan Teologi: Empati dan Kasih Sayang Anak Usia Dini dalam Konteks Kontemporer di Indonesia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53547/s69m5786Keywords:
anak dan modernitas, empati dan kasih, pendidikan kristen anak usia dini, teologi anak usia diniAbstract
Digital transformation poses serious challenges to the moral and spiritual development of early childhood, particularly in the formation of empathy and love. This study aims to analyze the role of moral and religious education, with an emphasis on Early Childhood Christian Education (PKAUD), in shaping a child’s character founded on love. The method employed is a qualitative-descriptive literature study, integrating theories of moral development (Piaget, Erikson, Bronfenbrenner) with the biblical-theological framework of love (hesed, agape, paideia). The findings indicate that the family serves as the primary ecosystem for cultivating children’s empathy through role modeling, spiritual practices, and the management of digital media. The church, through Sunday school and pastoral care, plays a role in instilling disciplined yet gentle love, while schools reinforce collaboration by implementing interactive learning grounded in moral and faith-based values. Theoretically, this study affirms that the development of children’s empathy is rooted not only in psychological aspects but also in spirituality as a transformative divine reality. This research contributes by offering a conceptual model of Christian early childhood education that integrates discipline, faith-based role modeling, and spiritual guidance, thereby positioning moral and religious education not merely as normative, but as a transformative means for children’s growth.
Keywords: children and modernity; early childhood Christian education; early childhood theology; empathy and love
Abstrak
Transformasi digital membawa tantangan serius bagi perkembangan moral dan spiritual anak usia dini, khususnya dalam pembentukan empati dan kasih. Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis peran pendidikan moral dan agama, dengan penekanan pada Pendidikan Kristen Anak Usia Dini (PKAUD), dalam membentuk karakter anak yang berlandaskan kasih. Metode yang digunakan adalah kajian kualitatif-deskriptif melalui studi literatur, yang mengintegrasikan teori perkembangan moral (Piaget, Erikson, Bronfenbrenner) dengan kerangka teologis Alkitabiah tentang kasih (hesed, agape, paideia). Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahwa keluarga merupakan ekosistem utama pembentukan empati anak melalui keteladanan, praktik spiritual, dan pengelolaan media digital. Gereja, melalui sekolah minggu dan pelayanan pastoral, berperan menanamkan kasih yang disiplin namun penuh kelembutan, sedangkan sekolah memperkuat kolaborasi dengan menerapkan pembelajaran interaktif berbasis nilai moral dan iman. Secara teoretis, penelitian ini menegaskan bahwa pembentukan empati anak tidak hanya berakar pada aspek psikologis, tetapi juga spiritual sebagai realitas ilahi yang transformatif. Penelitian ini berkontribusi dengan menawarkan model konseptual pendidikan Kristen anak usia dini yang memadukan disiplin, keteladanan iman, dan pendampingan spiritual, sehingga pendidikan moral dan agama dipahami bukan hanya normatif, melainkan sarana transformatif untuk pertumbuhan anak.
Kata Kunci: anak dan modernitas; empati dan kasih; pendidikan kristen anak usia dini; teologi anak usia dini
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