Building harmony and peace through multiculturalist theology‐based religious education: an alternative for contemporary Indonesia

Indonesia has experienced a paradigm shift during the last decade in the framework of managing societal diversity because of an increase in ethnic and religious conflict. This shift has an impact on education because school curricula must address issues of living together as a nation united despite differences in religion and ethnicity. This is especially true of the religious education curriculum. However, since the New Order era (Soeharto regime, 1966–1998), religious education has been misused by the state to limit freedom of religion and to promote a model that is not sensitive to diversity and differences. It is critical, however, that religious education be rooted in a multicultural perspective supported by theological insight.