The Contrarian: Finance, Accounting, and Business Research
Vol. 5 No. 2 (2026)

Financial literacy and digital accounting information systems: Their effect on financial reporting accountability in the Catholic Church

Natasha Maria Angela Pontoh (Universitas Sam Ratulangi)
Agus T. Poputra (Sam Ratulangi University)
Robert Lambey (Sam Ratulangi University)



Article Info

Publish Date
12 Jul 2026

Abstract

Accountability in financial reporting is a cornerstone of governance in religious institutions, where congregational trust is increasingly demonstrated through credible and verifiable financial management rather than spiritual leadership alone. Despite the growing adoption of digital accounting information systems, many parishes still experience delays and inconsistencies in financial reporting. This study examines the effect of financial literacy and the Digital Accounting Information System (DAIS) on financial reporting accountability among parish finance officers in the Catholic Church of the Diocese of Manado. Using a quantitative survey design, data were collected from parish finance officers and analyzed through multiple linear regression. The results show that financial literacy and DAIS simultaneously have a significant effect on financial reporting accountability. However, partially, financial literacy does not show a significant effect, whereas DAIS has a strong, positive, and significant effect. These findings introduce the concept of "Faith in Data," in which DAIS functions as a digital bridge of trust and a balancing mechanism that compensates for variations in individual financial literacy. This study contributes to the accounting literature by demonstrating that in a hierarchical pastoral context, digitalization extends beyond administrative efficiency to become a critical instrument of modern governance that ensures systemic reliability and institutional legitimacy.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

cfabr

Publisher

Subject

Decision Sciences, Operations Research & Management Economics, Econometrics & Finance Social Sciences

Description

The Contrarian: Finance, Accounting, and Business Research (CFABR) is a double peer-reviewed journal published by the Yayasan Widyantara Nawasena Raharja. The Contrarian: Finance, Accounting, and Business Research (CFABR) will publish the articles bi-annually. The article submitted to The ...