Resonansi Tumbuh Kembang: Tinjauan Sistematis Peran Pedagogi Musik Gerejawi terhadap Kecerdasan Holistik dan Inklusivitas Sosial Anak

Ricky Nelson (Sekolah Tinggi Teologi Kristus Alfa Omega)

Sinar Kasih: Jurnal Pendidikan Agama dan Filsafat
Vol. 4 No. 3 (2026): Agustus : Jurnal Pendidikan Agama dan Filsafat

Church music is not merely an artistic component of Christian worship but also has the potential to function as a pedagogical medium that supports children's holistic development. This study aims to systematically examine the role of church music pedagogy in children's holistic intelligence and social inclusivity, with church music and developmental psychology as the primary perspectives and Christian Religious Education (CRE) as a supporting perspective. A systematic narrative review approach was employed to analyze six scholarly articles available in the research corpus. The analysis focused on research objectives, learning contexts, musical activities, developmental outcomes, spiritual dimensions, and aspects of social inclusion. The synthesis indicates that church music pedagogy contributes to at least five interconnected developmental domains: cognitive, emotional, psychomotor, social, and spiritual development. Church music training has been associated with improved memory, concentration, problem-solving, language proficiency, motor skills, emotional regulation, empathy, independence, and self-confidence. Among children with special needs, musical activities are also associated with improved concentration, motor coordination, social awareness, self-confidence, and opportunities to participate in more inclusive learning environments. From a church-pedagogy perspective, music learning extends beyond technical mastery toward participation, ministry, character formation, and lived faith. CRE further strengthens these dimensions by using music and song as media for connecting religious knowledge, emotional experience, creativity, and action. Thus, church music pedagogy may be understood as an educational space that enables children to develop holistically while expanding their participation within the church community. Nevertheless, the available evidence remains dominated by qualitative research and literature studies, requiring further longitudinal empirical and pedagogical evaluation.