Religious Moderation as An Effort to Increase Religious Understanding Among Teenagers in Bekasi Regency

Toat Haryanto (Shalahuddin Al-Ayyubi Islamic Institute (INISA) Bekasi)
Mohammad Holis (Institut Agama Islam Shalahuddin Al-Ayyubi (INISA) Bekasi)
Miftahul Huda (Institut Agama Islam Shalahuddin Al-Ayyubi (INISA) Bekasi)

International Journal of Nusantara Islam
Vol 13 No 2 (2025): International Journal of Nusantara Islam

As a nation rich in religious and cultural diversity, Indonesia faces challenges in maintaining interfaith harmony, particularly among the younger generation. Adolescents—the group most vulnerable to the influence of radicalization—require a moderate understanding of religion to prevent potential social conflict. With its large youth population, Bekasi Regency serves as a strategic location for implementing religious moderation to foster a more inclusive and tolerant religious understanding. This study aims to explore the role of religious moderation in enhancing religious understanding among adolescents in Bekasi Regency and to analyze the factors influencing the application of religious moderation in their daily lives. A qualitative approach utilizing a case study design was employed. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and focus group discussions with adolescents from diverse religious and social backgrounds in Bekasi Regency. Purposive sampling was used to obtain in-depth insights into perceptions and practices regarding religious moderation among the youth. The findings indicate that adolescents in Bekasi Regency tend to possess a moderate religious understanding when they participate in religious activities that promote tolerance and inclusivity. Religious education emphasizing values ​​of religious moderation has proven effective in reducing radical attitudes and strengthening interfaith relations among adolescents. The study concludes that religious moderation is key to fostering a more inclusive and tolerant religious understanding among young people. Consequently, efforts to integrate religious moderation into religious education and activities in Bekasi Regency can enhance social harmony among adolescents. This research makes a significant contribution to the development of more moderate religious education, particularly for the youth. The findings are expected to serve as a reference for policymakers and educators in designing curricula that promote religious moderation at the local level.