<![CDATA[This article examines Islamic Religious Education (IRE) within the multicultural context of Minahasa, North Sulawesi, where Muslims live as a minority in a predominantly Christian society shaped by strong local cultural traditions. While Minahasa is often recognized for its relatively harmonious interreligious relations, the position and practice of Islamic Religious Education in this context have received limited scholarly attention. Using a conceptual-contextual approach, this study draws on relevant literature, policy analysis, and reflective interpretation of Minahasa’s socio-cultural setting. Multiculturalism is employed as an analytical lens to explore how Islamic Religious Education operates within asymmetrical majority–minority relations and interacts with local cultural dynamics. The analysis highlights tensions between nationally standardized Islamic education curricula and the lived experiences of Muslim minorities embedded in a Christian-majority cultural environment. The findings indicate that Islamic Religious Education in Minahasa tends to be inward-oriented and normative, with limited engagement with local multicultural realities. As a result, religious moderation is shaped more by everyday social practices and cultural interaction than by formal religious education. This article argues that integrating a multicultural perspective can enhance the relevance of Islamic Religious Education in minority contexts and strengthen its contribution to inclusive coexistence in plural societies.]]>
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