Integrating Values of Religious Moderation into Islamic Religious Education for Generation Z

Abstract

Generation Z has grown up amid a rapid flow of digital information, greater openness to cross-cultural and interfaith interaction, and frequent exposure to online content that often carries intolerant or radical narratives. These conditions require Islamic Religious Education (PAI) to move beyond merely emphasizing the cognitive aspects of religious knowledge and to instill the values of religious moderation (wasathiyah) as a foundation for tolerant, inclusive, and just religious attitudes. This study aims to examine the urgency, strategies, and challenges of integrating religious moderation values including tawasuth (moderation), tawazun (balance), i'tidal (uprightness and firmness), tasamuh (tolerance), musawah (equality), syura (deliberation), and love for one's homeland into the PAI learning process for Generation Z students. The study employs a qualitative approach using the library research method, analyzing literature, educational policies, and prior studies related to religious moderation and the characteristics of Generation Z. The findings indicate that integration can be achieved through the renewal of teaching materials, contextual and project-based learning approaches, the use of digital media familiar to Generation Z's learning style, and teachers' exemplary conduct in daily religious practice. The main challenges include gaps in teachers' digital literacy, the scarcity of contextual teaching materials, and the influence of social media algorithms that tend to reinforce polarization. This study recommends strengthening the competence of PAI teachers and developing a religious moderation learning model that is adaptive to the digital-native character of Generation Z.