Religious Belief: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis on the Experience of Minority Students in Implementing Religious Education

Abstract

This study aims to explore students’ minority experiences while participating in religious education (RE). An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to answer the objective questions. Data were collected using the undergraduates’ diaries and in-depth interviews with 9 senior high school students which were selected by purposive sampling. Thematic analysis was used to categorize the information obtained. The result showed the three major themes that emerge in the IPA analysis, which include the strength of faith, basic knowledge, and a sense of religion. The finding interprets that informants have complete belief in the God they worship because of the basic understanding of religion that has been obtained from the family, community, and social media, even informants’ religious participation and activities have reached the level of sense. This study explains how the informants stand firm in worshipping their God despite receiving RE in various schools. This study concludes that even though informants are in a minority environment, they can still get religious education that is appropriate to their conditions through diverse activities and upholding the values of differences.

Keywords

• religious belief
• religious experience
• religious education
• religious minorities
• students