inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Minister of Religion Nasaruddin Umar asked his staff at the Directorate General of Islamic Education to include ecotheology and nature conservation into the religious education curriculum.

“Islam has provided the moral basis to teach the children in preserving nature. Al-Quran and hadith have told us to not harm the earth,” says Minister Nasaruddin on Wednesday (1/22/2025).

In his statement, Nasaruddin conveyed the three focuses of religious education development in the future, namely environmental issues, tolerance, and nationalism.

He emphasized that  in responding to the challenges of the times, especially the environmental crisis, it is important to implement an eco-theological approach ​​in nature conservation.

Ecotheology can be understood as a concept that discusses the interrelationship between theological-philosophical views contained in religious teachings with nature, especially the environment.

The Minister of Religion hopes that these values ​​can be integrated into the religious education curriculum, making environmental preservation a part of worship and human responsibility.

The second focus is strengthening tolerance through religious moderation. Nazarrudin calls it the "Love Curriculum", which is an innovative approach to integrating the value of moderation into Religious Education and Civic Education learning.

"Education is the main way to create a harmonious society amidst diversity," said the Minister of Religion.

And the last focus is Nationalism. The Minister of Religion emphasized the importance of history education, strengthening local culture, and appreciating the values ​​of Pancasila as an effort to instill love for the homeland.

"Nationalism is not just a jargon, but the spirit of every one of our educational policies," explained the Minister of Religion.

Religious education is expected to be a fortress to maintain the nation's identity amidst the strong influence of foreign cultures. Thus, the younger generation has a global perspective without losing their cultural roots and love for the homeland.

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