God is the Creator of the Earth, But Man is the Keeper Kid’s Responsibility in Caring the Environment Education and Religion Section Articles

Abstract

Background: This section explains the context and rationale behind the study. The author highlights the importance of including children’s perspectives in discussions about education and religion in Indonesia, as they form the foundation for a moral and sustainable society. Academic discourse has long relied on adult viewpoints, neglecting the voices of children. Therefore, the study emphasizes that children, too, bear a spiritual and moral responsibility to care for God’s creation — the earth.

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to examine the practice of education and religion in Indonesia through the experiences of children at the Jungle School in Salatiga, focusing on the preservation of nature and the environment. The author seeks to demonstrate that children’s experiences can meaningfully contribute to the development of environmental theology and a better understanding of humanity’s collective duty toward the planet.

Methods: The research uses a qualitative narrative inquiry approach, where the stories and lived experiences of children are collected and interpreted as the main source of data. The author — who is also the founder and director of the Jungle School — employs narrative inquiry to uncover meaning from children’s daily interactions with education, faith, and nature. This method values experience-based storytelling as a way to understand life and theology through real, lived narratives.

Results: The findings show that the children’s experiences at the Jungle School offer a unique perspective on the intersection between faith, education, and environmental responsibility. Learning directly within nature, the children display awareness of their role as keepers of the earth. This nature-based education fosters spiritual growth, moral responsibility, and a theological appreciation of creation — elements often neglected in formal religious education systems.

Contribution: The article contributes a new perspective to environmental theology and religious education by emphasizing the inclusion of children’s voices and experiences. It invites educators, theologians, and researchers to integrate child-centered perspectives into their work and to cultivate ecological awareness rooted in creation theology. Ultimately, it calls for collective efforts to build a better and more sustainable future for humanity and the earth.