Pedagogical Challenges of Catholic Religion Teachers in Integrating Artificial Intelligence-Based Learning in the Digital Era

Abstract

Research on artificial intelligence (AI) in education is already extensive, yet studies targeting Catholic religion teachers specifically remain scarce. This is notable because their subject differs from others in that it influences students' faith, morality, and personal relationships. Using a qualitative case study design, this article examines how Catholic religion teachers in Madiun City interpret and respond to AI in their daily teaching. Data were gathered through an open-ended questionnaire completed by five Catholic Religious Education (CRE) teachers in Madiun City, then analyzed with Braun and Clarke's six-phase thematic model. The analysis yielded five themes: AI as a pragmatic pedagogical aid; the tension between AI's algorithmic logic and the spirituality of faith; the teacher's new role as guardian of theological orthodoxy over AI-generated content; concerns about teacher–student personal relationships and data privacy; and AI as an ambivalent reality, at once a gift, a challenge, and a threat. Teachers accept AI as long as its role remains administrative and technical, but they object once it enters spaces they regard as sacred, such as prayer, faith reflection, and personal encounter. Building on these findings, the article proposes a framework called AI Value-Centered Pedagogy, a middle path that allows CRE teachers to respond to AI wisely without losing the spiritual core of faith teaching. These findings are expected to inform the drafting of pastoral guidelines on the use of AI in Catholic religious education in Indonesia.