The Role Of Religious Media In Promoting Religious Moderation: A Comparative Religion Perspective

Abstract

Religious media plays a strategic role in shaping narratives of tolerance and harmony within a pluralistic society. This study is grounded in academic concern over the proliferation of religious content that disrupts social harmony in the digital space, while also responding to the urgent need to strengthen religious moderation across traditions. The objective of this research is to analyze the role of religious media in promoting religious moderation from a comparative religion perspective, by examining how various religious traditions utilize media channels to encourage values of tolerance, justice, and peaceful coexistence. This study employs a library research method with a comparative content analysis approach, drawing on scientific literature from books, accredited national journals, and reputable international journals published within the last three to five years. The findings reveal three main conclusions. First, religious media that is professionally managed has proven to be more effective in instilling values of moderation compared to conventional media, due to its ability to reach across geographical and demographic boundaries. Second, from a comparative religion perspective, every major religious tradition inherently possesses theological foundations that support moderation, although the intensity and strategies of media utilization vary. Third, the main challenge faced by religious media is the contestation of narratives in the digital space, which often favors hardline groups due to their greater consistency in occupying that space. The implications of this study highlight the urgency of interfaith collaboration in managing religious media as an instrument for national unity.