Ujaran Kebencian, Polarisasi Keagamaan, dan Tanggung Jawab Etis Gereja di Era Digital
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Abstract
The development of digital media has expanded religious communication while increasing the complexity of hate speech and religious polarization. This study examines the relationship between hate speech, religious polarization, and the ethical responsibility of the church in the digital age. It employs a qualitative approach using library research through theological and conceptual analysis of academic literature on hate speech, polarization, digital communication, and church responses. The findings demonstrate that hate speech does not merely reflect polarization but can reinforce stereotypes, dehumanization, and intergroup antagonism within digital ecosystems. This study constructs the church’s ethical responsibility through four interrelated dimensions, namely preventive, corrective, restorative, and prophetic responsibilities. Its novelty lies in developing a reconciliatory communication ethic that integrates these four dimensions. The church is therefore called not merely to reject hate speech but also to cultivate digital spaces that respect human dignity, challenge dehumanization, restore relationships, and provide a constructive moral witness amid religious differences and polarization.
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