The Idea of Religious Pluralism: Response from Islamic Religious Education Teachers in Semarang City and Demak, Central Java, Indonesia

The problem of this research is the response of Islamic Religious Education teachers in Semarang City and Demak Regency to the idea of ​​religious pluralism. Meanwhile, the purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which the notion of religious pluralism as an alternative solution for harmony and tolerance between religious communities is understood and addressed by Islamic Religious Education teachers in Semarang City and Demak Regency. The method used in this research is in-depth interviews, newspaper documentation, books, online media, and discourse analysis with an Islamic worldview perspective. The results showed that the majority of Islamic Religious Education teachers in Semarang City and Demak Regency rejected the idea of ​​religious pluralism as an alternative solution to the realization of harmony and tolerance between religious communities in Indonesia. They consider this understanding not from the Islamic tradition, which tends to contradict Islam and endanger the existence of Islam. Therefore, it is suggested that religious pluralism should not be discussed as an alternative solution for inter-religious harmony and tolerance in Indonesia.