Persepsi mahasiswa Gen Z mengenai kebiasaan rohani membaca Alkitab

Abstract

Amidst the changing times, Gen Z faces various challenges in both their daily lives and their faith. Within the Christian faith tradition, the Bible plays a crucial role as a means of grace that can assist in navigating these challenges. Ironically, however, studies indicate that Christians—including Gen Z—are beginning to abandon the spiritual habit of Bible reading. Therefore, this study aims to understand the perceptions of Gen Z university students regarding the spiritual habit of reading the Bible. This study employs a basic qualitative research method grounded in a constructivist philosophical perspective, aiming to construct meaning from the participants' experiences. Ten Gen Z students from UK Petra Surabaya participated in the study, having met the necessary criteria; all were students who currently maintain the spiritual habit of reading the Bible. Data collection was conducted through face-to-face, semi-structured interviews lasting 40–60 minutes. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using coding techniques. The findings reveal four perceptions held by Gen Z students regarding the spiritual habit of Bible reading. First, regarding their desire for spiritual growth, they express an awareness that reading the Bible is both important and necessary. Second, concerning the challenges faced in maintaining this habit, students cite internal factors—such as laziness, life struggles, a lack of awareness regarding the importance of Bible reading, and busy schedules—as well as external factors related to friends and community. Third, regarding the supporting factors that encourage them to continue reading the Bible, internal factors include an awareness of God's calling, while external factors involve the roles of the campus spiritual center, the church, and parents. Fourth, regarding the impact of the habit, participants report positive outcomes across cognitive, affective, and practical dimensions.