Religious Policy and Sustainable Development Goals: Integrating Faith-Based Governance into Public Policy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61860/amuya.v2i2.125Keywords:
Faith-Based Governance, Public Policy, Religious Actors, Religious Policy, Sustainable Development GoalsAbstract
Religious actors increasingly participate in sustainable development, yet their involvement in public policy remains uneven across organizational forms, policy sectors, and institutional settings. This study examines how religious policy can structure the integration of faith-based governance into Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) implementation while maintaining inclusion, public accountability, and state neutrality. Using a qualitative document-based design, the study combines a structured review of relevant literature with thematic and comparative conceptual analysis of religious actors, governance arrangements, policy participation, and development practices. The analysis identified four interconnected dimensions of faith-based governance is norms, dialogue, institutions, and practice. Religious norms provide moral resources related to solidarity, dignity, justice, peace, and environmental responsibility, while dialogue facilitates interaction among religious, governmental, civil-society, and scientific actors. Institutional arrangements shape representation, coordination, participation, monitoring, and accountability, whereas practice reflects faith-based engagement across welfare, education, health, humanitarian assistance, peacebuilding, advocacy, and environmental action. The findings also reveal an important distinction between institutional visibility and community proximity, as formal faith-based organizations tend to have greater policy access while local and informal actors often possess stronger community embeddedness but weaker formal representation. The study conceptualizes faith-based governance as a context-dependent form of public governance in which religious participation is shaped by organizational capacity, institutional arrangements, representation, and accountability safeguards. This framework provides a basis for understanding how religious policy can organize faith-based participation in SDG-related public policy without assuming uniform benefits or causal effects across contexts.
Downloads
References
Abu-Nimer, M. (2001). Conflict resolution, culture, and religion: Toward a training model of interreligious peacebuilding. Journal of Peace Research, 38(6), 685–704. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022343301038006003
Abumoghli, I. (2024). The role of religions, values, ethics, and spiritual responsibility in environmental governance and achieving the sustainable development agenda. Religion & Development, 2(3), 485–495. https://doi.org/10.30965/27507955-20230008
Ansell, C., & Gash, A. (2008). Collaborative governance in theory and practice. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 18(4), 543–571. https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/mum032
ANTARA. (2024, July 20). Baznas ungkap realisasi dana ZIS 2023 mencapai Rp33 triliun. ANTARA News Jambi. https://jambi.antaranews.com/berita/582534/baznas-ungkap-realisasi-dana-zis-2023-mencapai-rp33-triliun
Antwi Owusu, C., & Agyemang, G. (2026). Turning to religion: NGO accountability in a faith-based development organisation. Accounting Forum, 50(2), 386–410. https://doi.org/10.1080/01559982.2025.2505810
Aryani, S. A., Wiranto, E. B., Asroni, A., Waston, Fauziyah, S., & Yusup, M. (2024). Synergy of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Nahdlatul Ulama, and Muhammadiyah in driving religious moderation to achieve Indonesia’s SDGs targets. Profetika: Jurnal Studi Islam, 25(2), 433–454. https://doi.org/10.23917/profetika.v25i02.8536
Asmar, U. H. (2025). Integrasi nilai ekoteologi dalam kebijakan hukum pendidikan keagamaan menuju pembangunan pendidikan yang berkelanjutan [Integration of ecotheological values in religious education legal policy toward sustainable education development]. Journal of Religious Policy, 4(2), 337–361. https://doi.org/10.31330/repo.v4i2.121
Ba, Y., & Liang, Y. (2026). Religious beliefs in collaborative environmental governance: Evidence from Indonesia. Public Administration Review, 86(5), 1313–1324. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.70096
Baker, C. (2016). Sustainable governance in a postsecular public sphere: Re-assessing the role of religion as a cosmopolitan policy actor in a diverse and globalized age. Sustainable Development, 24(3), 190–198. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.1621
Bamidele, T. L., & Bamidele, S. (2026). Rethinking religion in development: Faith, power, and the politics of the Sustainable Development Goals. Religion & Development, 4(2–3), 191–212. https://doi.org/10.30965/27507955-12340406
Bisnis.com. (2025, October 14). RI punya 42.000 ponpes, Menteri PU: Cuma 51 yang punya izin bangunan. https://ekonomi.bisnis.com/read/20251014/45/1920113/ri-punya-42000-ponpes-menteri-pu-cuma-51-yang-punya-izin-bangunan
Boorse, D. F., & Jablonski, L. M. (2024). Strengthening partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals: Engaging faith-based organizations and scientists in youth climate change learning and action. Sustainable Earth Reviews, 7, Article 7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42055-024-00077-8
Boro, E., Sapra, T., de Lavison, J.-F., Dalabona, C., Ariyaratne, V., & Samsudin, A. (2022). The role and impact of faith-based organisations in the management of and response to COVID-19 in low-resource settings. Religion & Development, 1(1), 132–146. https://doi.org/10.30965/27507955-20220008
Bovens, M. (2007). Analysing and assessing accountability: A conceptual framework. European Law Journal, 13(4), 447–468. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0386.2007.00378.x
Duff, J., Battcock, M., Karam, A., & Taylor, A. R. (2016). High-level collaboration between the public sector and religious and faith-based organizations: Fad or trend? The Review of Faith & International Affairs, 14(3), 95–100. https://doi.org/10.1080/15570274.2016.1215819
Emerson, K., & Nabatchi, T. (2015). Collaborative governance regimes. Georgetown University Press. https://doi.org/10.1353/book44406
Emerson, K., Nabatchi, T., & Balogh, S. (2012). An integrative framework for collaborative governance. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 22(1), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/mur011
Farabi, N., & Fatharini, A. T. (2025). Religious institutions as global sustainability champions: Istiqlal Mosque’s Green Mosque Program and the Sustainable Development Goals. Studia Islamika, 32(3), 491–519. https://doi.org/10.36712/sdi.v32i3.46647
Fox, J. (2015). Political secularism, religion, and the state: A time series analysis of worldwide data. Cambridge University Press. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/political-secularism-religion-and-the-state/F5C7B980C05F2485B1E6CC66839C6C6E
Habermas, J. (2006). Religion in the public sphere. European Journal of Philosophy, 14(1), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0378.2006.00241.x
Hamidi, M. L., Setiawan, G., & Asutay, M. (2025). The quest for sustainable mosques: A paradigm shift with the quadruple bottom line framework. Sustainable Futures, 9, Article 100588. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sftr.2025.100588
Haustein, J., & Tomalin, E. (2021). Religion, populism, and the politics of the Sustainable Development Goals. Social Policy and Society, 20(2), 296–309. https://doi.org/10.1017/S147474642000072X
Hearn, A., Buzzi, A.-L., Malin, J., & Koehrsen, J. (2024). Sustainable development through religious environmental engagement? Evidence from Switzerland. Sustainable Development, 32(6), 6934–6949. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.3064
Hickmann, T., Biermann, F., Sénit, C.-A., Sun, Y., Bexell, M., Bolton, M., Bornemann, B., Censoro, J., Charles, A., Coy, D., Dahlmann, F., Elder, M., Fritzsche, F., Gehre Galvão, T., Grainger-Brown, J., Inoue, C., Jönsson, K., Koloffon Rosas, M., Krellenberg, K., … Weiland, S. (2024). Scoping article: Research frontiers on the governance of the Sustainable Development Goals. Global Sustainability, 7, e7. https://doi.org/10.1017/sus.2024.4
Hounmenou, C. (2023). Experiences of faith-based organizations as key stakeholders in policy responses to human trafficking. Societies, 13(8), Article 193. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13080193
Jacinto, E., Ames, M. C. F. D. C., Serafim, M. C., & Zappellini, M. B. (2023). Religion-spirituality influences in the governance of faith-based organizations during the COVID pandemic. Public Organization Review, 23(2), 531–550. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-023-00704-6
Jati, W. R., Syamsurijal, Halimatusa’diah, Aji, G. B., & Yilmaz, I. (2024). Reevaluating approaches to religious moderation at the grassroots level: The role of Muslim youth in advancing interfaith dialogue. Al-Jāmiʿah: Journal of Islamic Studies, 62(1), 185–213. https://doi.org/10.14421/ajis.2024.621.185-213
Klinkenborg, H., & Fuchs, D. (2022). Religion: A resource in European climate politics? An examination of faith-based contributions to the climate policy discourse in the EU. Zeitschrift für Religion, Gesellschaft und Politik, 6, 83–101. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41682-021-00082-0
Koehrsen, J., & Burchardt, M. (2024). Religion and development: Alternative visions, credibility, and networks as religious assets for sustainable development? Progress in Development Studies, 24(2), 129–146. https://doi.org/10.1177/14649934231206302
Koehrsen, J., & Ives, C. D. (2025). The multiple roles of religious actors in advancing a sustainable future. Ambio, 54, 1318–1333. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-025-02166-0
Kuru, A. T. (2009). Secularism and state policies toward religion: The United States, France, and Turkey. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511815096
Law No. 16 of 2017 on the Stipulation of Government Regulation in Lieu of Law No. 2 of 2017 on Amendment to Law No. 17 of 2013 on Mass Organizations as Law. (2017). Republic of Indonesia.
Law No. 18 of 2019 on Pesantren. (2019). Republic of Indonesia.
Law No. 23 of 2011 on Zakat Management. (2011). Republic of Indonesia.
Long, N. (2001). Development sociology: Actor perspectives. Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/products/9780415235358
Maes, S., Schrooten, M., Raeymaeckers, P., & Broeckaert, B. (2024). Faith-based organizations and poverty alleviation: A scoping review on definitions and terminology (2010–2021). Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought, 43(1), 69–90. https://doi.org/10.1080/15426432.2023.2270930
Marshall, K., Roy, S., Seiple, C., & Slim, H. (2021). Religious engagement in development: What impact does it have? The Review of Faith & International Affairs, 19(Suppl. 1), 42–62. https://doi.org/10.1080/15570274.2021.1983347
Menchik, J. (2016). Islam and democracy in Indonesia: Tolerance without liberalism. Cambridge University Press. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/islam-and-democracy-in-indonesia/B7C0584E5C1F121C4C561474F5B2ECE6
Mitchell, R. K., Agle, B. R., & Wood, D. J. (1997). Toward a theory of stakeholder identification and salience: Defining the principle of who and what really counts. Academy of Management Review, 22(4), 853–886. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1997.9711022105
Moalla, K. T., & Darmstadt, G. L. (2024). Legal pluralism and tribalism: Drivers of gender and health inequalities. Journal of Global Health, 14, Article 03020. https://doi.org/10.7189/jogh.14.03020
Mutie, R. K. (2019). Mapping the contribution of faith-based organizations to the Sustainable Development Goals: A case study of World Relief Kenya [Master’s dissertation, University of South Africa]. University of South Africa Institutional Repository. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/26352
Nicol, J. U., Iwu-Jaja, C. J., Hendricks, L., Nyasulu, P., & Young, T. (2022). The impact of faith-based organizations on maternal and child health care outcomes in Africa: Taking stock of research evidence. Pan African Medical Journal, 43, Article 168. https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2022.43.168.32983
Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis: Striving to meet the trustworthiness criteria. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917733847
Onwuegbuchulam, S. P. C. (2024). Towards a collaborative governance strategy in service delivery in South Africa. Journal of Public Administration, Finance and Law, 31, 333–346. https://doi.org/10.47743/jopafl-2024-31-25
Presidential Regulation No. 111 of 2022 on the Implementation of the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. (2022). Republic of Indonesia. https://peraturan.go.id/files/perpres-no-111-tahun-2022.pdf
Prianto, A. L., Usman, S., Amri, A. R., Nurmandi, A., Qodir, Z., Jubba, H., & Ilik, G. (2023). Faith-based organizations’ humanitarian work from the disaster risk governance perspective: Lessons from COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. Mazahib, 22(1), 129–174. https://doi.org/10.21093/mj.v22i1.6317
Rachmawati, E., Umniyatun, Y., Rosyidi, M., & Nurmansyah, M. I. (2022). The roles of Islamic faith-based organizations on countermeasures against the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. Heliyon, 8(2), e08928. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08928
Raiu, C., & Mina-Raiu, L. (2022). How to cope with counter-performance in public administration: The case of freedom of religion or belief during the pandemic. Transylvanian Review of Administrative Sciences, 66E, 81–98. https://doi.org/10.24193/tras.66E.5
Rakodi, C. (2012). A framework for analysing the links between religion and development. Development in Practice, 22(5–6), 634–650. https://doi.org/10.1080/09614524.2012.685873
Reed, M. S., Graves, A., Dandy, N., Posthumus, H., Hubacek, K., Morris, J., Prell, C., Quinn, C. H., & Stringer, L. C. (2009). Who’s in and why? A typology of stakeholder analysis methods for natural resource management. Journal of Environmental Management, 90(5), 1933–1949. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2009.01.001
Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 104, 333–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039
Soejoeti, M. I., Khairunnisa, A., & Andreansyah, Y. (2024). Analyzing potential role of advancing SDGs 16 through religious moderation: Creating social harmony and upholding human rights in the contemporary world. KnE Social Sciences, 283–303. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v9i18.16358
Steiner, S. M. (2012). Faith-based accountability mechanism typology: The 2011 Interfaith Summit as soft power in global governance. SAGE Open, 2(2), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244012450705
Sumi, A. A., Awang, J. B., Haque, R., Qazi, S., Abdul Rahman, N. F., & Senathirajah, A. R. B. S. (2025). Investigating the function of religion and social capital in shaping sustainable social development. Discover Sustainability, 6, Article 748. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01622-x
Thomas, J., & Harden, A. (2008). Methods for the thematic synthesis of qualitative research in systematic reviews. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 8, Article 45. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2288-8-45
Tok, E., Yesuf, A. J., & Mohamed, A. (2022). Sustainable Development Goals and Islamic social finance: From policy divide to policy coherence and convergence. Sustainability, 14(11), Article 6875. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116875
Tomalin, E. (2020). Global aid and faith actors: The case for an actor-orientated approach to the ‘turn to religion’. International Affairs, 96(2), 323–342. https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iiaa006
Tomalin, E., Haustein, J., & Kidy, S. (2019). Religion and the Sustainable Development Goals. The Review of Faith & International Affairs, 17(2), 102–118. https://doi.org/10.1080/15570274.2019.1608664
Trotta, S. (2023). Local faith actors and the migration–development nexus: A literature review. Religion & Development, 2(2), 261–284. https://doi.org/10.30965/27507955-20230022
Wijsen, F. (2025). How green is Green Islam? Religious environmentalism and public policy in Indonesia. Studia Islamika, 32(3), 421–437. https://doi.org/10.36712/sdi.v32i3.46654
Wilkinson, O. (2022). Re-framing common themes in religions and development research. The Review of Faith & International Affairs, 20(4), 91–106. https://doi.org/10.1080/15570274.2022.2139542
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Muh. Hasanain, Widodo, Johndustern Henn Burge
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
