Corruption as a Moral Crisis: Why Religion Matters in Public Integrity
Ahmad Tholabi Kharlie
(Professor, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta)
The Corruption Eradication Commission’s (KPK) initiative to publish an interfaith anti-corruption book series marks a significant milestone in Indonesia’s public moral education. This collaboration between the nation’s anti-graft agency and several directorates within the Ministry of Religious Affairs goes beyond producing ethical literature. It delivers a clear and powerful message: corruption is an assault on faith and a direct threat to human dignity.
The series calls on religious communities to translate worship into concrete action through integrity—by courageously rejecting bribery, greed, extortion, excessive consumerism, and the abuse of power.
In the foreword, the Minister of Religious Affairs emphasizes that values such as justice, honesty, and social responsibility must not remain abstract teachings. They must be lived out in everyday religious practice across all traditions—Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Catholicism, Protestant Christianity, and Confucianism.
Religion, therefore, should not be sidelined in the fight against corruption. Instead, it must be positioned as a moral foundation that strengthens the rule of law and nurtures an enduring culture of integrity.
Interfaith Ethics and Human Dignity
When public trust is betrayed, it is not only regulations that are violated, but human dignity itself. This is what Pope Francis refers to when he describes corruption as a social disease that rots the human conscience from within.
Similarly, Islamic teachings view the betrayal of public trust as a destructive act that undermines social order, harms the poor, and erodes public confidence. Buddhist teachings, meanwhile, identify greed—the root of corruption—as a source of suffering (dukkha) and a violation of moral discipline.
Across these traditions, corruption emerges as a profoundly inhumane act. It destroys solidarity, deepens poverty, deprives citizens of their rights, and erodes faith itself. Fighting corruption, therefore, is not merely a legal obligation; it is a form of social worship that restores public ethics.
The KPK’s publications reinterpret sacred values in the context of contemporary corruption, allowing each religious tradition to contribute its distinct ethical perspective while reinforcing a shared moral vision.
Islam emphasizes amanah (trustworthiness) as a core expression of faith. A public official who exploits authority for personal gain betrays not only society but also their own spiritual commitment.
Buddhist ethics reject corruption as a path of self-liberation, teaching that freedom from greed leads to moral discipline and inner peace. Corruption enslaves individuals to desire, blocking spiritual growth.
Hindu teachings place dharma—justice, self-control, and truthfulness—at the center of ethical life. Anti-corruption behavior thus becomes a spiritual practice that maintains balance and harmony.
Catholic social teaching views integrity as faithfulness to God’s call to serve others through love and justice. Rejecting corruption is an act of liberation, dismantling social structures that degrade human dignity.
In Confucianism, ethical leadership is grounded in virtue (dé), compassion (ren), righteousness (yi), and propriety (li). Leaders driven by greed are seen as having failed their moral mandate from Heaven (Tian).
Protestant Christian ethics frame integrity as a testimony of faith—living righteously as a response to God’s call to uphold love and justice in public life. Resisting corruption is thus a form of service to humanity.
Religion and Public Moral Education
These publications reinforce the idea that combating corruption requires a strong moral foundation rooted in human values. Corruption erodes trust, marginalizes the poor, and robs future generations of access to quality education, healthcare, and dignified livelihoods.
Religion plays a strategic role here—as a social ethic that guides behavior and cultivates integrity in public life. Houses of worship can function as centers for moral education, while religious instruction can integrate lessons on integrity and anti-corruption practices.
Madrasahs, pesantren, churches, seminaries, Hindu pasraman, Buddhist temples, and Confucian halls can all serve as structured spaces for systematic anti-corruption education.
Religious leaders, in particular, must embody integrity by rejecting illicit benefits, distancing themselves from transactional politics, and refusing to legitimize unethical power. Their moral leadership shapes public conscience, supports honest governance, and protects communities harmed by abuse of authority.
Further collaboration between KPK and religious institutions could include public ethics certification for government officials, combining administrative training with interfaith moral guidance. Such programs would ensure that public officeholders possess not only technical competence but also ethical awareness.
KPK may also expand research partnerships with religious universities and law faculties to develop morally grounded public policies and a national integrity code that integrates religious values with modern governance principles.
Ultimately, corruption prevention depends on moral leadership and active participation from religious communities. Religions speak to the deepest dimension of humanity—the conscience. When conscience is guided by faith, honesty becomes an act of worship, public trust becomes an honor, and public service becomes a moral calling.
Religion must serve as a light that exposes the dark corners of power, not as a shield for wrongdoing. If corruption dehumanizes, then resisting corruption is an affirmation of faith and social justice. Integrity is worship—and religion safeguards integrity so that humanity remains dignified in its stewardship of the world.
This article was originally published in Kompas on Thursday, December 25, 2025.