Vol. 9, No. 2, May 2021 JURNAL ILMIAH PEURADEUN The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences p-ISSN: 2338-8617/ e-ISSN: 2443-2067 www.journal.scadindependent.org Vol. 9, No. 2, May 2021 Pages: 275-292 The Theocentric Worldview: Sustainability Education for Religion and Spiritual Mohd Mokhtar Muhamad1; Sharifah Intan Sharina Syed-Abdullah2; Nurazidawati Mohamad Arsad3 1,2,3Faculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia Article in Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun Available at : DOI : https://journal.scadindependent.org/index.php/jipeuradeun/article/view/587 http://dx.doi.org/10.26811/peuradeun.v9i2.587 How to Cite this Article APA : Others Visit : Muhamad, M.M., Syed Abdullah, S.I.S., & Arsad, N.M. (2021). The Theocentric Worldview: Sustainability Education for Religion and Spiritua. Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun, 9(2), 275-292. doi:10.26811/peuradeun.v9i2.587 https://journal.scadindependent.org/index.php/jipeuradeun Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun (JIP), the Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences, is a leading peer-reviewed and openaccess journal, which publishes scholarly work, and specializes in the Social Sciences that emphasize contemporary Asian issues with an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach. JIP is published by SCAD Independent and published 3 times of year (January, May, and September) with p-ISSN: 2338-8617 and e-ISSN: 2443-2067. Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun has become a CrossRef Member. Therefore, all articles published will have a unique DOI number. JIP has been accredited by the Ministry of Research Technology and the Higher Education Republic of Indonesia (SK Dirjen PRP RistekDikti No. 48a/KPT/2017). This accreditation is valid from October 30, 2017, until October 30, 2022. JIP published by SCAD Independent. All articles published in this journal are protected by copyright, licensed under a CC-BY-SA or an equivalent license as the optimal license for the publication, distribution, use, and reuse of scholarly works. Any views expressed in this publication are the author's and not of the Editorial Board of JIP or SCAD Independent. JIP or SCAD Independent cannot be held responsible for the views, opinions, and written statements of authors or researchers in this journal. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand, costs, or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of the research material. Authors alone are responsible for the contents of their articles. JIP indexed/included in Web of Science, MAS, Index Copernicus International, Sinta, Garuda, Moraref, Scilit, Sherpa/Romeo, Google Scholar, OAJI, PKP, Index, Crossref, BASE, ROAD, GIF, Advanced Science Index, JournalTOCs, ISI, SIS, ESJI, SSRN, ResearchGate, Mendeley and others. Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun | Copyright © 2021 SCAD Independent, All Rights Reserved Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences doi: 10.26811/peuradeun.v9i2.587 Copyright © 2021 SCAD Independent All Rights Reserved Printed in Indonesia Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun Vol. 9, No. 2, May 2021 Pages: 275-292 THE THEOCENTRIC WORLDVIEW: SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION FOR RELIGION AND SPIRITUAL Mohd Mokhtar Muhamad1; Sharifah Intan Sharina Syed-Abdullah2; Nurazidawati Mohamad Arsad3 1,2,3Faculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia 1Contributor Email: mk_mokhtar@upm.edu.my Received: August 23, 2020 Accepted: April 24, 2021 Published: May 30, 2021 Article Url: https://journal.scadindependent.org/index.php/jipeuradeun/article/view/587 Abstract Several recent studies started to relate religious beliefs and sustainable behavior. For this reason, there is a high possibility that students' religious beliefs can be a strong impetus for practicing sustainability knowledge. The education for sustainable development (ESD) in universities should not be separated from the meaningful religious belief of university students. Therefore, we proposed the theocentric worldview, which centered on a religionspiritual relationship with God to be included as a part of ESD. This worldview is essential in making ESD content meaningful for religious university students. In this paper, we used a religion-spiritual concept from Islamic teachings as an example of how a religious belief can be embedded within ESD for university students. Keywords: Deep Ecology; Education for Sustainability; Spirituality; Sustainability in Islam; Theocentric. p-ISSN: 2338-8617 e-ISSN: 2443-2067 JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences {275 p-ISSN: 2338-8617 Vol. 9, No. 2, May 2021 e-ISSN: 2443-2067 A. Introduction Education for sustainable development (ESD) is a concept that continues to be essential and relevant for higher education institutions such as universities. The agenda of the United Nations is to promote environmental awareness by implementing ESD at higher educational institutions, including universities. However, some hindrances prevent universities from implementing their full potential in ESD. For example, misconceptions that sustainability is: not a subject per se, too theoretical, too broad, and simply a fashion serve as excuses for not implementing sustainability education in universities (Walter Leal Filho, 2000). Therefore, some authors focused the discussions on ESD in universities on its pedagogical aspects, such as lecturers' beliefs on appropriate pedagogies in teaching sustainability development (Cotton et al., 2007). The importance of critical thinking in pedagogy for education related to sustainability (Thomas, 2009). how deep learning can foster interdisciplinary understanding in sustainable development (Warburton, 2003), how role-playing can contribute to a deeper understanding of sustainability education at the university level (Vatalis, 2017), and how a whole-of-university approach can be implemented toward sustainability (Mahmud et al., 2019). Nevertheless, Leal Filho et al. (2018) found that the transformations of higher education institutions in reforming the sustainable-oriented curriculum are not sufficiently integrating sustainable development. There is a possibility of a missing link between knowing that ESD is critical and implementing ESD in universities. Some studies attempted to link sustainability with religion and spirituality in searching for the gap between knowing and implementing sustainable development. For example, Tucker and Grim (2001) proposed that religion can contribute to the emergence of broader environmental ethics and advocate reverence for the earth and its profound cosmological processes. In his literature review on the relationships between environment and religion, one of Sponsel's (2010) conclusions is that religion has its role in defining a place of human 276} JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences The Theocentric Worldview: Sustainability Education for Religion and Spiritual Mohd Mokhtar Muhamad et al. beings in nature and in giving spiritual, moral, and cultural meanings and values. In solving the issue of sustainability development, Leal Filho et al. (2019) emphasize that "…neither an approach focusing only on the economy, politics or regulations, nor a separated religious, ethical or moral approach can solve the environmental challenges today and tomorrow alone" (p.617). The focus of this paper is to propose that students in universities should be allowed to receive religiously and spiritually meaningful ESD. As claimed by Leal Filho et al. (2019), the problem of environmental challenges cannot be solved by separating it from religious, ethical, and moral aspects. Similarly, the problem of implementing ESD in universities cannot be solved by having pedagogical approaches that are separated from the religious, ethical, and moral beliefs of university students, especially students that consider themselves religious and spiritual. Muñoz-García and Villena-Martínez (2020) found different correlations between sustainable behavior and different conceptions of religion and spirituality (image of God, religious orientations, and religio-spiritual expressions) that are complicated. They suggested the need to consider aspects related to religion-spiritual meaning and content in addition to explicit expressions of religion and spirituality (Muñoz-García & Villena-Martínez, 2020). In this paper, we focus on how a certain content based on a religious and spiritual belief from an Islamic perspective can directly relate to meaningful content for sustainability knowledge in life. In proposing religious and spiritual beliefs to facilitate ESD, we cannot ignore the claim made by White (1967) in blaming religions of the Judeo-Christian tradition as the root of the ecological crisis. Therefore, the first part of this paper discusses the root cause of our ecological crisis, where we argue that the problem of implementing sustainability education has its roots not in religion, as claimed by White (1967), but in secularism. The second part of this paper focuses on the suggestion to make ESD contents meaningful for religious and spiritual students by including the concept of a religio-spiritual relationship with God in addition to the list of JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences {277 p-ISSN: 2338-8617 Vol. 9, No. 2, May 2021 e-ISSN: 2443-2067 ESD worldviews.1 In our suggestion, we use the concept of a religiospiritual relationship with God from Islamic teachings as an example. Such a concept is consistent with the deep ecology movement and serves as an example of how religious and spiritual beliefs can be embedded within ESD content for university students. B. Method This conceptual paper explores the importance of the religiospiritual relationship with God as a concept to be integrated into ESD. The library research methodology used secondary sources, including books and journal articles available and relevant to the study. Based on the analysis of the sources, the ideas in visualizing the religio-spiritual with God as a concept were critically reviewed and developed stand on: the work of Naess (1986) and his deep ecology movement, Sauvé (2005) worldview in environmental education, and the religio-spiritual concept form Islamic teachings by Al-Attas (1993), Ammar (2001), Setia (2007) and Khalid (2010). Using the religio-spiritual concept from the Islamic perspective as an example, we propose ecological sustainability from a theocentric worldview where God is the center of the ESD. This worldview is not only consistent with the deep ecology movement but also serves as an example of how a religious and spiritual belief can be embedded within ESD contents for university students. C. Result and Discussion The first phase of this analysis refutes the claim made by White (1967) in blaming religions of the Judeo-Christian tradition as the root of the ecological crisis. We argue that the problem has its roots not in religion but ____________ 1 The original term used by Sauvé (2005) is "current," referring to "to a general way of envisioning and practicing environmental education…[each] comprises a plurality and diversity of propositions…a single proposition (an approach, a model, a strategy, a program, an activity, etc.) may be associated with two or three different currents, according to the angle from which it is analyzed." (p.12). In this paper, however, we decided that “worldview” referring to “a paradigm by which the individual or the group interprets reality and acts upon life” (Abi-Hashem, 2020,p.2533). 278} JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences The Theocentric Worldview: Sustainability Education for Religion and Spiritual Mohd Mokhtar Muhamad et al. in secularism. The second phase is connecting the deep ecology movement by Naess (1986) with Islamic teachings. Four Islamic concepts concerning environmental ethics were outlined based on Ammar (2001), Setia (2007), and Khalid (2010) in relating the Islamic teachings and the deep ecology movement. Finally, the third phase proposes the suggestion to make ESD content meaningful for religious and spiritual students by including the religio-spiritual relationship with God as another worldview in addition to the list of ESD worldviews outlined by Sauvé (2005). 1. Secularism as the Historical Roots of Ecological Crisis White (1967) claimed that we are all living in "the post-Christian age" where we continue to live by Christian axioms that "no item in the physical creation had any purpose save to serve man's purposes" (p.1205). He centralized his argument against this axiom and claimed that religious teachings with such axioms are the root of our ecological crisis. As a conclusion to his article, White (1967) called for a rejection of the axiom and embracing an alternative Christian view based on the ecocentric doctrine of Saint Francis who believes in the equality of all creatures, including human beings. White's conclusion that our ecological crisis has its roots in religious traditions, including Islamic traditions, had been refuted by several other scholars (Kula, 2001; Minteer & Manning, 2005; Whitney, 2015). In Islamic teachings, the axiom that nature has no purpose except to serve man‟s purpose is also known as the concept of taskhir, where God has constrained nature to render service and benefit for human beings (Setia, 2004). However, the concept of taskhir in Islam does not lead to the exploitation of the natural world because the religious subjugation of nature is metaphysical, where the purpose of man is to recognize, acknowledge, and glorify the Creator of nature (Setia, 2004). Therefore, in Islamic teachings, the complete axiom criticized by White (1967)should be as follows: nature has no purpose except to serve man‟s purpose, and man‟s purpose is to know the Creator. The Islamic explanation of the complete axiom can be understood from the words of Al-Attas (1993): JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences {279 p-ISSN: 2338-8617 Vol. 9, No. 2, May 2021 e-ISSN: 2443-2067 The Holy Quran declares in no uncertain terms that the whole of nature is, as it were, a great, open Book to be understood and interpreted. The Holy Quran also says that those among humanity who possess intelligence, insight, understanding, discernment, and knowledge know the meaning of that Book, for nature is like a book that tells us about the Creator. Because of its symbolic connection with God, nature has cosmic meaning and must be respected. (p. 38). With such an interpretation of the axiom, nature has an essential meaning to Muslims as something sacred, respected, and meaningful. Even on a battlefield during wartime, Islam teaches its adherents not to harm the environment (Köylü, 2004). According to Al-Attas (1993), secularization had caused the disenchantment of nature, where nature was reduced to mere objects to be utilized by human beings. In addition, secularization had also caused the deification of human beings where knowledge and power are free from any religious prescription. As a result, human beings are free to construct their meaning of nature. They will always be open to the possibility of justifying their excessive utilization of nature as necessary for the "betterment" of humanity. Therefore, we claim that the root of our ecological crisis is neither Islam nor Christianity, but the combination of both technological advancement and the process of secularization throughout the 19th century. Not only this combination had resulted in our ecological crisis, but it also affected our educational orientation in universities. The effect of secularism on education is substantial in that it removes any educational content related to religious beliefs, including content that gives meaning to our relationship with nature. Therefore, the secularization of universities is a form of reduction that occurred in two aspects: a. Educational aims in universities remain within the boundary of job marketability and material gains. b. Educational assessments are limited within the boundary of empirical evidence and disregard any metaphysical contents such as spirituality. As a consequence of these reductions in universities, the products of higher education are those who realize the importance of environmental 280} JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences The Theocentric Worldview: Sustainability Education for Religion and Spiritual Mohd Mokhtar Muhamad et al. values but remain within what Naess (1986) described as the shallow ecology movement. The worldview of those in the shallow ecology movement focuses on how human knowledge, technologies, policies, and other activities can minimize the damage to the environment while at the same time maximizing material gain through the exploitation of natural resources. For this reason, Naess (1973) initiated the deep ecology movement, which is compatible with religious and spiritual teachings from an Islamic perspective. 2. Deep Ecology and Islamic Teachings Deep ecology views humanity and the natural environment as interdependent (Naess, 1973, 1986, 2015). This is especially evident in Naess‟s concepts of biospheric egalitarianism and symbiosis. Central to these concepts is the view that both human beings and other life forms have the right to survive (Devall & Sessions, 1985; Naess, 1973, 1986, 2015; Obasa & Adebule, 2017). The ontological assumption on which these premises are based is that nature is not something from which human beings can separate themselves (Huckle, 2014; Kober, 2013; Naess, 1973). Therefore, deep ecology can be seen as a call to protect and respect the environment for its intrinsic value, not simply, or solely, for its usefulness to the human species (Kober, 2013). A key distinction within deep ecology is the difference between shallow and deep approaches. When the term was first introduced, the concept of shallow ecology was deemed to refer to narrow environmental problems that focus on environmental pollution and resource depletion (Drengson, Devall, & Schroll, 2010; Naess, 1973s). As Naess has pointed out, it is a system based on ecological principles with an emphasis on the benefit for human beings (Jacob, 1994; Naess, 1986; Muluk, S., & Habiburrahim, H., 2018)). Also, it aims for short-term and quick technical solutions (Naess, 2015). Devall and Sessions (1985) and Huckle (2014) argue that those living in technocratic-industrial societies are unavoidably anthropocentric because their lifestyles are fundamentally separated from the natural environment. These critiques show the limitations of shallow ecology principles because they do not require fundamental changes to the values and practices of individuals nor the transformation of society (Drengson et al., 2010; Jacob, 1994). JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences {281 p-ISSN: 2338-8617 Vol. 9, No. 2, May 2021 e-ISSN: 2443-2067 Deep ecology, in contrast, involves deep questioning, which involves proper judgment to decide what is right or wrong in certain circumstances. It challenges narrow anthropocentric conceptions of personal and human values, beliefs, and practices by considering the fundamental relationship between nature and humanity as an ethical position to consider what might be right and wrong (Drengson et al., 2010; Naess, 1986, 2015). It is a philosophical position that looks for long-term solutions to human-nature problems (Naess, 2015). Naess (1986) provides an example to distinguish between the two. Concerning environmental pollution, Naess (1986) claimed that those who take a deep approach would seek to deal with the root causes of the problem although the process could be time-consuming, while those who take a shallow approach may simply export polluting industries to other countries. Polluting industries usually are industries that produce exports by relocating pollution-intensive goods to p, the universe, and God, and how they translate into ecological ethics and actions is "deep"(Ammar, 2001). It requires deep questioning through explorations of the values and their contradictions. The conclusion of the deep questionings on the relationships we suggest could be grounded by four Islamic concepts concerning environmental ethics outlined by Khalid (2010): 1) the concept of Tauhid or Unity, 2) the concept of Fitra or Creation, 3) the concept of Mizan or Balance, and finally, 4) the concept of Khalifah or Responsibility. Similar concepts can also be found in Ammar (2001) and Setia (2007) who attempted to relate Islamic teachings and the deep ecology movement. First, the concept of Tauhid or Oneness of God which is central to Islamic teachings explains the relationship between creations and God as the Creator while at the same time does not make the creations something divine (Ammar, 2001). This is different from the concept of ecocentric, which tends to elevate the place of nature into something divine. The separation between God as the Creator and nature as creations does not relegate nature to the secular nor profane; instead, the separation creates a deep relationship where the intrinsic goodness of nature reflects the sacredness, glory, and power of the Creator (Ammar, 2001). Therefore, the concept of Tauhid confirms the interconnectedness of the natural order when everything is believed to be 282} JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences The Theocentric Worldview: Sustainability Education for Religion and Spiritual Mohd Mokhtar Muhamad et al. created by and belongs to God (Khalid, 2010). Those who practice the principle of Tauhid are described by Setia (2007) as those who walk upon the earth modestly2; while those who did not practice the principle of Tauhid are those who walk with pertness in the land3 The former possesses the quality of gentleness toward nature and peacefulness toward people due to their devotion to God as the Owner of all the creations. On the other hand, the latter seek domination by imposing themselves with a false sense of superiority with no sense of self-restraint or accountability to God as the True Owner of all the creations (Setia, 2007). Second, the concept of Fitra or creation addresses God as the universe's Creator. According to Setia (2007), the earth is not only for human beings but also for nature and all things in their state of Fitra (natural state). The word Fitra can be found in the Quranic verse, which states that we should not alter Allah's nature (framed), in which He hath created man.4. In the translation of this verse, both words nature and created use similar Arabic words ‫( فطر‬Fitra) which means to split or create (Penrice, 1873). Ali dan Leaman (2007) explains its concept in this verse as 1) the nature of creation as created by God and 2) humanity's role within the creation, which is also considered natural. Therefore, the concept of Fitra includes both the creation of the ecological system as something natural and the predisposition to do good and submit to God's will as something natural in human beings. The creation in its state of Fitra is always in a dynamic balance and its natural order (Khalid, 2010). Third, the concept called Mizan or balance holds that we should not exceed the boundary that limits our actions from turning into acts of wasting ____________ 2 Based on the Holy Quran verse 25:63 which states “The (faithful) slaves of the Beneficent are they who walk upon the earth modestly, and when the foolish ones address them answer: Peace;”. 3 Based on the Holy Quran verse 31:18, which states, "Turn not thy cheek in scorn toward folk, nor walk with pertness in the land. Lo! Allah loveth not each braggart boaster". 4 Based on the Holy Quran verse 30:30 which states “So set thy purpose (O Muhammad) for religion as a man by nature upright - the nature (framed) of Allah, in which He hath created man. There is no altering (the laws of) Allah's creation. That is the right religion, but most men know not –“. JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences {283 p-ISSN: 2338-8617 Vol. 9, No. 2, May 2021 e-ISSN: 2443-2067 and over-consuming (Ammar, 2001). This concept is important as will always be a part of the ecosystem and will always have to utilize nature for our needs. However, we should consider the concept of Mizan or the balance in utilizing nature. This concept of balance is important not only during our peaceful daily activities but also during wartime on battlefields. This is because Islam also teaches that those who are in the middle of a battle in war are forbidden from harming not only the non-combatants such as women, children, the aged, the infirm, the blind, hermits, peasants, serfs, travelers, and those devoted to monasticism but also from harming the environment (Köylü, 2004). Nature should be treated with kindness and not abused (Ammar, 2001). Therefore, when humans utilize nature, the aim is not to control nature but to use it for devotional purposes such as managing and sharing natural resources (Ammar, 2001). To keep the balance between the need of human beings and the rights of other creatures is to live on this earth as the task of the Khalifa (Setia, 2007), which is the fourth concept. Finally, the fourth concept of Khalifah or Responsibility refers to the concept of human beings as Khalifah (vice-regents) on earth. In the concept of Khalifah, the role of human beings is not as the proprietor, but as the manager (Ammar, 2001). Setia (2004) uses the terms “stewardship” and “trusteeship” in describing the concept of Khalifah. It is not a position or a title given to certain people, but every single human being is already entitled to this position as the Khalifah. The role of Khalifah is given to human beings because we possess the remarkable ability to speak, understand the concept of creation, have an independent will to distinguish good from evil, and can prevent evil (Ammar, 2001). As the Khalifah, human beings are responsible for protecting the universe while utilizing the bounties of the earth (Ammar, 2001). This role involves trusteeship, which imposes moral responsibility where we will be accountable hereafter for our actions in this world (Khalid, 2010). Without the proper understanding of all these four concepts of Tauhid, Fitra, and Mizan, human beings will not understand their responsibilities as Khalifa. The outline of Islamic concepts in environmental ethics by Khalid (2010) as described and explained above has a clear structure on how human 284} JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences The Theocentric Worldview: Sustainability Education for Religion and Spiritual Mohd Mokhtar Muhamad et al. beings and the environment are essentially interdependent in a profound way, as understood by the proponents of the deep ecology movement. If included within the curriculum, these concepts can serve as important content in teaching deep ecology to university students. 3. The Theocentric Worldview in ESD for University As mentioned earlier in this paper, it is the United Nations' agenda to promote environmental awareness by implementing ESD at higher education institutions, including universities. However, implementation can be complicated with a variety of theoretical and practical understandings of the humanenvironment relationship. Due to this, Sauvé (2005) proposed 15 worldviews in environmental education. Each worldview has its conception of the environment, aims in environmental education, dominant approaches, and example of strategies. For example, the problem-solving worldview considers the environment as a set of problems that must be solved. The educational aim is to learn about environmental issues and develop attitudes and skills for solving them; its approach is more cognitive and pragmatic. Some educational strategies include case studies, environmental system analysis, and ecosystem models (Sauvé, 2005). In another example, the holistic worldview regards the environment as the relationship between various dimensions of socioenvironmental realities (Gaia) and the complexity of an individual's "being in the world," inspired by the philosopher Heidegger and poet-naturalist Goethe. The educational aim is to develop an "organic" understanding of the world in our relationship with the world; its approach is more natural and intuitive; some examples of educational strategies are meaningful exploration and creative workshops (Sauvé, 2005). In line with Sauvé's (2005) analysis, we propose another worldview, the theocentric worldview, centered on a religio-spiritual relationship with God. This worldview regards the environment as something God (Tauhid) created in specific nature (Fitra). The educational aim is to know the nature of the environment and realize and acknowledge the responsibility of human beings (Khalifa) in maintaining balance (Mizan) in the environment. Its approach is more religious and spiritual. Some examples of educational strategies are JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences {285 p-ISSN: 2338-8617 Vol. 9, No. 2, May 2021 e-ISSN: 2443-2067 explanations of religious scriptures or teachings that address the environment as the creation of God and spiritual contemplation on the individual relationship with God that leads to the moral responsibility of human beings in maintaining balance in the environment. The worldview we propose here differs from the existing worldviews in Sauvé's (2005) list. It is centered on students' belief in God as the Creator of everything, including human beings and the environment. As Sauvé (2005) proposed, each worldview is not a monolithic category and can be associated with other worldviews. For example, in knowing the nature (Fitra) of the environment, this worldview can be associated with the scientific worldview, which utilizes the scientific method and skills to understand how nature works. In executing the responsibilities (Khalifa) of maintaining the environmental balance (Mizan), this worldview can be associated with the problem-solving worldview. Nevertheless, the central tenet of the scientific method and problem-solving in the theocentric worldview is the religio-spiritual relationship with God as the Creator and human beings as bearers of responsibility in maintaining the balance in nature created by God. Felgendreher and Löfgren (2018) demonstrated that specific educational activity designs could affect university students' moral perceptions. Therefore, the theocentric worldview can serve as meaningful content for specific design in educating sustainable development for religious and spiritual students. Unlike studies that explore the relationship between sustainable behavior and current religio-spiritual beliefs of students, we suggest developing a content of ESD based on the theocentric worldview that reflects a more profound teaching of religion. There is a possibility that the current understanding of religio-spiritual beliefs is affected by secular understandings, as mentioned earlier. This is evident from Muñoz-García and Villena-Martínez's (2020) data which indicated a low level of religiousness and spirituality among the young generation. We suggest a future study that first develops an ESD content based on the theocentric worldview we have outlined and use it as an intervention before measuring the correlation between religion-spiritual 286} JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences The Theocentric Worldview: Sustainability Education for Religion and Spiritual Mohd Mokhtar Muhamad et al. beliefs and sustainable behavior. Further studies should also explore the possibility of developing a theocentric worldview based on other religions of the world, not only from the Judeo-Christian traditions but also Eastern religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism. D. Conclusion In this paper, we have outlined four religio-spiritual concepts in Islamic teachings (Tauhid, Fitra, Mizan, Khalifah) that shaped the theocentric worldview for ESD. These contents align with the deep ecology movement, giving a deeper meaning to understanding the relationship between human beings, God, and the environment. This relationship is centered on God (theocentric) as the Creator of a balanced nature, and human beings are responsible for sustaining that balance while utilizing nature. The theocentric worldview in ESD provides not only an opportunity for students to express their religio-spiritual meaning in ESD but, more importantly, as an effort to manifest holistic students as the product of universities. Education should not only aim to produce graduates with specific skills that are marketable and able to be hired for specific jobs in the industries. More important is to produce holistic and mature human beings who also know how to value the sanctity of a balanced ecosystem, love and care for nature, genuinely understand the purpose and meaning of nature, and protect nature from any excessive exploitation. These are the qualities of students who relate themselves with God as the Creator (Tauhid) and understand their role responsibility (Khalifa) is to maintain the balance (Mizan) in nature (Fitra). At the same time, they are part of nature (Fitra) and cannot escape from utilizing it. Acknowledgment This work was supported by Putra Grant - Young Lecturer Initiative (GP-IPM/2018//9670200). We want to thank the Research Management Center, Universiti Putra Malaysia as the grant provider, which initiated our critical discussions and construction of this manuscript. JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences {287 p-ISSN: 2338-8617 Vol. 9, No. 2, May 2021 e-ISSN: 2443-2067 Bibliography Al-Attas, S. M. N. (1993). Islam and Secularism. Kuala Lumpur: Art Printing Works Sdn. Bhd. Ali, K., & Leaman, O. (2007). Islam: The key Concepts. New York, NY. Ammar, N. H. (2001). Deep Ecology and World Religions: New Essays on Sacred Ground. In D. L. Barnhill & R. S. Gottlieb (Eds.), Deep Ecology and World Religions: New Essays on Sacred Ground (pp. 193– 212). New York: State University of New York Press. Christmann, P., & Taylor, G. (2001). Globalization and the Environment: Determinants of Firm Self-Regulation in China. Journal of International Business Studies, 32(3), 439–458. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490976 Cotton, D. R. E., Warren, M. F., Maiboroda, O., & Bailey, I. (2007). Sustainable Development, Higher Education, and Pedagogy: A Study of Lecturers‟ Beliefs and Attitudes. Environmental Education Research, 13(5), 579–597. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504620701659061 Devall, B., & Sessions, G. (1985). Deep Ecology: Living as if Nature Mattered. Salt Lake City, UT: GM Smith. Drengson, A., Devall, B., & Schroll, M. (2010). The Deep Ecology Movement: Origins, Development, and Future Prospects (Toward a Transpersonal Ecosophy). International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 30(1–2), 101– 117. https://doi.org/10.24972/ijts.2011.30.1-2.101 Felgendreher, S., & Löfgren, Å. (2018). Higher Education for Sustainability: Can Education Affect Moral Perceptions? Environmental Education Research, 24(4), 479–491. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2017.1307945 Huckle, J. (2014). Education for sustainability: Assessing Pathways to the Future. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 30(1), 31–51. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0814062600001853Publi Jacob, M. (1994). Sustainable Development and Deep Ecology: an Analysis of Competing Traditions. Environmental Management, 18(4), 477. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02400853 Khalid, F. (2010). Islam and the Environment–Ethics and Practice an Assessment. Religion Compass, 4(11), 707–716. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.17498171.2010.00249.x 288} JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences The Theocentric Worldview: Sustainability Education for Religion and Spiritual Mohd Mokhtar Muhamad et al. Kober, G. (2013). For they do not Agree in Nature: Spinoza and Deep Ecology. Ethics & the Environment, 18(1), 43–65. https://doi.org/10.2979/ethicsenviro.18.1.43 Köylü, M. (2004). Peace Education: an Islamic Approach. Journal of Peace Education, 1(1), 59–76. https://doi.org/10.1080/1740020032000178302 Kula, E. (2001). Islam and Environmental Conservation. Environmental Conservation, 28(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0376892901000017 Leal Filho, W., Raath, S., Lazzarini, B., Vargas, V. R., de Souza, L., Anholon, R., … Orlovic, V. L. (2018). The Role of Transformation in Learning and Education for Sustainability. Journal of Cleaner Production, 199, 286–295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.07.017 Leal Filho, Walter. (2000). Dealing with Misconceptions on the Concept of Sustainability. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 1(1), 9–19. https://doi.org/10.1108/1467630010307066 Leal Filho, Walter, Dahms, L. M., & Consorte-McCrea, A. (2019). Sustainability and Religion: Past Trends and Future Perspectives. In Sustainability and the Humanities (pp. 611–619). Cham: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95336-6_35 Mahmud, S. N. D., Mohd Nasri, N., & Syed-Abdullah, S. I. S. (2019). A Whole-of-University Approach towards Sustainability in a Research Institute: A Force-Field Analysis. International Journal of Innovation, Creativity, and Change, 7(11), 120–134. Retrieved from https://ijicc.net/images/vol7iss11/71108_Mahmud_2019_E_R.pdf Minteer, B. A., & Manning, R. E. (2005). An Appraisal of the Critique of Anthropocentrism and Three Lesser-Known Themes in Lynn White‟s “The Historical Roots of our Ecologic Crisis.” Organization & Environment, 18(2), 163–176. https://doi.org/10.1177/1086026605276196 Muluk, S., & Habiburrahim, H. (2018). Higher Education Transformation: To what direction? (A Look at the Transformation of Ar-Raniry State Islamic University). Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun, 6(3), 447-458. doi:10.26811/peuradeun.v6i3.286 Muñoz-García, A., & Villena-Martínez, M. D. (2020). Sustainable Behavior among Spanish University Students in Terms of Dimensions of Religion and Spirituality. Sustainability, 12(2), 470. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12020470 Naess, A. (1973). The shallow and the Deep, Long-Range Ecology Movement. JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences {289 p-ISSN: 2338-8617 Vol. 9, No. 2, May 2021 A Summary. Inquiry, 16(1–4), https://doi.org/10.1080/00201747308601682 e-ISSN: 2443-2067 pp. 95–100. Naess, A. (1986). The Deep Ecological Movement: Some Philosophical Aspects. Philosophical Inquiry, 8(1/2), 10–31. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-14020-4519-6_88 Naess, A. (2015). Ecology: The Shallow and the Deep. Cahn, MA & O’Brien, R. Thinking About the Environment: Readings on Politics, Property and the Physical World. Obasa, D., & Adebule, J. (2017). The Challenges of Higher Education in Growing Dialogue Culture and Understanding Cultural Pluralism. Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun, 5(3), 401 - 414. doi:10.26811/peuradeun.v5i3.183 Penrice, J. (1873). A Dictionary and Glossary of the Kor-ân: with Copious Grammatical References and Text Explanations: Arabic-English. London. Sauvé, L. (2005). Currents in Environmental Education: Mapping a Complex and Evolving Pedagogical Field. Canadian Journal of Environmental Education (CJEE). Setia, A. (2004). Taskhir, Fine-Tuning, Intelligent Design, and the Scientific Appreciation of Nature. Islam & Science, 2(1), 7. Retrieved from https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A119627477/AONE?u=go oglescholar&sid=AONE&xid=54784807 Setia, A. (2007). The Inner Dimension of Going Green: Articulating an Islamic Deep-Ecology. Islam & Science, 5(2), 117–150. Sponsel, L. E. (2010). Religion and Environment: Exploring Spiritual Ecology. Religion and Society, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.3167/arrs.2010.010109 Thomas, I. (2009). Critical Thinking, Transformative Learning, Sustainable Education, and Problem-Based Learning in Universities. Journal of Transformative Education, 7(3), 245–264. https://doi.org/10.1177/1541344610385753 Tucker, M. E., & Grim, J. A. (2001). Introduction: The Emerging Alliance of World Religions and Ecology. Daedalus, 130(4), 1–22. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20027715 Vatalis, K. I. (2017). Training Sustainability Through Role-Playing in Higher Education. Progress in Industrial Ecology, An International Journal, 11(4), 361. https://doi.org/10.1504/PIE.2017.092723 290} JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences The Theocentric Worldview: Sustainability Education for Religion and Spiritual Mohd Mokhtar Muhamad et al. Warburton, K. (2003). Deep Learning and Education for Sustainability. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 4(1), 44–56. https://doi.org/10.1108/14676370310455332 White, L. (1967). The Historical Roots of our Ecologic Crisis. Science, 155(3767), 1203–1207. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.155.3767.1203 Whitney, E. (2015). Lynn White Jr.‟s „The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis‟ After 50 Years. History Compass, 13(8), 396–410. https://doi.org/10.1111/hic3.12254 JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences {291 p-ISSN: 2338-8617 Vol. 9, No. 2, May 2021 292} JIP-The Indonesian Journal of the Social Sciences e-ISSN: 2443-2067