Dari Altar Ke Media Sosial: Analisis Pengaruh Instagram Terhadap Gaya Berpenampilan Pemuda Kristen dalam Ibadah Diperhadapkan Buku Ende HKBP No. 31:2

Abstract

This journal examines the influence of Instagram on the worship attire style of Christian youth, with a particular focus on motivation, identity formation, and the spiritual implications that accompany it. The research was conducted through a field survey involving 50 respondents and supported by several theoretical foundations, including Erving Goffman’s dramaturgy, Nancy Baym’s theory of digital relationships, as well as theological studies from Bradshaw, Martin Luther, Clement of Alexandria, and HKBP Hymn BE No. 31:2. The findings reveal that Instagram has a significant role in shaping perceptions of the “ideal appearance in worship,” including the tendency among youth to appear attractive, neat, and fashionable as a form of impression management within the digital sphere. Moreover, the study indicates a shift in awareness among young people that appearance is not the primary value in praising God. Simplicity, sincerity, neatness, and genuine spirituality are increasingly recognized as the essential core of true worship. Therefore, the tension between digital culture and liturgical ethics presents an opportunity for the church to provide pastoral guidance, theological education, and character formation to help young people express themselves in healthy ways without losing the values of the Christian faith.