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New book by researchers at the Cluster of Excellence ‘Religion and Politics’ sheds light on the future of religious education in Germany – criticism of the model of non-denominational religious education: ‘Can hardly correspond to the religious plurality that people live’ – Basic Law flexible enough to deal with challenges such as secularisation and pluralisation
In their new book Religious Education 4.0, legal scholar Hinnerk Wißmann and theologian Arnulf von Scheliha from the Cluster of Excellence ‘Religion and Politics’ at the University of Münster argue for maintaining denominational religious education. ‘Religion is an anthropological constant across all epochs, and religious education, which contributes to a reflective personal development, is important for individuals as well as for the political community as a whole’, say the authors. Published by Mohr Siebeck, the volume sheds light on current forms of religious education in Germany, questions how sustainable these forms are, and explores cultural and political arguments for teaching religion at school. ‘The model of non-denominational religious education alone can hardly correspond to the religious plurality that people actually live, nor provide authentic access to religion’, the authors argue. ‘Furthermore, there is a danger that the state will usurp the rights of individuals and religious communities when it comes to religious issues’. Only religious education tied to a particular faith is forward-looking, one in which, as in North Rhine-Westphalia, Protestant and Catholic groups learn together, or, as in Hamburg, Muslims, Jews and Alevites are included too.
‘A lot is currently happening in Germany in terms of religious education’, say the authors, whose new book is intended to contribute to the latest developments and debates. ‘We have to react to social developments such as secularisation and pluralisation’. This has already happened with the models in place in Germany: in North Rhine-Westphalia but also in Baden-Württemberg and, in a similar way, in Lower Saxony, pupils of the two Christian denominations take part in ‘Cross-denominational religious education’, which is taught in turn by Protestant and Catholic teachers. In Hamburg, ‘Religious education for all’, launched by the Protestant Church, includes Muslims, Jews and Alevites. Bremen, on the other hand, offers non-denominational religious education.
The authors believe that Germany’s Basic Law is still well-positioned to deal with the growing religious diversity in the future: ‘By taking a positive stance towards religion in the Basic Law, but staying out of questions of truth, the state gives religious communities a great deal of leeway in how they organise religious education. German federalism also allows for the testing of a wide range of models’. The authors emphasise that those involved in religious education, such as the Christian churches, are generally not concerned with religious proselytising, but with making an independent contribution to the socialisation and education of children and young people.
The new book Religious Education 4.0 is the result of research conducted in a project of the same name at the Cluster of Excellence ‘Religion and Politics’ at the University of Münster. In the book, which is written in the form of an interdisciplinary essay, Hinnerk Wißmann and Arnulf von Scheliha examine the current and future status of religious education, which is a school subject with special constitutional protection in Germany. They combine legal perspectives on constitutional law governing religion with ethical-religious considerations from theology. In their introduction, the authors shed light on the trends and countertrends in contemporary religious policy, before then presenting current models of religious education and analysing various patterns according to which the subject of religion can be justified, such as identity formation, anthropological patterns, civil religion, and socialisation and educational processes. Finally, the authors take stock of religious-political alternatives for the further development of religious education in the form of integrated models, such as ‘Cross-denominational religious education’ and ‘Religious education for all’, and make a plea for the scope that the Basic Law already offers today to be used flexibly. (tec/vvm)
Note: von Scheliha, Arnulf & Wißmann, Hinnerk 2024: Religionsunterricht 4.0. Eine religionspolitische Erörterung in rechtswissenschaftlicher und ethischer Perspektive. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck. ISBN 978-3-16-163661-5, 182 S., EUR 19.00.
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