26–28 Sept 2025
University of Münster
Europe/Berlin timezone

Islamic Religious Education in Germany: Developments, Understandings of Religious Education, and Research Perspectives

27 Sept 2025, 16:50
20m
JO1 (University of Münster)

JO1

University of Münster

Johannisstr. 4, 48143 Münster
20-minute paper Religious Education in Public Schools Religious Education in Public Schools

Speaker

Prof. Fahimah Ulfat (Professor of Islamic Religious Education and Didactics at the University of Münster)

Description

This presentation explores the development, conceptual foundations, and current state of Islamic Religious Education (IRE) in Germany. Beginning with the historical trajectory of IRE in the context of migration and educational policy, it examines the challenges of institutionalization within the framework of the German constitution. Beyond the institutional dimension, the contribution discusses the educational aims of IRE, rooted in Islamic anthropology and theology, emphasizing knowledge, spirituality, and moral formation. It further presents recent findings from empirical and didactic research. The paper argues that the future development of IRE requires continuous scientific grounding in theology, pedagogy, and empirical research in order to strengthen its role in plural and democratic societies.

Primary author

Prof. Fahimah Ulfat (Professor of Islamic Religious Education and Didactics at the University of Münster)

Presentation materials