Future-proof religious education in Bavaria controversial

The spring meeting of the KRBU (Konferenz der Religionspädagog:innen an bayerischen Universitäten) will take place in the Exerzietienhaus Leitershofen (Stadtbergen, 15.-16.03.2022).

At the spring meeting of the KRBU on 10/11 March 2020 in Vierzehnheiligen, the controversial question arose - stimulated above all by reports of the events surrounding religious education in Luxembourg - as to how religious education in Germany and especially in Bavaria can and should continue. It quickly became clear that this discourse should first be brought internally into the KRBU, then into a larger public process. At the upcoming conference, representatives of the church and the Free State of Bavaria, as well as representatives of religious education practice, will have their say and discuss with the members of the KRBU.

1. Situation of religious education in Germany
In accordance with Article 7 (3) of the Basic Law, denominational religious instruction is an ordinary subject at public schools in Germany and may be established for state-recognized religious communities. In almost all federal states of the Federal Republic of Germany, religious education is offered in a denominational form, i.e. at least as "Protestant religious education" and as "Catholic religious education". However, various developments, especially the changing religious socialization, have contributed to a Germany-wide pluralization in this respect in the last two decades (e.g. L-E-R in Brandenburg, current further development of the "Religious Education for All" model in Hamburg, formats of denominational cooperation between Protestant and Catholic denominations in Baden-Württemberg, current discussion about a "jointly responsible Christian religious education" in Lower Saxony).

2. The situation in Bavaria

Also for Bavaria, at the latest as a result of the steady decline of Protestant and Catholic students, but also on the basis of a theological-ecumenical understanding, the need for impulses to orient denominational religious education in a sustainable way is apparent. For elementary and middle schools in diaspora areas, the option "Religious Education with Extended Cooperation" (RUmeK) is already available, in which one teacher teaches all students of the Protestant and Catholic denominations (as well as other students upon request). The teacher is assisted by a representative of the other denomination.
The school project "Strengthening denominational religious education at vocational schools" (StReBe) explores alternative options for the organization of religious education that meet the organizational challenges of vocational schools (religiously heterogeneous student body, block/part-time teaching, etc.).

3. The challenging question
Nevertheless, despite this further development, the challenging question remains in which direction religious education in Bavaria can be further developed - and this on the basis of scientific findings and discourses. These are currently being conducted in several respects, with regard to an interreligious expansion of religious education, to the integration of non-denominational students with regard to religious didactics, to religious education without a religious community orientation, etc. The question of how to further develop religious education in Bavaria remains challenging.  The training of teachers should not be forgotten.