Teaching about faith in a rational, scholarly way
The figures are pretty impressive: only 13 students enrolled to study at the Centre for Islamic Theology in 2011, the year it was set up. Today, it is almost 60 times as many – with around 750 students spread over the two courses “Islamic Religious Instruction” (for trainee teachers) and “Islamic Theology”, both offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees. While “Islamic Religious Instruction” is the classic course leading to a career as a teacher, “Islamic Theology” opens up a wide range of career prospects. As in most subjects in the field of the Humanities, the focus is on the acquisition of competences – for example, Arabic language skills, intercultural and inter-faith skills and competences in the field of knowledge organisation. Graduates can either stay in the academic world or work in mosque communities, foundations, ministries, politics or civil institutions.
Specifically, in this winter semester the students are studying methodologies relating to cultural studies and their application in Islamic theology, Islamic religious instruction in schools, philosophy, history or Quran studies. The lecturers’ main concern is to present faith rationally and by means of scholarly methods. The profile of both courses is characterised by a progressive, cosmopolitan Islam. “What our students value most,” says Faris Mansouri, programme coordinator at ZIT, “is that pluralism and heterogeneity within Muslim communities are covered in the courses. Student Maria Alejandra Schrama agrees. “What I like most,” she says, “are the modules on inter-faith dialogue and contemporary debates in Islam. These promote collaboration with other faith communities and a critical examination of current issues. For me, the trusting atmosphere at ZIT and the support provided by the lecturers have made studying easier.”
Since last year, the WWU Weiterbildung gGmbH organisation has been working together with ZIT to offer the certification course “Islam in Social Work”. In this course of continuing education, people who work in Muslim communities – imams in particular – can receive systematic training and thus professionalise their work. There has been a big response to this offer, with the result that a continuation and expansion of the course is now being aimed at.
The teaching offered at ZIT is also due to be expanded in future. For theologians, practical theological work is attaining an ever greater status in society – for example, in advisory services, pastoral work and welfare. “At the moment we’re designing an international master’s course, to be held in English, in order to attract students from abroad,” says Prof. Mouhanad Khorchide, the director of ZIT. “The focus in this course is on linking Islamic theology to questions and challenges of our times.”
Author: Kathrin Kottke
This article was first published in the University newspaper “wissen|leben” No. 6, 12 October 2022