Interreligious dialogue: key to understanding in a multicultural society

Interreligious dialogue: key to understanding in a multicultural society

On May 27, 2025, the University of Kassel formalized a significant collaboration with the Sara Nussbaum Center. This partnership marks an important step in promoting interreligious competencies, which are crucial for future teachers in an increasingly multicultural and multireligious society uni-kassel.de reported.

As part of the new study profile “Interreligious Competence”, excursions to the synagogue are organized with students of the teaching positions for Catholic and Protestant religion. These take place at least every semester. The recently held Trialogue Day 2025 in the synagogue was a training program for educators and had over 100 participants.

A center for interreligious education

The Institute for Catholic Theology at the University of Kassel is expanding its offerings to include the “Ecumenical and Interreligious Competence” module, which includes important aspects of Judaism. Ilana Katz, one of the people present at the announcement of the cooperation, emphasizes how important interreligious and intercultural skills are for future teachers. Ute Clement also emphasizes the need to make authentic religious positions visible in interreligious learning in order to reduce insecurities and prejudices.

The cooperation of the Sara Nussbaum Center is seen as a central component of this educational initiative. The center brings Jewish perspectives into university education and promotes exchange between different faith communities.

In addition, it is considered unacceptable to use current political conflicts, such as Israeli politics, as a pretext for anti-Semitism. The presence of personalities such as Elena Padva, Prof. Dr. Ilse Müllner, Prof. Dr. Martin Bauspieß and Lisa Ferin underline the importance of this topic.

The role of interreligious dialogue

Given the multicultural challenges of the 21st century, the need for a “lived dialogue” between different religions is becoming increasingly important. In Europe, people of different cultural and religious backgrounds live together. Interreligious dialogue is not only seen as necessary, but also as a key qualification in a religiously plural society berliner-missionswerk.de determines.

The Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia is also committed to promoting interreligious dialogue. This includes promoting encounters between different faith communities, addressing fundamental theological questions and supporting dialogue projects.

The discourse on interreligious dialogue has developed in Germany since the 1980s, with a particular focus on relationships between Christians and Muslims. Interreligious dialogue is a response to the societal challenges that became more relevant, especially after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 bpb.de shows.

In this context, questions about the integration of Muslims into society are also crucial. Interreligious dialogue is viewed as a tool to address identity and promote social integration.

In summary, it can be said that the new initiatives at the University of Kassel are an important step towards an interreligious dialogue that is intended to promote not only education, but also social integration and tolerance.