Islamic religious education © Harald Oppitz (KNA)
Islamic religious instruction to be introduced in schools in Rhineland-Palatinate? First the Islam federations must work on their structures and confess themselves to the liberal-democratic basic order, said culture minister Konrad wolf on Wednesday.
Before starting new contract negotiations, the state of Rhineland-Palatinate expects a commitment to interception from four Islamic associations. "Our goal is to strengthen the integration of Muslims in Rhineland-Palatinate. But the associations still have to work on their structures in order to be able to act as contractual partners of the state government," said Culture Minister Konrad Wolf (SPD) in Mainz on Wednesday.
Before starting new contract negotiations, the state of Rhineland-Palatinate expects a commitment to interception from four Islamic associations. "Our goal is to strengthen the integration of Muslims in Rhineland-Palatinate," it said.
First allegiance to interception, then Muslim religious instruction
The minister responsible for religious communities announced that target agreements with the Islamic associations would first be concluded in the coming weeks. In it, the associations are supposed to declare their support for the free democratic basic order, testify to their loyalty to the catch and acknowledge the diversity of religions and the equality of the sexes.
Only when all requirements have been met can concrete negotiations on Islamic religious instruction, theology professors and the training of religious teachers be resumed, Wolf said.
Independence vis-à-vis the Turkish religious authorities
The minister presented two in-depth expert reports by Bayreuth religious scholar Christoph Bochinger and Cologne constitutional church law expert Stefan Muckel. According to the experts, the Turkish-Islamic religious association DITIB Rhineland-Palatinate in particular has problems with independence vis-à-vis the Turkish religious authority.
The Council of Islamic Communities (Shura) of Rhineland-Palatinate must enforce its commitment to the free democratic basic order more consistently in all communities, say the experts.
Islamic religious instruction is currently being tested in 21 schools statewide, according to the ministry. The model project takes place without participation of the federations and should be continued, he said. In the future, there can only be state-wide instruction based on a curriculum in German and under state school supervision.