Dimensions of hermeneutical research in religious education. Methodological foundations
Protestant Theology
Final Report Abstract
Until the 1980s, research in religious education was characterized by historical and hermeneutic approaches from the humanities, which dealt with the significance of religious traditions and their mediation. From the 1990s onwards, an empirical turn led to a methodological shift, whereby hermeneutic approaches often remained insufficiently developed. There is a lack of a coherent methodology that considers the specific requirements of religious education and is compatible with other disciplines. The development of an independent hermeneutic methodology for religious education and corresponding hermeneutic methods is therefore necessary. These should help to open up new ways of gaining knowledge, particularly through collaboration with theological and related disciplines. The network aims to develop a handbook that will serve as a methodological reference for study and research and strengthen research in religious education. Central questions regarding hermeneutic methods in religious education will be systematically addressed, for example, regarding the scientific-theoretical reference systems and the operationalization steps of hermeneutic methods. The aim is to strengthen the interdisciplinary compatibility of hermeneutics in religious education and to publish a handbook that provides a sound basis for hermeneutic research. The handbook was developed in the context of two interdisciplinary conferences and numerous internal network meetings. It includes interdisciplinary contributions written by 50 authors and organized into 11 main chapters. This provides an overview of hermeneutic concepts from various disciplines relevant to religious education. It also relates the diversity of hermeneutic approaches to different subject areas in religious education and reflects on how these can be operationalized with their specific content requirements in terms of hermeneutic standards and quality criteria. In order to frame and focus this diversity and multi-perspectivity for readers, the handbook provides a programmatic, comprehensive introductory chapter written by the editors, which offers an overall concept and organizational structure for religious education hermeneutics by linking the various perspectives and approaches. It is focusing on central dimensions and methodically deriving criteria for hermeneutic work from them, without undermining the multiperspectivity and plurality of religious education hermeneutics. The handbook is intended as a central reference work and is aimed at both the scientific community and a broad readership, in particular students and young academics. It is scheduled for publication in 2025 by the renowned Mohr Siebeck Verlag, available both in print and as an open-access publication.
Publications
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Handbuch Religionspädagogische Hermeneutik. Mohr Siebeck.
Gärtner, Claudia; Kumlehn, Martina; Lindner, Konstantin; Schröder, Bernd; Simojoki, Henrik & Woppowa, Jan
