Religious Instruction in Secular Societies and Laicist States: Turkey and Germany

7-8 November 2008
İstanbul Bilgi University Dolapdere Campus BS2

Program

The German Unit of the European Institute organized a conference entitled “Religious Instruction in Secular Societies and Laicist States: Turkey and Germany” in collaboration with Goethe Institute.

The aim of this conference is the evaluation of the different models on religious instruction in Europe. Different perspectives on these models will be discussed from pedagogical and development psychological aspects.
Religious Instruction in Secular Societies and Laicist States:
Turkey and Germany

November 7-8, 2008

İstanbul Bilgi University

Dolapdere Campus BS2

Program

7 November 2008

9:00 – 9:30 Opening speeches

Claudia Hahn-Raabe, Istanbul Goethe Institute, Director
Dr. Jörg Baudner, İstanbul Bilgi University European Institute, German Studies Unit, DAAD Fellow

I. Institutional, legal and political framework of religious instruction
Chairman: Prof. Dr. Recep Kaymakcan, Sakarya University Theology Faculty

9.30 – 10:00 Comparing religious instruction in Germany and Turkey from a historical and legal perspective
Dr. Günter Seufert, Berlin Journal, Istanbul

10:00 – 10:30 Accomodation of Islam by Secular Western States
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayhan Kaya, European Institute, İstanbul Bilgi University


10:45 – 11:00 Tea-Coffee Break

II. Historical Development of Religious Instruction and its Relevance to modern societies
Chairman: Prof. Dr. Tosun Terizoğlu, Sabancı University Rector, İstanbul

11:00 – 11:30 What does religion mean for German youth?
Prof. Dr. H.G. Ziebertz, Religious Education Department, Würzburg University

11:30 – 12:00 What does religion mean for Turkish youth?
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Asım Yapıcı, Theology Faculty, Çukurova University, Adana

12:00 – 12:30 Historical and political factors in the development of religious instruction in Germany
M.A. Klaus Eberl, Berlin Ministry of Education


12:45 - 13:45 Lunch Break

13:45 – 14:15 Historical and political factors in the development of religious instruction in Turkey
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ergün Yıldırım, Sociology Department, Kütahya University


III. Current debates on Religious Instruction in Germany
Chairman: Prof. Dr. Cemal Tosun, Theology Faculty, Ankara University

14:30 – 15:00 Justification of religious instruction based on denomination
Prof. Dr. Rudolf Englert, Catholic Divinity Institute, Duisburg-Essen University

15:00 – 15:30 Justification of religious instruction for multi-religious groups
Prof. Dr. Wolfram Weisse, Hamburg University, Center “World Religions in Dialogue”

15:45 – 16:00 Tea-Coffee Break

16:00 – 16:30 Islamic Religious Instruction in Germany and the Current Situation
PD. Dr. Hasan Alacıoğlu, Münster University, Educational Sciences Faculty

16:30 – 17:00 Preparations for religious education for Alevis in Germany
İsmail Kaplan, Federation of German Alevis Unions, Educational Coordinator, Köln

17:15 Closing

8 November 2008

IV. Current Debate on Religious Instruction in the Secular and Pluralist Turkish Society

Chairman: Assoc. Dr. Ayhan Kaya, European Institute, İstanbul Bilgi University

10:00 – 10:30 Possible effects of the ECHR judgment regarding the compulsory religious instruction in Turkey
Prof. Dr. Recep Kaymakcan, Theology Faculty, Sakarya University

10:30 – 11:00 The Preparations for reforming “the Religious Culture and Ethic” course in Turkey
Prof. Dr. Cemal Tosun, Ankara University, Adviser to the General Directorate for the Religious Education

11:15 – 11:30 Tea-Coffee Break

11:30 – 12:00 Reflections on the optional religious course in Turkey
Dr. Şeyma Arslan, Ensar Foundation, Istanbul

12:00 – 12:30 Reforming “the Religious Culture and Ethics” course in Turkey

Prof. Dr. Tosun Terzioğlu, Sabancı Universty, Rector, Istanbul

12:45 – 13:45 Lunch Break

V. Religious Course Practices
Chairman: Professor H.-G. Ziebertz, Würzburg University, Religious Education Department

13:45 – 14:15 The Effects of religious instruction on gender equality issue
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Riegel, Siegen University

14:15 – 14:45 The Perspectives of Muslim parents on Islam education in Germany
Dr. Halise Kader Zengin, Theology Faculty, Ankara University

15:00 – 15:15 Tea-Coffee Break

15:15 – 15:45 The Pedagogical sufficiency of Turkish religious course teachers
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Halit Ev, Theology Faculty, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir

15:45 – 16:15 How religious instruction contributes to religious tolerance?
Prof. Dr. Niyazi Öktem, Bilgi University, Istanbul

16:30 Closing of the symposium