Christian religious education in Lower Saxony: Introduction delayed!

Christian religious education in Lower Saxony: Introduction delayed!

Christian religious education in Lower Saxony is a long time coming. As ndr.de reports, the subject will only be introduced compulsorily from the 2026/2027 school year. The start was actually planned for 2025/2026, but the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover recently announced the delay. Of course, this gets people talking. The curricula for the new subject is currently being developed and this will probably take some time.

Important decisions will be made in the coming months. The publication of the curricula for elementary schools and grades 5 to 10 is scheduled to begin in fall 2025. It is planned that schools will have the opportunity to test the new curricula in the second half of the 2025/2026 school year. The vocational schools will also be included in the process, as new curricula will also be developed and will be available at the start of the 2025/2026 school year.

A joint endeavor

What makes this project special? For the first time, Protestant and Catholic churches are taking joint responsibility for religious education in Germany. This represents a paradigm shift that builds on the denominational cooperation that has existed since 1998, which enables students to attend classes from the other denomination. The Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) sees this development as an “open door” to strengthen interreligious dialogue and promote understanding among students.

There is also an important message here: religious education is not only a traditional pillar of religious education, it also plays a crucial role in an increasingly plural society. The EKD sees the diversity of religions and world views as a challenge, but at the same time emphasizes the importance of connecting denominations and training how to deal with differences. This is underpinned by the “fundamentals, standards and objectives” developed, which are intended to serve as a guide for effective implementation, as can be found on ekd.de.

Preparation for schools

On May 7, 2025, the Lower Saxony Ministry of Culture announced information about the introduction of the subject, which was sent to the regional state offices for schools and education. Teachers can familiarize themselves with the didactics of the new subject in advance. The core curricula will be available in an audio version on the education portal from summer 2025, which will enable schools to optimally prepare for the new content.

But before the new subject is established as a regular teaching subject, a joint declaration must be signed with the churches. This regulates cooperation in the implementation of the curricula as well as aspects such as the approval of textbooks and the training and further education of teachers. So there is a lot of excitement and the schools in Lower Saxony are facing an exciting challenge.

In summary, the coming months are likely to be characterized by constructive discussions and intensive preparatory work. The goal remains clear: religious education that not only imparts knowledge, but also contributes to strengthening dialogue and understanding between different faiths and thus building a bridge in our diverse society.