Digital Age Influencing Conference

Digital Age Influencing Conference

The 6th conference of the "Future-proof Religious Education" forum, organised by the University of Innsbruck, the Institute for Islamic Theology and Religious Pedagogy, the Faculty of Teacher Education, and the Institute for Practical Theology of the Catholic-Theological Faculty, provided a comprehensive look at the opportunities and challenges of social media for religious education and teacher training.

The conference focused on Austria and Germany, delving into the fields of Islamic and Catholic religious pedagogy. Helga Kohler-Spiegel, a religious educator and psychotherapist, raised a thought-provoking question, "Who will hug you when you're feeling bad and a like doesn't help?" highlighting the need for emotional support in the digital age.

The decline in traditional forms of religious practice has led to a shift in perspective, with some arguing for an "atheism: believing in God after the death of God." Critical engagement with religious content in social media is a crucial goal of religious education in schools, as digital media plays a significant role in shaping social relationships and life orientations for children, adolescents, and young adults.

Regina Polak, a religious sociologist and pastoral theologian from the University of Vienna, provided insights into the beliefs and sense concepts of youth in her keynote speech. The study results show that "Islamophobia has reached the center of society," emphasising the need for interreligious education to foster understanding and acceptance.

The conference also addressed the role of religious education as a resource for mental health support. Helga Kohler-Spiegel emphasised the importance of religious education in developing self-efficacy and resilience among young people, counteracting factors such as information overload, lack of movement, nature deficit syndrome, and loneliness.

Ayşe Almıla Akca and Aslıgül Aysel, post-doctoral researchers at the Institute for Islamic Theology and Religious Pedagogy in Innsbruck, discussed the narrowing of religious interpretive diversity in social media due to algorithms. From an interreligious educational perspective, the diversity of "sense-making" in school, community, and virtual space is a question for critical reflection and integration in the sense of the educational mandate of religious education.

The study results on the sense of faith and meaning concepts of young people in Austria, presented at the forum, are not fully available. However, it is known that 30% of the surveyed young people believe in a higher being, higher energy, or spiritual power, and 30% of the 14-25 year-olds surveyed in the study "What does Austria believe?" believe in God or a divine reality.

Interestingly, only 19% of the surveyed young people completely reject the belief in a transcendent reality, and young people have fewer reservations about questions of God, faith, and religion. However, 13% of the surveyed young people say they don't know what they should believe.

Maria Juen and Antigona Shabani presented posters and short talks on the opportunities and challenges of social media for religious education and teacher training. The Austrian population shows overall "indifferent religious friendliness."

In conclusion, the conference provided valuable insights into the role of religious education in the digital age, addressing crucial questions about human existence today, the place of transcendence, and an ethically responsible life design in the face of changing sense cultures.

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