Integration Lessons for German Imams
-- The German government is organizing integration courses for foreign imams in a new effort to accelerate Muslim integration in the central European country.
"The course offered here is aimed at experts, at people with an established theological background, who have an ability to act as role models for those who trust them," Sadi Arslan, director of the German association of Turkish Muslim congregations (DITIB), told Deutsche Presse-Agentur.
Fifteen imams are joining a four-month course about the German language and culture.
They are being taught about the powers of the state, life in a pluralistic society, religious diversity, the educational system, migration, and community work.
"We aspire to learn the language, and therefore open doors to a whole new world," Arslan said.
Themed “Imams for Integration”, the course, launched Thursday in the city of Nuremberg, is an initiative from the Goethe Institute, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), and DITIB.
Most of Germany's imams grew up and received their religious training outside of Germany, often in Turkey.
Turkey's religious affairs office regularly sends imams to over 800 DITIB-affiliated mosques in the European country, but few come with German language skills.
Germany has some 2,250 imams, including about 800 of Turkish origin.
The country has some 160 mosques and 2,600 prayer halls.
Organizers hope that the training course would help accelerate Muslim integration into society.
"Imams can play an important and integration-supporting role as bridge-builders and mediators between incoming migrants and the majority society," BAMF President Albert Schmid said.
Organizers also plan to expand the project to include 135 men and women in nine cities in the next three years.
The new course is not the first government initiative to train foreign imams.
The University of Osnabrueck has offered courses in Islamic religious instruction since 2008.
This summer, the state of Lower Saxony announced plans to offer continuing education for imams.
There are more than 4 million Muslims in Germany, including 220,000 in Berlin.
Turks make up an estimated two thirds of the Muslim minority.
Islam comes third in Germany after Protestant and Catholic Christianity.
Source: Islam Online
Fifteen imams are joining a four-month course about the German language and culture.
They are being taught about the powers of the state, life in a pluralistic society, religious diversity, the educational system, migration, and community work.
"We aspire to learn the language, and therefore open doors to a whole new world," Arslan said.
Themed “Imams for Integration”, the course, launched Thursday in the city of Nuremberg, is an initiative from the Goethe Institute, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), and DITIB.
Most of Germany's imams grew up and received their religious training outside of Germany, often in Turkey.
Turkey's religious affairs office regularly sends imams to over 800 DITIB-affiliated mosques in the European country, but few come with German language skills.
Germany has some 2,250 imams, including about 800 of Turkish origin.
The country has some 160 mosques and 2,600 prayer halls.
Organizers hope that the training course would help accelerate Muslim integration into society.
"Imams can play an important and integration-supporting role as bridge-builders and mediators between incoming migrants and the majority society," BAMF President Albert Schmid said.
Organizers also plan to expand the project to include 135 men and women in nine cities in the next three years.
The new course is not the first government initiative to train foreign imams.
The University of Osnabrueck has offered courses in Islamic religious instruction since 2008.
This summer, the state of Lower Saxony announced plans to offer continuing education for imams.
There are more than 4 million Muslims in Germany, including 220,000 in Berlin.
Turks make up an estimated two thirds of the Muslim minority.
Islam comes third in Germany after Protestant and Catholic Christianity.
Source: Islam Online
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