Since 2021, work has been underway on the new "Campus of Religions" in the western German city of Münster. Much of the site is still under construction. Scheduled for inauguration in 2027, the complex will bring together the faculties of Catholic, Protestant, and Islamic Theology, as well as the Department of Religious Studies, in a single location.
The faculty marks a milestone: for the first time in Germany — and indeed in Europe — a public university is home to an independent Faculty of Islamic Theology.
"I have the privilege of being part of a unique chapter in history," scholar Mouhanad Khorchide told DW. Looking back on 15 years of work at the University of Münster, he said the achievement fills him with deep gratitude. At the same time, the 54‑year‑old emphasized the responsibility that comes with it.
"We want to make the most of this unique opportunity and advocate for an open‑minded, enlightened understanding of Islam." According to Khorchide, the faculty's work will have an impact not only across Europe but also throughout the Muslim world.
Mouhanad Khorchide is an Austrian sociologist and Islamic theologian and a Professor of Islamic Religious Education and Director of the Center for Islamic Theology at the University of Münster in Germany.Image: ZIT/Peter Grewer
