(Post-)digital Religious Education and the Challenges of Artificial Intelligence

This research project investigates how young people can develop a reflective and responsible approach to digital media in the context of religious education and AI-supported technologies and build up the necessary skills for «religious digital literacy».

The young generation is growing up in an era of polycrisis – characterized by wars, political upheaval, economic uncertainty and the climate crisis. Digital media influence how these crises are perceived and how people react to them in a specific way.

The project explores the extent to which religious education can create heterotopic spaces for reflecting on ethical questions and fears, especially in view of the dynamic developments of AI. Post-digitality is seen as a critical concept for dealing with these digitalization dynamics.

The central questions are: What hopes and fears do young people associate with AI and can (religious) chatbots serve as a point of contact for personal concerns? How does religious education promote critical reflection on the media, identity formation, well-being and resilience?

The study follows an inductive, actor-centered approach and analyzes the use of AI tools in workshops with school classes and youth groups. Before-and-after surveys, interviews and observations are used to investigate media use, media skills and critical reflection on the media among young people and teachers.

Through the workshop structure, the project contributes directly to promoting responsible use of AI in the context of religious education and, within the «Digital Religion(s)» URPP, sheds light on the topic of education, which has often received little attention to date.