New Religiosity of Muslim Pupils in the Age of Digitalization

The example of the religiousness of Muslim pupils in the age of digitalization may be used to show that Islamic theology can respond to the questions of young people in a future-oriented way, if the significance of these questions for peopleʼs lives is recognized in time. In this way, a new theology can emerge that speaks to people in a way that is close to life and reality. In the study presented here, we analyzed the influence of digital forms of communication and interaction on the religious orientations of Muslim secondary school students in Austria. A total of 139 interviews were conducted and analyzed in all Austrian federal states (Aslan & Yildiz, Muslim Religiosity in Digital Change. How Young People Deal with Images of Islam in the Media, Springer, Wiesbaden, 2023a). In this article, we focus on conclusions from this study for educational practice and Islamic religious education: The results of the interviews suggest that the increasing diversity of the student body and the far-reaching digital mediatization of their living environment require a new understanding of education that integrates the diverse realities of studentsʼ lives. With regard to Islamic religious education, it has also been shown that many young people are questioning traditional theological approaches and are looking for new forms of religiosity that are not based solely on classical teachings. This suggests that traditional theological teaching does not sufficiently address the needs and questions of young people in everyday life. A theology that is true to life and responds to the needs of young people can not only strengthen their religious and biographical orientation but also contribute to the promotion of social cohesion.