Prof. Dr. Manfred Pirner

Prof. Dr. Manfred Pirner

Chair, Ordinary Professor of Religious Education

For research fields and projects see Research Unit for Public Religion and Education (RUPRE)

CV and Recent Publications

Prof. Dr. Manfred L. Pirner Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Regensburger Strasse 160 D-90478 Nürnberg GERMANY Fon: ++49-(0)911-5302-95548 (Secr.: -95549) Fax: ++49-(0)911-5302-95299 Website: www.manfred-pirner.de Email: manfred.pirner@fau.de Manfred L. Pirner, Prof. Dr., Ordinary Professor of Religious Education at Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany; Director of the Research Unit for Public Religion and Education (RUPRE; www.rupre.uni-erlangen.org); Co-Director of the Competence Centre for School Development and Evaluation (KSE; www.kse.phil.fau.de); Founding member of the Centre for Human Rights Erlangen-Nürnberg (CHREN; https://www.humanrights-centre.fau.de/); Associated member of the Bavarian Research Center for Interreligious Discourses (BaFID) (https://www.bafid.fau.eu/). Main research fields: Public theology and public education; human rights, education and religion; refugees and religion; interreligious dialogue and learning; religiosity and professionalism of teachers; popular culture, digital media and religious education; faith-based schools.

Recent Publications in English:

 

  • Pirner, M. L., Naurath, E., Lähnemann, J., & Haußmann, W. (Eds.) (2025, forthcoming). Education for Sustainable Development – Spiritual Dimensions. Erlangen: FAU University Press. (open access)
  • Grümme, B., & Pirner, M. L. (Eds.) (2025). Innovative approaches to Religious Education. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer.
  • Pirner, M. L., Lähnemann, J., Haussmann, W., & Schwarz, S. (Eds.) (2019). Public Theology Perspectives on Religion and Education. London & New York: Routledge.
  • Pirner, M. L., Lähnemann, J., Haussmann, W., & Schwarz, S. (Eds.) (2018). Public Theology, Religious Diversity and Interreligious Learning: Contributing to the Common Good through Religious Education. New York: Routledge.
  • Pirner, M. L., Lähnemann, J., & Bielefeldt, H. (Eds.). (2016). Human Rights and Religion in Educational Contexts. Cham: Springer International Publishing.
  • Krajewski, M., Bendel, P., Bielefeldt, H., Frewer, A., & Pirner, M. L. Book Series “Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Rights”, Springer International, since 2016.
  • Pirner, M. L., & Lähnemann, J. (Hg.) (2013). Media Power and Religions. The challenge facing intercultural learning. Oxford: Peter Lang International.

  • Pirner, M. L. (2025, forthcoming). The Concept of Education in Christianity. In G. Tamer (Ed.), The Concept of Education in Judaism, Christianity and Islam (Key Concepts of Interreligious Discourses). Berlin: De Gruyter.
  • Pirner, M. L. (2025, forthcoming). Public Spirituality. Towards a Framework of Integrating Spiritual Dimensions into ESD. In M. L. Pirner, W. Haußmann, J. Lähnemann, & E. Naurath (Eds.), Education for Sustainable Development – Spiritual Dimensions. Erlangen: FAU University Press.
  • Lindner, K., & Pirner, M. L. (2025, submitted). Digital Sovereignty as Objective of Religious and Ethics Education. A Design Based Research Project for Teacher Training. In T. Summer, K.-H. Gerholz & R. Kaplan-Rakowski (Eds.), Fostering Digital Competence in Social Sciences and Language Education. Münster: Waxmann.
  • Pirner, M. L. (2025). Religion, Education, and Public Theology. In L. F. Gearon & A. Kuusisto (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Education (pp. 637–652). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Grümme, B., & Pirner, M. L. (2025). Preface. In B. Grümme & M. L. Pirner (Eds.), Innovative approaches to Religious Education (pp. 9–11). Stuttgart: Kohlhammer.
  • Grümme, B., & Pirner, M. L. (2025). Public Religious Pedagogy. In B. Grümme & M. L. Pirner (Eds.), Innovative approaches to Religious Education (pp. 132–143). Stuttgart: Kohlhammer.
  • Nord, I., & Pirner, M. L. (2025). Religious Pedagogy in the Digital World. In B. Grümme & M. L. Pirner (Eds.), Innovative approaches to Religious Education (pp. 77–91). Stuttgart: Kohlhammer.
  • Pirner, M. L. (2025). Human Rights-orientated Religious Pedagogy. In B. Grümme & M. L. Pirner (Eds.), Innovative approaches to Religious Education (pp. 257–271). Stuttgart: Kohlhammer.
  • Pirner, M. L. (2022). Religion, Human Rights and Education in Pluralistic Societies. Re-visiting John Rawls and Jürgen Habermas. In J. Marko et al. (Eds.), Religious Diversity, State, and Law: National, Transnational and International Challenges (pp. 267–288). Leiden, NL: Brill.
  • Pirner, M. L. (2022). Interreligiöse Diskurse – eine evangelisch-theologische Perspektive [Interreligious Discourses – a Protestant Theology Perspective]. Jahrbuch für Interreligiöse Diskurse, 1, 129–148.
  • Pirner, M. L. (2022). Relation to other religions. In C. Alpers & C. Hübenthal (Eds.), T & T Clark Handbook of Public Theology (pp. 221–243). London: T & T Clark.
  • Pirner, M. L. & Röhl, S. (2021). Religious beliefs and professional beliefs of schoolteachers. Theoretical deliberations and preliminary research findings. In L. Francis & Lankshear, D. (Eds.), New Directions in Religious and Values Education. International Perspectives (pp. 183–197). London: Peter Lang.
  • Pirner, M. L., & Bradtke, J. (2021). Religion and Education as Resources for Young Refugees. Preliminary Results from an Empirical Mixed-Methods Study. In E. Aslan & M. Hermansen (Eds.), Religious Diversity at School. Educating for New Pluralistic Contexts (pp. 41–61). Münster: Waxmann.
  • Pirner, M. L. (2019). Introduction. In M.L. Pirner, J. Lähnemann, W. Haußmann & S. Schwarz (Eds.), Public Theology Perspectives on Religion and Education (pp. 1–9). New York: Routledge.
  • Pirner, M. L. (2019). Public Religious Pedagogy – An Emerging New Paradigm? In M. L. Pirner, J. Lähnemann, W. Haußmann & S. Schwarz (Eds.), Public Theology Perspectives on Religion and Education (pp. 39–54). New York: Routledge.
  • Pirner, M. L. (2018). Introduction. In M. L. Pirner, J. Lähnemann, W. Haussmann & S. Schwarz (Eds.), Public Theology, Religious Diversity and Interreligious Learning: Contributing to the Common Good through Religious Education (pp. 1–7). London & New York: Routledge.
  • Pirner M. L. (2018). The Contributions of Religions to the Common Good. Philosophical Perspectives. In M. L. Pirner, J. Lähnemann, W. Haussmann, & S. Schwarz (Eds.), Public Theology, Religious Diversity, and Interreligious Learning: Contributing to the Common Good through Religious Education (pp. 66–78). New York: Routledge.
  • Pirner, M. L. (2018). Experiencing Religion, Religious Experience, and Media Experience. Explorations of an Intricate Relationship in the Context of Religious Education. In U. Riegel, E. Leven & D. Fleming (Eds.), Religious Experience and Experiencing Religion in Religious Education (pp. 43–60). Münster: Waxmann.
  • Pirner, M. L., Lähnemann, J., & Bielefeldt, H. (2016). In M. L. Pirner, J. Lähnemann & H. Bielefeldt (eds.), Human Rights and Religion in Educational Contexts (pp. 3-10). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
  • Pirner, M. L. (2016). Human Rights, Religion, and Education. A Theoretical Framework. In M. L. Pirner, J. Lähnemann & H. Bielefeldt (eds.), Human Rights and Religion in Educational Contexts (pp. 11-27). Cham: Springer International Publishing
  • Pirner, M. L. (2016). Conclusion: Human Rights and Religion in Educational Contexts. Foundations and Conceptional Perspectives. In M. L. Pirner, J. Lähnemann & H. Bielefeldt (eds.), Human Rights and Religion in Educational Contexts (pp. 335-346). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
  • Pirner, M. L. (2014). Pupils – in a sociological perspective. In M. Rothgangel, Th. Schlag & F. Schweitzer (Eds.), Basics of Religious Education (pp. 225-238). Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. Link to download at publisher’s website (for 2,02 €).
  • Pirner, M. L. (2013). Media culture and interreligious learning – a religious education perspective. In M. L. Pirner & Johannes Lähnemann (eds.), Media Power and Religions, Oxford: Peter Lang International, 127-139.
  • Pirner, M. L., & Lähnemann, J. (2013). Introduction. In M. L. Pirner & J. Lähnemann (eds.), Media Power and Religions (pp. 7-14). Oxford: Peter Lang International.
  • Pirner, M. L. (2012). Freedom of religion and belief in religious schools? Towards a multi-perspective theory. In R. Freathy, S. Parker & L. Francis (eds.), Religious Education and Freedom of Religion and Belief (S. 167-192). Oxford et al: Peter Lang International.
  • Pirner, M. L. (2012). Peer Group and Media Influence on Young People in their (Non-)Religious Development. A Christian Perspective. In S. El Bouayadi-van de Wetering & S. Miedema (eds.), Reaching for the Sky. Religious Education from Christian and Islamic Perspectives (S. 205-222). Amsterdam/New York: Rodopi.
  • Pirner, M. L. (2009). The Media Culture Approach to Religious Education. An Outline with a Focus on Interreligious Learning. In S. Miedema, W. Meijer & A. Lanser-van der Velde (eds.), Religious Education in a World of Religious Diversity (S. 149-164). Münster/Berlin/New York/Munich: Waxmann.

  • Händel, M., Berges, M.-P., Gläser-Zikuda, M., Kammerl, R., Kudlich, H., Martschinke, S., & Pirner M. L. (2025, submitted). Who is savvy about digital ethics? Differences between teacher education, law, and computer science students. Education and Information Technologies.
  • Pirner, M. L. (2025, accepted). Digital sovereignty and digital ethical education in Religious Education. British Journal of Religious Education, 45.
  • Engel, D., Penthin, M., Pirner, M. L., & Riegel, U. (2025). Perceived Discrimination among Young Refugees in Germany. Insights from a Longitudinal Study. Journal of Empirical Theology (2025), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1163/15709256-20240025 (postprint: https://osf.io/preprints/osf/2atxd_v1)
  • Riegel, U., Engel, D., Penthin, M., & Pirner M. L. (2024). Measuring Muslim Lifestyle Using a Halal Scale. Religions, 15: 1346. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15111346
  • Engel, D., Penthin, M., Riegel, U., & Pirner, M. L. (2024). Religion as a Resource? The Impact of Religiosity on the Sense of Purpose in Life of Young Muslim Refugees in Germany. Refuge: Canada’s Journal on Refugees, 40. https://doi.org/10.25071/1920-7336.41258
  • Trefzer, F. M., & Pirner, M. L. (2023). Human Rights Education and Religious Education: Design-based Research on Integrating HRE into RE Teacher Education. Journal of Empirical Theology (2023), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1163/15709256-20231159
  • Penthin, M., Christ, A., Kröner, S., Pirner, M. L., & Scheunpflug, A. (2023). Does teachers’ spirituality make a difference? The explanatory value of spirituality and religiosity for teachers’ professional beliefs. Religion and Education, 50(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/15507394.2023.2185051
  • Penthin, M., Pirner, M. L., Scheunpflug, A., & Kröner, S., (2022). Measuring student teachers’ beliefs regarding religion in schools: piloting and preliminary validation of two newly developed scales. British Journal of Religious Education, 43. https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2021.2007047
  • Pirner, M. L. (2019). Striking the right balance for human dignity and social cohesion. Public liberal education between common values and disparate worldviews. Religious Education, 114(4), 451–456. https://doi.org/10.1080/00344087.2019.1631954
  • Häusler, N., Pirner, M. L., Scheunpflug, A., & Kröner, S. (2019). Religious and professional beliefs of schoolteachers – a literature review of empirical research. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 18(5), 24–41. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.18.5.3
  • Pirner, M. L. (2017). Editorial and Summary in English. Theo-Web. Academic Journal of Religous Education 16(2), 2-9. (http://www.theo-web.de/fileadmin/user_upload/TW_pdf2_2017/02_Editorial_in_Eng.pdf).
  • Pirner, M. L. (2017). Guest-Editor of the Special Issue ‘Public Theology—Religion(s)—Education’. International Journal of Public Theology (IJPT) 11(3).
  • Pirner, M. L. (2017). Guest Editorial To the Special Issue ‘Public Theology—Religion(s)—Education’. International Journal of Public Theology (IJPT) 11(3), 271-276.
  • Pirner, M. L. (2017). Public Religious Pedagogy: Linking Public Theology, Social Theory and Educational Theory. International Journal of Public Theology (IJPT) 11(3), 328-350.
  • Pirner, M. L. (2017). Editorial and Summary in English. Theo-Web. Academic Journal of Religous Education, 16(1), 2-6. (https://doi.org/10.23770/TW0002A)
  • Pirner, M. L. (2016). Editorial and Summary in English. Theo-Web. Academic Journal of Religous Education, 15(2), 2-9 (http://theo-web.de/zeitschrift/ausgabe-2016-02/02.pdf )
  • Pirner, M. L. (2016). Editorial and Summary in English. Theo-Web. Academic Journal of Religous Education, 15(1), 2-6 (http://theo-web.de/zeitschrift/ausgabe-2016-01/02.pdf )
  • Pirner, M.L. (2015). Inclusive education – a Christian perspective to an ‚overlapping consensus’. International Journal of Christianity & Education, 19(3), 229–239. https://doi.org/10.1177/2056997115602258  
  • Pirner, M. L. (2015). Editorial and Summary in English. Theo-Web. Zeitschrift für Religionspädagogik / Academic Journal of Religous Education 14(2), 2-8 (http://www.theo-web.de/zeitschrift/ausgabe-2015-02/02.pdf)
  • Pirner, M. L. (2015). Editorial and Summary in English. Theo-Web. Zeitschrift für Religionspädagogik / Academic Journal of Religous Education 14(1), 2-5 (http://theo-web.de/zeitschrift/ausgabe-2015-01/)
  • Pirner, M. L. (2014). Editorial and Summary in English. Theo-Web. Zeitschrift für Religionspädagogik / Academic Journal of Religious Education 13(2), 2-8 (http://theo-web.de/zeitschrift/ausgabe-2014-02/02.pdf)

  • Pirner, M. L. (2014). Editorial and Summary in English. Theo-Web. Zeitschrift für Religionspädagogik / Academic Journal of Religious Education 13(1), 2-7 (http://theo-web.de/zeitschrift/ausgabe-2014-01/02.pdf)

  • Pirner, M. L. (2013). Christian Pedagogy? A research report on the Christian profile of an educational institution. British Journal of Religious Education 35(1), 72-86.
  • Pirner, M. L. (2013). Editorial and Summary in English. Theo-Web. Zeitschrift für Religionspädagogik 12(1), 2-7. (http://theo-web.de/zeitschrift/ausgabe-2013-01/02.pdf)
  • Pirner, M. L. (2012). Editorial and Summary in English. Theo-Web. Zeitschrift für Religionspädagogik 11(2), 2-6. (http://www.theo-web.de/zeitschrift/ausgabe-2012-02/02.pdf)
  • Pirner, M. L. (2012). Editorial and Summary in English. Theo-Web. Zeitschrift für Religionspädagogik 11(1), 3-7. (http://www.theo-web.de/zeitschrift/ausgabe-2012-01/02.pdf)
  • Pirner, M. L. (2011). Editorial and Summary in English. Theo-Web. Zeitschrift für Religionspädagogik 10(2), 2-10. (http://www.theo-web.de/zeitschrift/ausgabe-2011-02/02.pdf)
  • Pirner, M. L. (2011). Editorial and Summary in English. Theo-Web. Zeitschrift für Religionspädagogik 10(1), 2-6. (http://www.theo-web.de/zeitschrift/ausgabe-2011-01/02.pdf)
  • Pirner, M. L. (2010). Editorial and Summary in English. Theo-Web. Zeitschrift für Religionspädagogik 9(2), 2-6. (http://www.theo-web.de/zeitschrift/ausgabe-2010-02/02.pdf)
  • Pirner, M. L. (2010). Editorial and Summary in English. Theo-Web. Zeitschrift für Religionspädagogik 9(2), 2-6.
  • Pirner, M. L. (2010). Editorial and Summary in English. Theo-Web. Zeitschrift für Religionspädagogik 9(1), 3-12. (http://www.theo-web.de/zeitschrift/ausgabe-2010-01)
  • Pirner, M. L. (2009). Religious Socialization by the Media? An Empirical Study and Conclusions for Practical Theology. International Journal of Practical Theology 13(2), 275-292.