Gemeindepfarrer als Religionslehrer

This study does a scientific analysis of Lutheran parish pastors who teach religion in public schools for a few hours per week. The study explores patterns of their professional identity in the school, their integration within the school system and common activities between church and school. The study is based on interviews with 21 parish pastors in Bavaria, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The interviews have been evaluated according to qualitative content analysis divided up into categories. The chances for pastors that come from a popular church are both to perceive different milieus which are represented at school, and to be perceived as the representatives of the local church. For these reasons the study advocates that parish pastors continue to teach religious education at public schools.