Europe’s first Islamic theology faculty opens in Germany, aiming to model an ‘Islam of love’ against a rising far right
Germany has opened Europe’s first fully independent Faculty of Islamic Theology at the University of Münster, giving Islamic theology the same institutional status as Catholic and Protestant theology at a state university.
The faculty formally came into existence in July, transforming the university’s Centre for Islamic Theology, established in 2012, into an independent academic institution. It can now award doctoral degrees, conduct postdoctoral qualifications, appoint examination boards and make decisions on academic appointments and curricula.
The faculty is led by founding dean Mouhanad Khorchide, an Austrian-born theologian of Palestinian origin who has promoted what he describes as a progressive, European-rooted approach to Islamic scholarship. He has presented the new institution as a “lighthouse” for an enlightened and cosmopolitan Islam, with a focus on dialogue, integration and religious education.
Eight professorships have been funded by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, covering areas including Islamic history, ethics, philosophy, Quranic studies and Islam in social work. Four positions will be held by women and four by men. Around 450 students are already enrolled in teaching and theological programmes, with numbers expected to increase.
The faculty will operate alongside Catholic and Protestant theology departments at Münster’s new Campus of Theology and Religious Studies. Its leaders also hope to train imams, religious educators and community leaders in Germany, reducing reliance on religious leadership and training imported from abroad.
The move comes amid growing political debate over Islam, migration and integration in Germany, as the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) continues to gain influence. Supporters of the new faculty say academic Islamic theology can strengthen understanding between Muslim communities and wider German society while offering a scholarly response to growing polarization.
For Germany’s roughly five million Muslims, the creation of the faculty represents a major institutional milestone. Full academic operations are expected to begin with the 2026–27 winter semester, potentially making Münster a model for how Islamic theology can be integrated into European public universities.