The Luxembourg Adult Education Association (EwB) is set to launch a series of conferences titled “The Role of Religions in Society” over the coming weeks.
The organisers emphasise that migration has made religion increasingly relevant from both socio-political and cross-cultural perspectives. To address this, the EwB will offer crash courses focusing on the five major global religions, grounded in a scientific-theological framework.
Held in Luxembourgish, the conferences aim to shed light on lesser-known aspects of each religion. For example, they will explore how Judaism has never pursued missionary ambitions or how Buddhism does not revolve around the concept of a god. Theologians generally advocate for a rational and analytical approach to understanding religions and their societal roles.
Danielle Schmidt, the theologian leading the one-and-a-half-hour crash courses, believes that a basic knowledge of religions is essential. In an interview with our colleagues from RTL Télé, she noted that the conferences provide an opportunity for adults to refresh their knowledge of religions, particularly in light of the separation of church and state, which has influenced how religion is taught in schools.
The series will begin with a focus on Judaism, followed by sessions on Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism, with the final conference scheduled for the end of February. Islam will be covered in early February, though Schmidt admitted to feeling slightly apprehensive about this session. She recalled that during similar conferences on Islam a decade ago, some fundamentalist audience members reacted negatively to her scientific analysis.
Schmidt emphasised that religions are mostly rooted in texts written by humans–a fact that should not be overlooked. She also highlighted that every religion carries its own wisdom, with many shared values and insights across different faiths. For Schmidt, it is crucial to recognise that spirituality can be lived without rigid dogmatism, offering a more open and inclusive approach to faith.
While acknowledging that religions no longer hold the same level of influence in the Western world as they once did, Schmidt stressed the importance of having a basic understanding of religious traditions. She noted that such knowledge is valuable without requiring in-depth academic study.
The primary goal of the conferences is to demonstrate that religions extend beyond their rituals and language which some may view as outdated or irrelevant in modern times.
The first conference will take place on Monday at 7.30pm at the EwB building on Avenue Marie Thérèse in Luxembourg City.
