Bernhard Grümme

Prof. Dr. Bernhard Grümme is a distinguished Professor of Religious Education and Catechetics at the Catholic Theological Faculty of Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB), where he has held a W3 professorship since 2013. He previously served as Dean of the Catholic Theological Faculty from 2019-2022 and as Pro-Dean from 2018-2019. Additionally, he holds an Extraordinary Professor position at PUCRS in Porto Alegre, Brazil (2023-2027). His academic journey includes a C3 professorship at Pädagogische Hochschule Ludwigsburg (2004-2012) and high school teaching experience at Märkisches Gymnasium Hamm (1995-2004).

Grümme's research spans multiple interconnected areas including Public Political Theology, Praxeology, Heterogeneity Research, Religious Educational Anthropology, and the Political Dimensions of Religious Education. His work critically examines how religious education can address contemporary societal challenges such as digitalization, educational justice, and religious pluralism. His publications reveal a consistent focus on bridging theological theory with practical educational applications, particularly in contexts of increasing social diversity and secularization.

His scholarly output demonstrates a clear evolution from foundational work on religious experience and alterity theory toward increasingly public-facing theological concerns. The recent publications (2023-2025) show a pronounced emphasis on political theology, heterogeneity-sensitive pedagogy, and the role of religious education in democratic societies. His monograph 'Digitalisierung als Entsubjektivierung?' (2025) represents his latest contribution to understanding the impact of digital culture on religious subject formation.

• Full member of Religious Education Association (REA)
• Full member of International Seminar on Religious Education and Values (ISREV)
• Member of Europäische Gesellschaft für Katholische Theologie
• Member of Arbeitsgemeinschaft Katholische Religionspädagogik und Katechetik (AKRK)
• Member of Sektion Didaktik in the AKRK
• Academic Advisory Board ÖRF (Österreichisches Religionspädagogisches Forum)

Professor Grümme has supervised 11 doctoral dissertations and maintains an active international research profile with guest professorships in Brazil, Rwanda, and the United States. His work consistently addresses the tension between confessional religious education and the demands of pluralistic democratic societies, seeking innovative pedagogical approaches that respect both religious tradition and contemporary social realities. His current research focuses on how religious education can contribute to democratic values, social justice, and the challenges posed by digital transformation in religious subject formation.