Stefan Heil

Dr. Stefan Heil serves as Associate Professor of Religious Education at the Chair of Religious Education, Faculty of Catholic Theology, University of Würzburg. Concurrently, he leads the Katechetisches Institut of Würzburg Diocese since 2006 and works as a religious teacher in church service across multiple school types since 2001.

His academic credentials include:

• 1989-1994: Study of Catholic Theology, Germanistics, and Educational Science at Frankfurt am Main and Mainz Universities (First State Examination)
• 1995-1998: Doctorate in Religious Education at Frankfurt am Main University (Dissertation: "Die Rede von Gott im Werk Ödön von Horváths")
• 2000-2005: Habilitation in Religious Education at Würzburg University (Thesis: "Strukturprinzipien religionspädagogischer Professionalität")

Prof. Heil's research pioneers the integration of digital culture with religious pedagogy, examining AI's impact on learning processes, gamification techniques in religious instruction, and intrapsychic dynamics of interreligious education. His work critically addresses religious tolerance in pluralistic societies while developing eschatology didactics frameworks for contemporary classrooms. Current projects explore cultural hermeneutics through digital media lenses and religious signature formation in technology-saturated environments.

His scientific recognition includes:

• Stipendienpreis für Habilitationen der Universität Würzburg

Prof. Heil actively shapes religious education through leadership in the Katechetisches Institut and professional engagement with Arbeitsgemeinschaft Katholische Religionspädagogik/Katechetik (AKRK), Deutscher Katechetenverein (DKV), and International Society of Empirical Research in Theology (ISERT). His institutional work bridges academic theory with practical catechetics across Bavarian dioceses.