Religious spaces are particularly impressive places to learn because the belief in a religion is also expressed in the design of its spaces and holy places. They offer an opportunity to talk about living religion and its beliefs.

Temples, synagogues, and mosques in particular, but also Orthodox churches, are often unfamiliar spaces for young people of the majority society, which are therefore very suitable for gaining access to the religion in question and for initiating encounters.

Important rules in religious buildings

General

• No chewing gum
• No ringtones from cell phones, no calls
• No loud talking during the ceremony, prayer, or service
• Comply with rules regarding the common areas for men and women
• In Catholic and Orthodox churches, mosques, some synagogues, and temples, women should keep their shoulders and knees covered, and men should not wear shorts either

Particularities

• Catholic and Orthodox Churches: Men must remove their headgear
• Synagogue: Men must wear a head covering
• Mosque: take off your shoes, be sober
• Buddhist temple: Take off your shoes, meat e.g. sausage bread is often undesirable
• Hindu temple: take off your shoes, be sober
• Gurdwara (temple of the Sikh): Take off your shoes, wear a head covering

Voluntariness & transparency

The voluntary nature and preparation of the visit are also important here. Visiting religious rooms can otherwise be misunderstood as an attempt at proselytizing. The aims and circumstances of the visit must therefore be clear to the young people and, if necessary, their parents.

For Muslims, for example, there is nothing theologically contrary to visiting a church or synagogue, but parents can still be critical of their children. Fears, ignorance, or prejudices can be dispelled by talking to the parents. In difficult cases, it is worthwhile to involve a local mosque or community leader.

Preparation

The visit should be discussed with the respective religious community well in advance. Prayer times, religious festivals, and public holidays must be observed. Whether visits are possible at these important times must be clarified with the community. It is best to have members of the respective religions in the team when planning the encounters so that misunderstandings do not occur so quickly and the needs of the respective religious group can be taken into account from the outset.