Virtual churches – digital sacred space education from the perspective of students in teacher education

Abstract

Young people in particular are said to have an above-average openness to digital innovations. This makes prospective (religious) teachers a suitable indicator for the (future) use of VR in (religious) education. This article provides initial answers to the question of how the use of VR glasses in relation to the virtual exploration of Christian sacred spaces is assessed by this group. It is based on a sample of students (n = 52). Their assessment of the experience of a virtual church visit compared to an on-site church visit reveals a rather critical and negative attitude. The outlook discusses whether the results can also be transferred to virtual visits to sacred spaces of other religions (synagogue/mosque/temple).