Pascal Schilling
About the Author
He has been working for the Free Religious Congregation in Offenbach am Main, near Frankfurt, Germany since 2014. He studied Linguistics, Psychology, Cultural Studies and History and focused on religious content in these disciplines. In 2016 he was elected minister of his congregation in Offenbach and strengthened his connections with the IARF by visiting the World Congress 2014 in Birmingham. In 2018 he became the chair of the IARF group for Europe and the Middle East and the vice chair of the German Chapter of IARF. His congregation is rooted in a tradition of working with and for the IARF because the Rev. Diether Gehrmann, who was reverend in Offenbach from 1958 till 1967, and after that was a Unitarian minister in the USA, was the first full time General Secretary of the IARF and served the Association from 1972-1990.
Courses and events
Resources by Pascal Schilling
Free Religious Sourcebook: A Collection of General Principles on the Content and Aims of Free Religion (1844–1928)
English translation of the complete Freireligiöse Quellensammlung (1844–1928), edited by Lothar Geis. The historical texts present differing approaches to religious freedom, conscience, morality, science and community.
Available as EPUB and PDF, with source references and restrained translator’s notes. The PDF is a newly typeset reading edition; its pagination differs from the German original.
Read LessPanel: Navigating Doubt and Dogma in the Practice of Free Religion
This panel from the 2025 IARF European and Middle East Conference features a discussion on the challenges of practicing and advocating for religious freedom. Moderated by Pascal Reddig, the session brings together Seyran Ateş (founder, Ibn Rushd-Goethe Mosque), Renate Bauer (President, Federation of Free Religious Congregations in Germany), Robert Innes (former IARF President), and George Williams (then-current IARF President).
Describing the subject as a "tightrope walk," the panelists explore the balance between upholding religious freedom and confronting harmful dogmas. Drawing on their professional and personal experiences, they discuss strategies for supporting individuals who question their traditions, engaging with intolerance, and advocating for oppressed communities. The conversation touches on key themes such as the role of language in shaping belief, the search for hope in an era of anxiety, and the intergenerational work required to foster a more liberative approach to faith.
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