Welcome
Federal Government Commissioner for Freedom of Religion or Belief
Thomas Rachel has been the Federal Government Commissioner for Freedom of Religion or Belief since 28 May 2025.
Thomas Rachel – Curriculum vitae
May 2025 to present
Federal Government Commissioner for Freedom of Religion or Belief
Since 2025
Member of the Bundestag Committee on Foreign Affairs
Since 2024
Member of the Board of Trustees of the Hermann Kunst Foundation for the Promotion of New Testament Textual Research
2021 to 2025
Substitute member of the Bundestag Committee on Foreign Affairs
Since 2021
- Member of the Bundestag Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development
- Spokesperson of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group on churches and religious communities
Since 2015
Member of the Council of the Protestant Church in Germany
Since 2006
Member of the Board of Trustees of the Leo Baeck Foundation
2005 to 2021
Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research
Since 2003
- Substitute member of the Synod of the Protestant Church in Germany
- Chairman of the Protestant Working Group of the CDU/CSU
2000 to 2025
Member of the regional synod of the Protestant Church in the Rhineland
Since 1994
Member of the German Bundestag
1992 to 2004
Employee of the German Steel Association, Düsseldorf
1992
MA in political science, history and public law, Bonn University
1982
Higher education entrance qualification (Abitur)
Born in Düren on 17 May 1962, Protestant, married, one daughter
Honours
2014 Award of the Abraham Geiger Medal by the Jewish Abraham Geiger College
2002 Award of the Apostolic Cross, 2nd class, by Greek Orthodox Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, Petros VII