Thomas Paul Schirrmacher (born 25 June 1960) is a German Christian moral philosopher and a specialist in the Sociology of Religion and religious freedom.

He is known as a global human rights activist and holds a chair in Theology (Ethics, Missiology, World Religions).

Thomas Schirrmacher studied theology from 1978 to 1982 at STH Basel (Switzerland) and since 1983 Cultural Anthropology and Comparative Religion at University of Bonn.

From 1996 to 2018, Thomas Schirrmacher was rector of the private Martin Bucer Seminary, a theological seminary seated in Bonn (Germany) with campuses in several countries[6] which he founded, and where he continues to teach systematic theology (especially ethics) as well as comparative religion studies and is vice president for International Affairs.

[9] Schirrmacher was chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Gebende Hände gGmbH (German: Giving Hands charitable Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung), an internationally active relief organisation, and now is its senior advisor.

[14] He is president of the International Society for Human Rights,[15] manager of the Religious Liberty Commission of the German and the Swiss Evangelical Alliance, and president of the International Institute for Religious Freedom (IIRF)[16] with regional offices for most continents: Brasilia (Latin America), Brussels/Bonn (Europe), Cape Town (Africa), Colombo and Delhi (Asia), which cooperates with the UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion or Belief.

[20] In March 2024, Schirrmacher resigned from his position due to health problems resulting from a long Covid disease.

[26] Schirrmacher is also a member of the World Council of Religions for Peace[27] and of the Institute for the Freedom of Faith & Security in Europe (IFFSE) founded by Jewish rabbis.