title: Pluralism and ethical dialogue in Christian healthcare institutions: the view of Caritas Catholica Flanders.
abstract: In this article, the place and the nature of an ethical dialogue that develops within Christian healthcare institutions in Flanders, Belgium is examined. More specifically, the question is asked how Christian healthcare institutions should position themselves ethically in a context of a pluralistic society. The profile developed by Caritas Catholica Flanders must take seriously not only the external pluralistic context of our society and the internal pluralistic worldviews by personnel/employees and patients, but also the inherent inspiration of a Christian healthcare institution. This article concludes with ten general orientations that could shape the ethical dialogue from a Christian inspiration in a pluralistic context.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gastmans
authors.forename: Fernand
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Van Neste
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schotsmans
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium; D026688:Bioethical Issues; D002410:Catholicism; D002835:Christianity; D032921:Consensus; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D003657:Decision Making / Q000941:ethics; D028741:Ethics Committees, Clinical; D004991:Ethics, Institutional; D016519:Hospitals, Religious / Q000941:ethics*; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D016134:Organizational Policy