Interfaith Collaboration: Boundary Crossing in a Participatory Action Research Project with Health Care Chaplains in The Netherlands

This article explores the challenges faced by a multifaith chaplaincy team in a Dutch health care organization when searching for a shared professional identity regarding the role of worldview and religion. Using boundary theory, we show how the diverse worldviews and the contradictory visions on their role for chaplaincy’s professional identity led to misunderstandings and conflict. However, open and respectful dialogue about these differences helped clarify disagreements and identify common ground. The findings suggest that in secular contexts worldview remains significant in chaplaincy and that engaging in dialogue about worldviews and seeking connections across differences is the basis for a shared professional identity.