Roles and mandates of spiritual care providers in a context of religious diversity: some consideration inspired by the development of Muslim chaplaincy in Switzerland

Abstract The practice and function of chaplaincy is changing in the pluralistic context of our contemporary societies. The reflections proposed in this article originate from the comparison of three contexts: the canton of Vaud (Switzerland), Quebec and France. It results in a modelling that differentiates the roles and mandates assigned to chaplains according to the modalities taken by three variables: the employer, the mandator, and the beneficiaries of the chaplain’s services. The analysis of the different ways the modalities taken by these three variables shape the activity of the chaplainis extended by prospective considerations on the evolution of the positioning of chaplains in general and of the Muslim chaplaincy in Switzerland more particularly.