Dr. Scott Kline named inaugural Visiting Scholar in Ethics for St. Mark’s College and Providence Health Care

St. Mark’s College and Providence Health Care have united to address the need for enhanced ethics in Catholic health care in Vancouver. A new position will support the local Catholic health care community dedicated to meeting the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of those served through compassionate care, teaching and research.

Vancouver, BC – October 27, 2020. Following a lengthy and thorough search, St. Mark’s College at UBC and Providence Health Care are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Scott Kline (PhD) as the inaugural Visiting Scholar in Ethics.

“It is a great honour to be selected as the first visiting scholar in ethics at St. Mark’s College and Providence Health Care. All too often, Catholic institutions work in isolation from one another. With the generous support of the Archbishop’s Dinner, this unique partnership between St. Mark’s College and Providence Health Care will ensure a much closer relationship into the future,” said Dr. Kline. “In this time of rapid technological developments, medical discoveries, and social unrest, Catholic institutions are responding to Pope Francis’ call to engage complex moral challenges with a ‘culture of care’ and in ‘social dialogue.’ I look forward to working with the communities at both St.  Mark’s College and Providence Health Care as they engage today’s moral challenges and carry out their complementary missions.”

The Visiting Scholar in Ethics position is a component of the Catholic Health Care Ethics Fund established in 2019 by the Archdiocese of Vancouver. It is a collaboration to provide joint teaching, learning and health care delivery by enhancing learning opportunities in Ethics through clinical experiential learning, academic research, and teaching at St. Paul’s Hospital and St. Mark’s College.

Currently at St. Jerome’s University-University of Waterloo, Dr. Kline will begin his one-year Visiting Scholar tenure in January 2021.

With experiences as Interim President and Vice-Chancellor at St. Jerome’s University-University of Waterloo, and with a PhD in Christian Social Ethics, extensive academic teaching experience, and as being an established theologian and researcher, Dr. Kline is well prepared to step into the Visiting Scholar role and be a strong part of the St. Mark’s College and Providence Health Care communities.

His current research focuses include the role of faith-based organizations in systems approaches to homelessness, which he conducts with his wife Dr. Megan Shore, and he is already involved in a research project with Dr. Jim Christenson at Providence Health Care on the Samaritan theme of neighbour saving neighbour, which focuses on rapid and effective responses to cardiac arrests. He is also the author of Ethical Being: A Catholic Guide to Contemporary Issues.

At St. Mark’s College, Dr. Kline will be teaching courses and continuing his research. He will also provide lectures available to both organizations and the public.

“Scott Kline has worked productively and creatively for many years at the interface of ethics, public policy, and Catholic thought. His professional expertise and engaging leadership will be a boon for all.  We welcome his presence among us most heartily,” remarked Dr. Michael W. Higgins, President and Vice-Chancellor of St. Mark’s College.

“This inaugural Visiting Scholar role will advance the contributions that academic research and scholarly work in ethics can make towards the formation and training of our staff and physicians, and in our compassionate care and outreach in service to our patients, residents, family and community members,” said Dr. Christopher De Bono, Vice President of Mission, People & Ethics at Providence Health Care.

At Providence Health Care, Dr. Kline will engage and collaborate with the Clinical Ethics team and with Providence Health Care community.

“Every day, health care decision-making becomes ethically more complex for health care providers as they come face-to-face with new rapid technological advancements and shifting social trends. The Visiting Scholar role offers additional capacity-building in ethics for our frontline care providers, and will engage Providence staff, leaders, physicians and researchers in dialogue and enriched understanding towards the application of ethics in Catholic health care,” continued Dr. De Bono.

About St. Mark's College at UBC

St. Mark's College is a member of the Community of St. Mark's at UBC, which is comprised of St. Mark's College, Corpus Christi College, and St. Mark's Parish. As the affiliated Catholic Theological College of the University of British Columbia (UBC), St. Mark's College offers a variety of academic programs and continuing education opportunities for Catholics and non-Catholics.

St. Mark's is committed to promoting an authentic Christian humanism, marked by the pursuit of academic excellence and animated by the joy of searching for, discovering, and communicating truth in every field of knowledge. The College prepares graduates who continually strive to integrate and synthesize faith and reason, women and men who think rigorously, so as to act rightly and serve humanity better.

The College offers programs that are grounded in the Catholic intellectual and moral tradition, including a Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Culture for aspiring Catholic teachers; Master's degrees in Religious Education, Theological Studies, Pastoral Studies and Catholic Educational Leadership; and engaging public lectures and professional development opportunities addressing faith leading to understanding.

About Providence Health Care

Providence Health Care (PHC) is one of Canada's largest Catholic health care organizations, operating 17 health care facilities in Greater Vancouver. PHC operates one of two adult academic health science centres in the province – St. Paul’s Hospital – performs research in more than 30 clinical specialties, and focuses its services on key populations, including those with cardio-pulmonary risks and illnesses, HIV/AIDS, mental health, renal risks and illness, specialized needs in aging, and urban health. www.providencehealthcare.org

For media inquiries

St. Mark’s College

Christina Dumont, Communications Manager

604-822-5514

[email protected]

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