L'université catholique dans le contexte d'une société démocratique et pluraliste

Résumé En

The rector of the Université catholique de Louvain analyses systematically pluralism (political, spiritual and institutional) as a condition for democracy, the spécifie characteristics of the university institution (interaction between teaching and research, interdisciplinary confrontation, concern with fundamental problems related as much to rationality as to ethical finality) and the spécifie mission of the Catholic university as service to the Church, assuring the organic encounter between faith and the activity of reason. It follows then, that the Catholic university is called to take its place in the life of a démocratie and pluralistic collée tivity, insofar as it is a privileged forum for the expression of the Catholic "spiritual family" and insofar as it contributes to the détermination ofmeaning within the conditions which guarantee the authenticity and the freedom of this pur suit. Indeed, active pluralism must permit each "belief" to realise itself authentically and freely and to bring its views into play in the organisation of the collective life, and it must establish a sufficient "consensus" so that différences do not become disruptive and so that discussion may continue along peaceful Unes.