Freedom of conscience encompasses the freedom to form one’s own opinions, beliefs, and convictions—and to act in accordance with them. In today’s current healthcare environment, this freedom is sometimes pressed upon, placing Christian healthcare providers in uncomfortable and distressing situations. This conference digs into what Scripture says to believers who find themselves in ethically difficult situations and practically troubleshoots ways forward for effective clinical practice.
Date & Time
Saturday, February 21, 2026
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Location
Dallas Theological Seminary: 3909 Swiss Ave, Dallas, TX 75204
Campbell Academic Center (CAC109, Lamb Auditorium)
CME Credit
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of Christian Medical & Dental Associations and Southwestern Christian Fellowship. The Christian Medical & Dental Associations is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The Christian Medical & Dental Associations designates this educational activity for a maximum of 4.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Conference Objectives
- Identify the primary moral issues at stake when conflicts of conscience occur in medicine.
- Equip healthcare providers and students with tools to address the bioethics behind questionable treatments through biblical and evidence-based strategies.
- Evaluate the available options for physicians in handling conflicts of conscience.
- Discuss whether physicians have a moral obligation to refer in cases they have opted out of due to a moral or religious objection.
- Involve theologians and scientists in a multidisciplinary conversation regarding these issues.
- Encourage discussions with leaders in the field of bioethics.
Plenary Speakers
André Van Mol, MD
Dr. André Van Mol is a board-certified family physician in full-time practice in California. He co-chairs the Christian Medical & Dental Associations’ Sexual & Gender Identity Task Force, and is the transgenderism scholar for both the CMDA and the American Academy of Medical Ethics. Dr. Van Mol writes and speaks for the CMDA on issues of bioethical and Christian concern, and has been extensively published in professional and general literature. He works with Alliance Defending Freedom in a coalition of professionals advising on policy matters addressing sexual orientation and gender identity. He advises legislators, government agencies, and advocacy organizations internationally on sexuality and gender identity.
Jeffery J. Barrows, MD
Dr. Jeffrey Barrows served recently as Senior Vice President of Bioethics and Public Policy for the Christian Medical & Dental Associations. Dr. Barrows is an obstetrician/gynecologist, author, educator, medical ethicist and speaker. He has dedicated fifteen years of his career fighting human trafficking within the intersection of trafficking and healthcare. In 2008, Dr. Barrows founded Gracehaven, an organization assisting victims of domestic minor sex trafficking in Ohio. In 2019, Dr. Barrows published a novel entitled Finding Freedom that realistically portrays child sex trafficking in the U.S. He has been married to Kathy for forty-five years with three grown children and two grandchildren.
Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse
Breakout Sessions
- Advocating for Vulnerable Populations: Voice for the Voiceless
- Ethical Considerations in End of Life Care: Navigating the Complexities
- Facing the Transgender Tsunami: Gender Identity & Treatment
- A Biblical Approach to Gender Identity Issues & Understanding Pronouns
Partnership
