Humility is vital not only in medicine, but also in the Christian life (Philippians 2:3-11). The past year has been a rocky one for my faith. But each time I surrendered myself to God, he made his sustaining grace known to me in a real way. At times I wondered if I was alone in my doubts, so I appreciate Jason Roach's reminder that ongoing repentance is normal and necessary in the Christian life (pp23-26). He urges us to consider whether we are trusting in Jesus who died for us, rather than in worthless idols.
God calls us to humility, but warns us against gullibility. Even among our church leaders, Jesus warns us to 'Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.' (Matthew 7:15) We must test all teaching (Nucleus articles included!) against the Bible that is given us by the Lord – who is our ultimate authority. As such, Siôn Glaze's article, about applying the teaching of the Epistles correctly (pp38-39), is an important one.
We need great discernment outside church walls too, when engaging with the world. Today's society believes the myth of secular neutrality. Alex Bunn convincingly debunks that myth by explaining how everybody (not only Christians) sees life through a certain perspective, and that medicine is strewn with moral judgments (pp32-37). Worldviews also affect the conduct and presentation of medical research. To complement our evidence-based medicine training, we need a values-based approach (pp27-31).
If you are still not convinced that personal values matter, consider how Barack Obama is changing the world (pp14-22). André Van Mol writes his analysis from the perspective of a US-based Christian doctor. In the face of the general media's unbridled enthusiasm, his critique of Obama's policies is a sobering one, in particular, the implications for medical ethics. Whether you agree or not, we would love you to email us your thoughts, which may be published in next issue's letters page!
The editor's address remains nucleus@cmf.org.uk, though your comments will go to Pete Mackley (editor-elect) as this is my goodbye. I am so grateful for the privilege of serving, and what I learnt from Mark Pickering (former managing editor). I thank the production team, editorial committee, reviewers, authors – and you readers. After three years as editor, I look forward to spending more time on the front line, putting into practice what I have been writing about.
