Printed from: https://archive.cmf.org.uk/resources/publications/content/?context=issue&id=6096
Dr H Fernando Bullon Regnum Books, 2015, £16 Pb 261pp, ISBN 9781908355553 Reviewed by E John C Parker, retired GP The application of the Christian Faith to Economic and Social development in South America has generated much interest, some of which has been labelled 'liberation theology'. The author is of an...
Burnout is a term first used in the 1950s. It encompasses tiredness, exhaustion, emotional drain and often depression in those who have given everything for others. The concept has a special application for those in the health professions and in the pastoral ministry who spend their time concentrating on giving...
How can Christian healthcare workers be salt, light and yeast within a system that seems close to being broken? In this brief theological reflection I want explore three critical questions: What has gone wrong with the healthcare system? What is health and what is it for? What difference can Christian...
Even before the Francis Reports (1) (2) in the UK brought the failure of compassionate care into sharp public focus, observations across the world were growing that compassion as an essential ingredient of care was draining away. In the period since then 17,000 scholarly publications have appeared (3) exploring compassion...
'We need to stand up for the vulnerable' Declaration of interest: I am an active member of the BMA Junior Doctors Committee, as well as a CMF member, though I am speaking entirely out of my personal view. It is 5am on night shift number four. You've slept badly between...
News stories about 'legal highs' are an increasingly common sight in the UK, and more of these substances are coming into circulation all the time. Figures for 2013-2014 show that in England, 'legal highs' were the primary drug for only a small proportion of adults in contact with drug treatment...
We need a different message I need to make something clear. Although I was a junior doctor for seven years, a year ago I rescinded my licence to practise and I am now in my third year at Oak Hill Theological College. So it is with trepidation that I write as...
In the last century Christianity became a truly global faith, as Todd Johnson has pointed out: 'At the dawn of the twentieth century the statistical centre of global Christianity was near Madrid, Spain. In fact, at that time, over 80% of all Christians were European or North American. By 2010...
Communicating faith in an age of scepticism Timothy Keller Hodder & Stoughton, 2015, £16.99 Hb 310pp, ISBN 9781444702170 Available as an ebook. Reviewed by John Martin, CMF Head of Communications Tim Keller continues to amaze with his prolific output. In his words this is 'a manifesto, not a manual'. Plenty of...
From natural to supernatural Angela Walker CreateSpace, 2014, £11 Pb 189pp, ISBN 9871502325662 Reviewed by Peter Pattisson, retired missionary and GP Angela Walker is a CMF member who trained in Liverpool and specialised in paediatrics. She has spent most of the last ten years in Uganda and neighbouring countries. This is...
A mercifully short book about a really big problem Kevin DeYoung IVP, 2013, £8.99 Pb 119pp, ISBN 9781783590230 Reviewed by Chris Lavy, consultant orthopaedic surgeon Hands up those who are secretly a bit proud when people say 'you are one of the busiest people I know'. Many Christian doctors run a...
A phenomenological critique James Mumford OUP, 2013, £67 (Pb £25) Hb 212pp, ISBN 9780199673964 Reviewed by Trevor Stammers, Programme Director in Bioethics and Medical Law, St Mary's University, London This book is not a light read, but for those with a good grounding in moral philosophy and theology, it proves as...
Separating biblical truth from myth Scott Blackwell Matthias Media, 2014, £8.99 Pb 199pp, ISBN 9781922206565 Reviewed by Peter May, retired GP This thoughtful, theological reflection on healing is written in the light of personal illness and pastoral experience. Christcentred, caring and well written, his motivation to write came from being told...
How to change the world Nicholas D Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn Virago, 2010, £12 Pb 352pp, ISBN 9781844086825 Reviewed by Rhona Knight, GP in Leicester Fierce, pragmatic, full of inspiring stories of courage and determination, Half the Sky is essential reading for every one of us - whichever our gender, wherever...
William Philip IVP, 2015, £7.99 Pb 112pp, 9781433542862 Reviewed by Tom Roberts, CMF Communications Coordinator Praying can be hard, and teaching on prayer can often leave us feeling discouraged and guilty that we don't pray more. The author of this short book feels the same, but thinks he has identified the...
Junior doctors in England have voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking industrial action. More than 76% of 37,700 trainees took part in the ballot. 98% voted in favour of a full walk-out and 99.4% in favour of action short of this. Three dates for action are planned: on 1 December...
Quality of death index 2015 In the aftermath of Rob Marris's Assisted Dying Bill, one upshot is increased calls for better palliative care. That is heartening. Eutychus notes the UK is ranked best among 80 countries for its care of dying people, but nothing is beyond improvement. The UK owes...
The role of faith-based healthcare Review by Steve Fouch CMF Head of Nursing In July, The Lancet launched a landmark series of papers on the role of faith groups in the delivery of healthcare worldwide. (1) Three papers explore the breadth and impact of faith-based healthcare, the controversies that exist and...
New test creates more problems than it solves Review by Rick Thomas CMF Public Policy Researcher The UK National Screening Committee (NSC) is recommending a new test for pregnant women that will detect a higher proportion of fetuses with Down Syndrome. (1) The test is performed around ten weeks,...
Vote should settle the matter for a decade Review by Peter Saunders CMF Chief Executive The Assisted Dying (No 2) Bill (1) tabled by Labour MP Rob Marris was the eleventh attempt in twelve years to legalise assisted suicide through British Parliaments. But its overwhelming defeat on 11 September 2015...
Why new atheists need to know more of atheism's history Review by John Martin CMF Head of Communications We owe a great debt to the philosopher John Gray, (1) a former professor of European Thought at LSE and himself an atheist. Gray wants this generation to learn lessons of history....
