By a confluence of promptings from reading some of C.S. Lewis' writings and a coursera lecture on 'A Brief History of Humankind' by Dr. Yuval Harari, I began to think about the guiding principles behind our medical careers. As a Christian, once again, it has become clear that secular dreams and divine direction are at odds.
As Dr. Harari's lecture pointed out, the medical field is increasingly blatant about how we are now targeting to achieve biological immortality. In the past, we would have said that we are trying to find a cure for malaria, a cure for AIDS, a cure for cancer, and so on. However, with the research being done on the underlying genetics of ageing, we now talk about halting or reversing age itself. We have returned to the ancient quest of Gilgamesh. Armed with a modern understanding of biochemistry and the scientific method, we attempt to wrest control of our mortality from fate. Death is no longer accepted as an immutable fact, but as a challenge to be overcome by anthropic ingenuity.
This is part of the great mission to endow the earth with all the abundance of heaven. Upon forsaking the notion of the soul, the modern secular view must plug the resulting vacuum by promising utopia in this physical world, and what is heaven if you cannot relish it for all eternity? This does not just apply to hospice medicine, but to all branches of medicine which all aim to improve the present physical existence of their patients. The incarnate Elysium must be free of disease and disability.
Biblical principles caution against this quest for physical health as an end in and of itself :
'Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy,
and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal;
for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.'
and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal;
for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.'
-Matthew 6 : 19 - 21
The only reason we should want to remain on this earth is because we feel we have all we need on this planet, that we can be satisfied on this side of death. To that end, our healthcare is being shaped by the forces of humanism to fulfil this.
But from God's perspective, as Lewis puts it, we are like '[ignorant children] who [want] to go on making mud pies in a slum because [we] cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.' According to the promises of God, the real heaven is infinitely more wonderous and perfect than any tarnished reflection we can muster on our own resources. The glory of heaven, which we cannot now see, will have a permanence and substance that will make the legacies and greatness of this present world appear like passing vapours in comparison.
With that in mind, what then is the Christian calling within the realm of medicine? For those involved in end-of-life care, as I would like to be someday, the answer is simply to offer another chance at repentance and salvation. The fact is, we are only free to choose obedience or rejection of God while we are insulated in this fuzzy experience of reality. Once we step outside the veil of this life, the superior choice and inferior choice would be so apparent as to provoke unanimous assent, and free will is compromised. Thus, choice about this matter is only presented to us during our sojourn as earthly beings.
With that in mind, what then is the Christian calling within the realm of medicine? For those involved in end-of-life care, as I would like to be someday, the answer is simply to offer another chance at repentance and salvation. The fact is, we are only free to choose obedience or rejection of God while we are insulated in this fuzzy experience of reality. Once we step outside the veil of this life, the superior choice and inferior choice would be so apparent as to provoke unanimous assent, and free will is compromised. Thus, choice about this matter is only presented to us during our sojourn as earthly beings.
If someone dies without a heart for God, they are forever lost, but if they are rescued by the astonishing marvels of medicine, they, in essence, have another chance to grasp redemption. There is something deeply humbling when one is confronted by one's mortality, and the sense of imminent loss may yet serve as the lifeline of the soul. Death induces reflection on the worth and value of life. Through its lenses, we may be able to perceive glimpses of Reality as it is, rather than as what we convince ourselves it is.
Does this imply that those who are believers ought not to be saved? Surely they would then proceed swiftly on, through to eternal glory. But I submit that God, in His power, is able to use even the final months or moments of the life of a faithful servant to effect His will on this earth. As a doctor, I would not dare to assume that I have the authority to decide someone's life is at its end and not worth saving. Life is a gift, freely given and taken at the appointed time. I admit there is another side to this argument, which deserves treatment that cannot be covered in the scope of this post. Briefly put, it should also not be in my jurisdiction to extend life longer than its appointed duration. The later kings of Numenor who held on to their last shreds of life were as misguided as Denethor, who decided his last moments were not worth living.
When it comes to other areas of medicine that may not encounter mortality as regularly, the distinction remains, though with less of the clarity that proximity to the reaper affords. There is nothing wrong with healing the sick or enabling the disabled. Jesus himself performed so many miracles in this department. God wishes for our lives to be filled with joy. If it is in His will, that may be expressed through physical healing. Nonetheless, we must still note the difference between healing for the sake of living in this world, and healing for the sake of blessing others, but while the focus remains on the treasures of heaven.
Does this imply that those who are believers ought not to be saved? Surely they would then proceed swiftly on, through to eternal glory. But I submit that God, in His power, is able to use even the final months or moments of the life of a faithful servant to effect His will on this earth. As a doctor, I would not dare to assume that I have the authority to decide someone's life is at its end and not worth saving. Life is a gift, freely given and taken at the appointed time. I admit there is another side to this argument, which deserves treatment that cannot be covered in the scope of this post. Briefly put, it should also not be in my jurisdiction to extend life longer than its appointed duration. The later kings of Numenor who held on to their last shreds of life were as misguided as Denethor, who decided his last moments were not worth living.
When it comes to other areas of medicine that may not encounter mortality as regularly, the distinction remains, though with less of the clarity that proximity to the reaper affords. There is nothing wrong with healing the sick or enabling the disabled. Jesus himself performed so many miracles in this department. God wishes for our lives to be filled with joy. If it is in His will, that may be expressed through physical healing. Nonetheless, we must still note the difference between healing for the sake of living in this world, and healing for the sake of blessing others, but while the focus remains on the treasures of heaven.
There is no profession that is exclusively in line with Biblical principles. In each, there is a way by which we may demonstrate an esteem for ourselves over our Creator.
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