Compassionate Jesus

Just how far should Christians go in seeking ever more aggressive medical intervention to prolong life? Are we bound to cure at all costs? The answer to that would seem as though it had to be yes - affirming the worth of life at whatever age. But does it really have to be? The Apostle Paul wrote 'for to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.' (Philippians 1:21). He didn't seek to postpone death, or want life at all costs. Life was good however, as long as he was living it by God's will and to his glory. Christopher Bogosh, who has both medical and pastoral experience, suggests in this book that Christians need to consider their attitude to what he defines as 'Modern Medicine'. This he distinguishes from medical science. The former is a materialistic philosophy, the latter is a useful tool subservient to man's prime need of spiritual healing. Bogosh has seen the pervasive effect of Modern Medicine particularly in end-of-life care - or lack of it. He worked for some years in a hospice, and feels that many Christians belie their profession of eternal hope by blindly following professional medical advice for still more curative treatment, when palliative treatment would be more realistic and kind. Bogosh does a very practical study of Job in a section on suffering and the temptations that arise at such times. He is good in getting at scriptural principles to guide all medical decisions, but especially good at standing back and pointing at the big picture, and then showing how this gives such significance to the preaching of the gospel. Be warned that all healthcare references in this book are related to the American model, and discussions of living wills, organ donation etc, are also set within the context of US law. But this does not undermine the essential usefulness of this book in the UK. It is a wake up call.
'Compassionate Jesus' is published in paperback by Reformation Heritage Books and available from us for £9.95.
Jeremy