Role of Medicine in Modern Society
Scripture
Sermon Description
How has modern medicine shaped, and been shaped by, society? In this sermon titled “Role of Medicine in Modern Society,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses the recent increase of public interest in medicine and examines the shifts that have occurred. A paradigm exists today where the doctor simultaneously has both more and less power. The mystique of a doctor is gone—they are nothing more than a normal person—but the doctor's independence and perceived expertise has created a culture of dependence on them. From such position and power, three new dangers are noted to have arisen. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones discusses the realities of doctor and patient relationships, the influence of one’s personality and character by means of various drugs and operations, and the danger of a doctor’s declaration of authority over areas in which their dogmatism is not truly based on knowledge. How has the “personhood” of individuals been affected from the decreased emphasis on the “art” of medicine? Is this a good change? Dr. Lloyd-Jones foresees a future with increased psychosomatic focus and questions of issues with threats to individual liberty, reform, politics, amongst others.
Sermon Breakdown
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones begins by acknowledging the privilege of delivering the oration and expressing gratitude for the invitation.
- He notes the theme of the relationship between medicine and the community that the previous orations have established.
- He mentions his background in both medicine and ministry and how medicine has remained an interest of his.
- He says that medicine is the greatest of professions but notes the major changes that have taken place over the last 40 years. In the past, doctors were guides and knew patients personally but now the relationship is less personal.
- He lists the factors that have contributed to this change including: the National Health Service, advances in medicine like antibiotics and new treatments, doctors becoming more technical, increased public interest and scrutiny of medicine, TV medicine, the permissive society creating new problems, and conflicting medical opinions in court cases.
- He says doctors now have less power in some ways but more in others. They have less power due to losing the mystique of the profession but more due to increasing expertise and independence.
- He outlines the dangers and problems in the doctor-patient relationship, the power doctors have over patients, doctors as authorities, and ethical issues. The doctor-patient relationship is less personal, doctors have power to influence behavior and personality, some doctors claim too much authority, and doctors are seen as authorities on ethical issues like abortion though these are not medical questions.
- He argues for balance - doctors should not be dictators but also not slaves to the public. The greatest need is for good general practitioners who recognize the greatness of the profession.
- General practitioners should keep an eye on specialists, be humble, follow the principle of "do no harm," and show concern for the whole person. They need character, understanding, patience, and self-sacrifice.
- He believes medicine will settle down and find balance again if experts don't destroy civilization first. He hopes to convey the need for the ideals that inspired the founding of St. Bartholomew's Hospital.
- In conclusion, the chairman thanks Dr. Lloyd-Jones for giving the audience much to think about.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the Role of Medicine in Modern Society
What was Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' background before becoming a minister?
According to the transcript, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones had a significant medical career before entering ministry. He "chose the profession of medicine and trained at St Bartholomew's Hospital in 1927" and worked as "a physician and an assistant to Lord Hoarder." After his medical career, he felt a call to the church and went to Abavan to become a minister at a Presbyterian church, where he stayed until 1938 before moving to Westminster Chapel in London.
What major change did Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify in the doctor-patient relationship?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identified a profound transformation in the doctor-patient relationship over the 40 years prior to his address. He described how doctors used to be highly respected figures - "the guide, philosopher and friend to the family" who were treated with great reverence when they visited homes. In contrast, at the time of his speech, doctors were often viewed almost as servants, their visits sometimes resented, and they were subject to public criticism. He noted that "many regard the doctor almost as a servant, and he's subject to criticism."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the causes for the changed relationship between doctors and patients?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identified several causes for this change: 1. The National Health Service (established in 1948) 2. Medical advances (antibiotics, psychopharmacology, surgical techniques) 3. Doctors becoming more technical and less professional 4. Increased public interest and criticism of medical matters 5. TV medicine which he considered "extremely dangerous" 6. The thalidomide case which made people question and examine medical practices 7. The permissive society creating new problems like birth control and abortion 8. Conflicting evidence given by doctors in public courts which shook public confidence
How did Dr. Lloyd-Jones think medical advances affected the doctor-patient relationship?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones believed that medical advances, particularly antibiotics, significantly reduced the personal relationship between doctors and patients. He explained that before antibiotics, when a patient had pneumonia, the doctor would visit twice daily to monitor the patient and provide comfort during a critical illness. With antibiotics, the doctor might simply prescribe medication over the phone without seeing the patient: "And the doctor may not have seen the patient at all." This created a more impersonal relationship as the technical aspect of medicine replaced the personal care element.
What did Dr. Lloyd-Jones consider to be the greatest danger in modern medicine?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones considered one of the greatest dangers to be what he called "the doctor as an authority or as an expert" - medical professionals speaking dogmatically beyond their expertise. He was particularly concerned about doctors making value judgments on ethical and moral matters (like abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality) that extend beyond their medical expertise. He stated: "These problems which I've mentioned, contraception, abortion, euthanasia and all the rest of them, they're not really medical problems. What are they? Well, they are theological problems." He warned against the "generalization of expertise" where technical knowledge is confused with value judgment.
What solution did Dr. Lloyd-Jones propose for the problems in modern medicine?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones proposed "a new order of general practitioners" as the solution. He envisioned general practitioners who: 1. Have a sense of vocation and calling 2. Act as counselors in a general sense 3. Maintain oversight of patients even when specialists are involved 4. Keep "an eye on the experts" and specialists 5. Treat the whole person with understanding, sympathy, and patience 6. Approach medicine with humility 7. Follow the principle "do unto others as you would have others do unto you" 8. Serve as guardians of personal liberty in society
How did Dr. Lloyd-Jones view the relationship between medicine and ethics?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones believed that medicine and ethics were distinct domains, and that medical expertise didn't automatically qualify someone to make ethical judgments. He argued that ethical issues like abortion, euthanasia, and contraception were fundamentally theological questions about the nature of human life, death, and what happens after death - not primarily medical issues. He used the powerful analogy that "an abortion is no more a medical question than capital punishment through electrocution is a problem in electrical engineering." He warned against doctors imposing their personal ethical views on patients while also maintaining that doctors must have the right to refuse procedures that violate their conscience.
What did Dr. Lloyd-Jones predict about the future of medicine?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones predicted that the real medical challenges of the future would shift from external infections (which could be managed with antibiotics) to diseases "that arise from the inside" - stress-related conditions like high blood pressure, coronary trouble, cancer, and psychological conditions. He believed these would increase "because of the pace of life and the very permissiveness that is so popular." He also predicted that after the upheaval of the previous 30 years, medicine would "settle down again into a happier condition" with a more balanced approach - provided that experts with their "brilliant advances in knowledge, but their corresponding failure to advance in wisdom" didn't destroy civilization first.
Itinerant Preaching
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.