Death and Life in America, Second Edition

“Many books have critiqued modern biomedicine; Raymond Downing here offers one of the more compelling. From his perspective as a family physician with decades of experience in East Africa, Downing’s analysis proceeds through the persuasive use of the biblical categories of principalities, idolatry, captivity, sin, and healing. The result is a book primarily not about long-ago miracles and exorcisms, but the very real dangers and limitations of contemporary biomedicine.”


—Tom Gates, Associate Director (emeritus) of Family Medicine, Lancaster General Hospital





“Working in the world of hospice and palliative care, Raymond Downing’s arguments and concerns regarding ‘biomedicine’ resonate particularly well. While medicine does many things with excellence, it is not sovereign in matters of wellness, life, and death. For those who subscribe to both the biblical narrative and medical construct, this book is a serious read.”


—Kristopher Hartwig, Medical Director, Hospice and Palliative Care, and Co-Director, Ethics Consultation Service, Minneapolis VA





“Death and Life in America is—hands down—the boldest, deepest, most helpful exploration of health, sickness, and healing available. Ray’s long career studying and practicing Western technological medicine was matched step-by-step with careful, appreciative attention to other healing traditions and to the ways these matters are addressed in the Bible, especially in the life of Jesus. No book shows greater insight into the strengths and weaknesses of today’s biomedicine. No book comes close to mining the brilliant contributions the biblical perspectives can bring.”


—David W. Gill, retired Professor of Workplace Theology and Business Ethics, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and author of Workplace Discipleship 101