Christian Medical Fellowship
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The Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF) is an evangelical, interdenominational organisation that links together Christian doctors and medical students in the UK. There are around 5,000 British doctors in all branches of medicine who are members of CMF, and also many medical student members. It was founded in 1949.
CMF is linked to similar organisations in many countries through the International Christian Medical and Dental Association (ICMDA). ICMDA has around 50 national movements linked to it. CMF, in its work with students, works closely with UCCF.
CMF's aims are "to unite Christian doctors and medical students in Christ", Evangelism, and the promotion of Christian values. The organisation publishes two journals, Triple Helix and Nucleus, and organises conferences. It regularly contributes to debate on issues of Medical ethics, for example, making submissions to the UK House of Lords enquiry into Physician-assisted suicide.
CMF generally promotes the Pro-Life case in ethical debates, such as those around abortion and euthanasia. More controversially, the CMF website contains articles on demonic possession [1], the occult [2], masturbation [3], and the role of miracle healing [4] in modern-day medicine.
CMF has provoked considerable controversy due to its attacks on members of other faiths, upon gay people and other groups. The Hindu Forum of the United Kingdom raised concerns about the Christian Medical Fellowship with the House of Lords Select Committee on Religious Offences. Jewish and Muslim communities in the UK have also expressed strong concern at alleged anti-semitic and anti-Muslim statements by leaders of the organisation.
There is a long history of controversy between the CMF and more progressive liberal Christian groups, such as the Lesbian and Gay Christian Fellowship and the Gay and Lesbian Doctors and Dentists Association, with articles on the CMF website listing diseases caused by homosexuality.
