“The Cunning Man” by Robertson Davies
The words of the reckless pierce like swords,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Proverbs 12:18 (NIV)
It’s not easy to describe the characteristics of a “healing vocation” in general or with specific events in your own life. A stimulus for this recent effort began with our trip to Canada. While in Toronto, I was reminded of a book by the Canadian author, Robertson Davies, “The Cunning Man”. This well known Canadian author wrote his last book describing the life of an atypical fictional physician, Jonathan Hullah, M.D., F.R.C.P. I had first read it while practicing and teaching at Duke University. I reread it now with a new appreciation and perspective.
A theme of this novel is the intersections of religion, science and the arts of a “healing vocation”. The protagonist, Dr. Hullah, embodies the influences of these powerful cultural forces to bring healing to those around him. He describes a “high touch”, narrative medical care founded in both ancient and contemporary practice. He sees the importance of ritual in its various forms.
The future of the “healing vocations” is being challenged in multiple ways that can be addressed by some ancient ideas and disciplines. The good news is that these powerful cultural forces are still being explored today by authors like Imber, Sacks, Nussbaum and Verghese.
Marvin
References
Davies, R. (1995). The Cunning Man. New York : Viking.
Hage, M. L. (2023). Can AI be a Healing Agent?
http://healingagents.blogspot.com/2023/08/can-ai-be-healing-agent.html
Bill Gates: Within 10 years, AI will replace many doctors and teachers—humans won’t be needed ‘for most things’
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/26/bill-gates-on-ai-humans-wont-be-needed-for-most-things.html
Imber, J. B. (2008). Trusting Doctors: The Decline of Moral Authority in American Medicine
(1 ed.). Princeton University Press.
Sacks, J. (2014). The Great Partnership: Science, Religion, and the Search for Meaning (Reprint ed.). Schocken.
Nussbaum, A. M. (2016). The Finest Traditions of My Calling: One Physician’s Search for the Renewal of Medicine (1 ed.). Yale University Press.
Hage, M. L. (2023). Healiing Visions.
http://healingagents.blogspot.com/2023/06/healing-visions.html