Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Alan Thomas
Was Judas Iscariot responsible for his sin?
Judas Iscariot was an immensely blessed man. He became an early disciple of Jesus and was specifically chosen to be one of the Twelve, an immense blessing. More than this, we know Jesus appointed him as treasurer of their little group, a sign of special favour. Yet tragically it was from this exalted position of privilege and blessing that he fell. And he fell to such depths, didn’t he?
Genetic Associations with Alzheimer's, Lewy Body and Vascular Neuropathology Reveal Shared and Distinct Biological Pathways
The authors have declared no competing interest. I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.
Repeal SB71 to protect poisoned Alabama - our state is not a corporate trash can: op-ed
Montgomery Real-Time News Published: Sep. 16, 2026, 10:45 a.m. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed an $85.2 million plan to remove PCB contamination from the soil and creek beds of Choccolocco Creek, including where it flows into the Coosa River at Logan Martin Lake.
Interrogating DNA methylation associated with Lewy body pathology in a cross brain-region and multi-cohort study
|
Abstract Here, we conduct a large meta-analysis of DNA methylation across multiple cortical brain regions, in relation to increasing burden of Lewy body pathology. Utilizing a dataset of 1205 samples (832 unique donors), we identify 24 false discovery rate significant differentially methylated loci associated with Lewy body pathology, with loci located in UBASH3B and PTAFR, and an intergenic locus passing the genome-wide significance threshold.
By Joshua Harvey, Jennifer Imm, Morteza Kouhsar, ADAM SMITH, Byron Creese, Rebecca Smith, Gregory Wheildon, Valentin T. Laroche, Szi Kay Leung, Leonidas Chouliaras, Gemma Shireby, Zane Jaunmuktane, Eduardo De Pablo-Fernandez, Thomas Warner, Djordje Gveric, Hannah Brooks, Johannes Attems, Alan Thomas, Emma Dempster, Clive Ballard, John O’Brien, Dag Aarsland, Jonathan Mill, Lasse Pihlstrøm, Ehsan Pishva, Katie Lunnon, Debra J. Lett, Wilma DJ Van de Berg
|
Nature
Verified
AI is only a machine
by The past few days have produced a curious mixture of stories about Christianity, politics, sexuality and popular culture. Taken together, they raise an important question: what happens when Christian language enters the public square? Former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has expressed scepticism about Nigel Farage’s references to Britain’s Christian heritage and about Tommy Robinson’s claims to Christian faith.
AI is only a machine
Artificial Intelligence is part of our zeitgeist and has inspired amazement at its capabilities. But also fear. Fear that AI threatens us as humans. Is it so powerful and clever that someday it will replace human beings? For some evolutionists it may be seen as the next step in the process. Intelligent machines or robots will take over from us as top dogs on the planet. And perhaps for some Christians it evokes fears that it will challenge our own special place in creation?
Image vs Person
Last time we thought about personal responsibility, reflecting that only persons are morally responsible for their actions. We concluded by observing, however, that the Bible doesn’t focus on humans as persons. Rather, we are God’s image-bearers. Persons and responsibility ‘Man bites dog’ is a classic shock tabloid headline, playing on readers expecting the opposite. Because a dog biting a man, while a nasty experience for him, is unsurprising. It seems according to nature.
Persons and responsibility
‘Man bites dog’ is a classic shock tabloid headline, playing on readers expecting the opposite. Because a dog biting a man, while a nasty experience for him, is unsurprising. It seems according to nature. And we certainly wouldn’t consider prosecuting the dog for assault, would we? Dogs are not persons and so have no personal responsibility for their actions.
Persons and responsibility
‘Man bites dog’ is a classic shock tabloid headline, playing on readers expecting the opposite. Because a dog biting a man, while a nasty experience for him, is unsurprising. It seems according to nature. And we certainly wouldn’t consider prosecuting the dog for assault, would we? Dogs are not persons and so have no personal responsibility for their actions.
Imbalance in excitation and inhibition in sgACC is associated with depression in dementia with Lewy bodies
Abstract Depression in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a common neuropsychiatric symptom associated with reduced quality in life. Structural, functional and neurochemical abnormalities in glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission are implicated in the pathophysiology of depression, showing changes in regions involved in emotional processing, including the subgenual cingulate cortex (sgACC), which shows pathological changes in DLB.
Cross-sectional analysis of variation in diagnosis of Lewy body dementia in three English regions: data from the DETERMIND programme
Discussion In this multisite study of people with newly diagnosed dementia in the North East, London and South East England, we examined the possible mismatch between memory service diagnosed LBD (including DLB or PDD) and rates of core clinical features identified using the DLB Assessment Toolkit.
Patient-specific functional networks track early cognitive alterations and minor hallucinations in Parkinson’s disease
Abstract Minor hallucinations (MHs) affect up to 40% of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and are early indicators of cognitive decline. Unlike previous group-level studies, connectome-based brain fingerprinting enables the capture of individualized neural features.
Ignorant knowledge
My wife sometimes says of someone, ‘He is ignorant.’ She does not mean that he lacks knowledge. She means he has an attitude of rejection, a refusal to accept correction or new knowledge. Especially knowledge which is uncomfortable. It is important to recognise the reality of such ignorance. Too often we tend to think of knowledge in purely cognitive terms, that is as only a process of learning and retaining information, a process which is neutral.
Ignorant knowledge
My wife sometimes says of someone, ‘He is ignorant.’ She does not mean that he lacks knowledge. She means he has an attitude of rejection, a refusal to accept correction or new knowledge. Especially knowledge which is uncomfortable. It is important to recognise the reality of such ignorance. Too often we tend to think of knowledge in purely cognitive terms, that is as only a process of learning and retaining information, a process which is neutral.
Autonomy (or is it selfishness?)
Historically the usual approach to medical ethics has been to consider four principles: autonomy (show respect for personal choice), beneficence (consider what is good for the patient), non-maleficence (think about harms), and justice. But today we find that autonomy has become the dominant force. A kind of trump card. We have seen it played frequently during the recent discussions about medically assisted suicide, haven’t we?
Fruit, not vegetables!
Could the metaphor of the fruit of the Spirit have been 'the vegetables of the Spirit'? After all, the key idea here is evidence of life, isn't it? The fruit shows that the Holy Spirit is at work in us, that we are Spirit-people. But the choice of fruit rather than vegetables is not arbitrary. The fruit metaphor captures other important ideas. Fruit is bright, colourful, and attractive, isn't it? Fruit is tasty and pleasurable. Vegetables are not. They are plain and functional.
Bondage of the will? Or person?
Just over 500 years ago, in 1525 (perhaps I should have written this last year!) Martin Luther published his classic work, 'The Bondage of the Will', in response to the humanist Erasmus. This is a title I find difficult. I both strongly agree and disagree with it at the same time. Why? The title suggests a double fallacy. It seems guilty of both reification (treating the will as a thing rather than a concept) and of 'faculty psychology' (which I prefer to call the anatomical fallacy).
Alabama’s 'silent majority' keeps Montgomery in stranglehold | ALAN THOMAS
National headlines often paint a picture of soaring civic engagement, but in Alabama, the data tells a quieter, more concerning story. In 2024, while the rest of the country participated in historic numbers, nearly 1.7 million eligible Alabamians stayed home. According to Secretary of State Wes Allen, only 58.5% of our neighbors cast a ballot. As we approach the 2026 midterms — a cycle where turnout traditionally drops by 20 percentage points — the stakes couldn't be higher.
Alabama’s 'silent majority' keeps Montgomery in stranglehold | ALAN THOMAS
National headlines often paint a picture of soaring civic engagement, but in Alabama, the data tells a quieter, more concerning story. In 2024, while the rest of the country participated in historic numbers, nearly 1.7 million eligible Alabamians stayed home. According to Secretary of State Wes Allen, only 58.5% of our neighbors cast a ballot. As we approach the 2026 midterms — a cycle where turnout traditionally drops by 20 percentage points — the stakes couldn't be higher.
Divine intimacy
In John 14:10-11, Jesus makes a staggering statement. The Father dwells in the Son, but also, at one and the same time, the Son dwells in the Father. More than this, the Spirit too is in both the Father and the Son as they are within him. This is not merely an overlap, a Venn diagram of overlapping circles, which would suggest a kind of tritheism with each only partly divine.
Wait on the Lord
Years ago I often heard the phrase, 'wait on the Lord.' It seems to have fallen out of use. What does it mean, and is it something we should be doing, or doing more? The English phrase occurs in several places. Psalm 27:14 contains a double exhortation, 'Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!' It occurs twice in Psalm 37 as a contrast with the wicked and a double-promise to the righteous concerning their inheritance.
Mental Peace
Previously I have written about anxiety (ET November 2019). I noted that biological anxiety (as a response to a threat or in the context of a mental illness) is not what is in view when we are told not to be anxious in the Bible. Rather it is worrying, fretting about our situation instead of trusting in God. In this article I want to consider the positive alternative to such worrying, the peace of mind which we should have as Christians serving the Lord.
Crown Him Lord of ALL!
This beautifully presented and surprisingly affordable hardback book is the fifth in a series published by DayOne. This is a book to come back to again and again. Certainly our children (predominantly but not exclusively the boys!) have loved to do so. Each double page spread covers a different topic, in essence an object lesson based on various aspects of the military.
Proactive AP Risk Management: Stop Duplicate Payments 2025,
Updated in November 2025 Beyond Duplicate Payments – A Blueprint for Proactive AP Risk Management A proactive AP risk management strategy prevents payment errors and fraud before they happen. By combining strong internal controls with AI-driven continuous monitoring, finance teams can stop duplicate invoices, spot fraud markers, and remove dormant vendors – protecting cash, reputation, and compliance under the UK’s new Failure to Prevent Fraud law. Table of Contents What is AP risk management?
Should we pray for the sick?
Let us start with two observations. In our evangelical prayer meetings today, prayer for sick people is normal and indeed often dominates such gatherings. Requests for prayer from other Christians typically include something about sickness. Derek Thomas quipped that our prayer meetings are 'organ recitals', and others have called them 'sick lists'. It is also well established that life expectancy was much lower in previous eras, including Bible times, than today.
Treating ministerial burnout
Prevention is better than cure. So last time, we thought about identifying early warning signs of burnout in a minister so that measures can be taken to prevent full burnout when the man simply cannot manage his ministry anymore in any meaningful way. Understanding ministerial burnout We return to burnout because it remains a major problem, especially among ministers, and is often confused with other conditions such as depression.
Understanding ministerial burnout
We return to a topic we considered previously, when we focused on Elijah in 1 Kings 19 as an example. We return to burnout because it remains a major problem, especially among ministers, and is often confused with other conditions such as depression. So what is burnout? The current International Classification of Diseases defines burnout as occupation-related mental and physical exhaustion associated with negativism about work and reduced work efficiency. What might burnout be confused with?
Search
Calum A. Hamilton, Paul C. Donaghy, John-Paul Taylor, Joanna Ciafone, Rory Durcan, Michael Firbank, Gemma Greenfinch, Louise M. Allan, John T. O’Brien, Alan J. Thomas Journal: The British Journal of Psychiatry , FirstView Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 August 2025, pp. 1-6 View abstract Background Depressive symptoms are common in mild cognitive impairment (MCI). These may be associated with poorer cognitive function and increased risks of dementia transition.
Mature Christians fall out
It is sad whenever we see two Christians break fellowship with each other. We know it shouldn’t happen because of our oneness in the Lord Jesus. And we naturally wonder whose fault it was and whose side we should be on? But it is possible that neither is at fault. Consider Acts 15:36-41 where we read of such an incident, one that might shock us on first reading. Two great Christian leaders, pioneer church planters, who had worked hand in glove together for years fall out.
Dubious Diagnoses: Disease Creation
Last time we thought about autism and other conditions – real illnesses, but ones which have become massively over-diagnosed. This leads to many people not actually having the illness associated with their diagnostic label. The key point in engaging pastorally with such people is to focus on their personal responsibility, because all of us, whether healthy or sick, are responsible for our behaviour.
Dubious diagnoses: Disease inflation
What are we to make of long-covid? How should you respond when someone tells you they have chronic fatigue syndrome? Or irritable bowel syndrome? Or fibromyalgia? Or generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)? They look so well, don’t they? Are they actually ill? Or are they faking it? Are they merely pretending to be ill to get sympathy or time off work? These are some of the medical diagnoses many find dubious.
Green and Christian?
In the beginning, the Lord made a beautiful creation. It was a delight to his eyes. He rested after his six days of creation to enjoy his handiwork. And he still enjoys it today (1 Timothy 4:4, Psalm 104). As evangelicals, we rightly emphasise how detestable sin is and how horrible its consequences. Perhaps this can lead us to regard the creation around us as fundamentally bad. But it isn’t. The creation is still pleasing to God. It is good with bad parts, not bad with good parts.
Genes and behaviour
The search goes on for the elusive ‘gay gene’. Finding such single genes in the vastness of the human genome has been likened to searching for a needle in an enormous planet-sized haystack. In this case there is the additional problem that the gene isn’t there! Thus, the search will only end when everyone concedes this. The reasons for my bold assertion (though one widely shared by scientists) will become clear below. But this search for the gay gene is an odd phenomenon, isn’t it?
Dangers from the assisted dying bill
The Leadbeater bill (for assisted suicide) currently going through Parliament presents a clear and present danger to vulnerable people. The bill proposes to make assisted suicide available for those with six months or less to live. Some have pointed out that doctors are terrible at predicting life expectancy, with one recent study showing 20 per cent of those supposed to be dead in six months were alive three years later.
Devolution not evolution
The evolutionary dogma is taken for granted in our society. Man, we are told, is the pinnacle of an ages-long upward progression. Human beings are (currently) the highest beings on the planet, the end of inevitable continuous improvement, beginning with the simplest cells (or rather chemicals) and progressing through multi-celled organisms to mammals and finally primates, of which homo sapiens, the wise one, is the peak. What does the Bible say about all of this? It teaches the opposite.
Dying Well
Currently there is much agitation about euthanasia and a disastrous push towards legalising it under the guise of so-called assisted dying. I’ve written before on this topic. Here I would like to think about how we approach death. As Christians do we know how to ‘die well’? Such a phrase was much used by our forefathers in the faith but is rarely heard today. I fear this reflects we may have become less like our forefathers in this area and more like those in our society around us.
Visions and dreams: dreams in the Bible and today
Previously we’ve seen that biblical visions were multisensory experiences with an intense physicality. So what about dreams? Before thinking carefully about revelatory dreams in the Bible, we need to think first about dreams generally. Here I need to make a confession. As a psychiatrist I have no interest in the content of dreams. What someone dreams about has no bearing on diagnosis and treatment in psychiatry generally.
Visions and dreams - helping people understand visions
Previously we have noted that biblical visions were supernatural, objective, solid phenomena in which God brought heavenly realities into the sensory experience of his prophets; they heard and saw in the same way they heard and saw everyday realities around them. They were multisensory experiences. We contrasted such biblical visions with visual hallucinations which are purely visual experiences generated by damage to the visual neural circuitry in the brain.
Visions and dreams - visions today
Anna Trapnel was a young Christian woman living in London in the 1650s. She was a member of one of the Fifth Monarchist congregations in London and made headlines in the press for her visions. She drew large crowds and filled column inches in the papers. In the early republic she had visions of Oliver Cromwell. He appeared to her in the guise of an Old Testament prophet, the military leader Gideon. She saw him storming into the House of Commons to clear it out.
Visual hallucinations vs biblical visions
Were those who saw visions in the Bible hallucinating? Were they mentally ill? In my previous article on this series looking at visions and dreams, I wrote that biblical visions were not a kind of ethereal and immaterial experience. Rather they were full-orbed, multisensory experiences, often involving the actual presence of heavenly beings (angels and/or persons of the Godhead) and sometimes other elements of heaven.
Visions and dreams - biblical visions
I ask most of the patients I see in clinic, ‘Do you ever see visions?’ And some, of course, since I’m a psychiatrist, reply ‘yes’. But not all have mental illness. After all, many Christians past and present report seeing visions. And visionary experiences are frequently recorded in the Bible. So the question naturally arises as to whether these are the same kind of visions. If not, how do visions in the Bible differ from those I encounter in clinic? Or those reported by Christians today?
Mind-altering drugs
Alan Thomas Professor and Consultant in Psychiatry. Elder at Newcastle Reformed Evangelical Church. 16 May, 2024 • 4 min read
Humility means humble behaviour
In Numbers 12:3 we read the stunning declaration, ‘Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.’ I guess I find it stunning because all we read about Moses previous to that might not make us think of him as humble. This is partly because he wasn’t to start with, was he? He was raised in Pharaoh’s palace to be ruler, and from this high and pampered position he pushed himself forward to deliver his people.
The importance and scope of mechanical testing for manufacturers
The importance and scope of mechanical testing for manufacturers By Alan Thomas, marketing manager, ZwickRoell Mechanical testing plays a major role in research, product design and quality control. Tests can be conducted using a wide range of static and dynamic materials testing machines, which engineers frequently use during product development. Mechanical testing incorporates a wide range of techniques, from common tensile and compression tests, to flexural, or torsional, characterisation.
Humility is more than a mindset
‘Humility is not weakness.’ You may have heard this said too – but what is humility? The opposite of humility is not strength, but pride (Psalm 18:27; Proverbs 11:2, 18:12; 1 Peter 5:5). That points us in the right direction: pride, like humility, is first a mindset, a way of thinking, an attitude of life, which leads to proud behaviour. Likewise, humility is more than a mindset because it leads to humble behaviour. We need to think first about the mindset because behaviour flows from it.
Suspected acute respiratory infection in over 16s: assessment at first presentation and initial management-summary of NICE guidance
Chris Carmona, technical adviser1, Tom Bewick, consultant respiratory physician2, Nichola Macduff, nurse consultant in respiratory medicine3, Alan Thomas, lay member4 on behalf of the Guideline Committee 1National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Manchester, UK 2University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust 3Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust 4Public representative Correspondence to C Carmona aridev{at}nice.org.uk For patients with acute respiratory infection who can be...
Preaching vs lecturing
I’ve long been conscious that I engage in two similar, but actually quite different, activities. In my work with various groups in the university, I lecture, which may be called by various names: small group teaching, large group teaching, giving a seminar, a talk, or even a lecture. And in our church I preach. The word teaching may be applied appropriately to both activities, but does not mean the same thing in both.
Virtual living versus Christian living
Last time, we thought about the development of the Virtual Elite, who have come to dominate our state and the wider societal structures, and the threat to Christians arising from the ever-increasing shift to working and living online. Such profound changes in behaviour inevitably affect our churches and our Christian lives, too. A mind shaped by a dominantly virtual life will find it harder to accept the importance of the physical in Christianity.
The virtual elite
Where does power lie in our society? Historically in almost all societies, power has been concentrated in the hands of tiny groups, such as the aristocracies which dominated Western countries through the medieval and modern periods. While it is obvious such days are long gone in the UK, who rules now?
Dopaminergic Changes in the Subgenual Cingulate Cortex in Dementia with Lewy Bodies Associates with Presence of Depression
Abstract In addition to the core clinical features of fluctuating cognition, visual hallucinations, and parkinsonism, individuals with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) frequently experience chronic and debilitating major depression. Treatment of depression in DLB is hampered by a lack of available effective therapies and standard serotonergic medication for major depressive disorder (MDD) is typically ineffective.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Alan
Contact Alan, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack