Albert Schweitzer

Albert Schweitzer
Schweitzer in 1955
Born(1875-01-14)14 January 1875
Died4 September 1965(1965-09-04) (aged 90)
Citizenship
  • Germany (until 1919)
  • France (from 1919)
Alma materUniversity of Strasbourg
Known for
Spouse
(m. 1912; died 1957)
Awards
Scientific career
Fields
Doctoral advisor

Ludwig Philipp Albert Schweitzer OM (German: [ˈalbɛʁt ˈʃvaɪ̯t͡sɐ] ; 14 January 1875 – 4 September 1965) was a German-born, French polymath from Alsace. He was a theologian, organist, musicologist, writer, humanitarian, philosopher, and physician. As a Lutheran minister, Schweitzer challenged both the secular view of the historical Jesus as depicted by the historical-critical method current at this time, as well as the traditional Christian view. His contributions to the interpretation of Pauline Christianity concern the role of Paul's mysticism of "being in Christ" as primary and the doctrine of justification by faith as secondary.

He received the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize for his philosophy of "Reverence for Life",[1] becoming the eighth Frenchman to be awarded that prize. His philosophy was expressed in many ways, but most famously in founding and sustaining the Hôpital Albert Schweitzer in Lambaréné, French Equatorial Africa (now Gabon). As a music scholar and organist, he studied the music of German composer Johann Sebastian Bach and influenced the Organ Reform Movement (Orgelbewegung).

  1. ^ Schweitzer, Albert (10 December 1953), "Award Ceremony Speech", The Nobel Peace Prize 1952, The Nobel prize.