Albert Schweitzer

Philosopher, Academic

1875 – 1965

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Who was Albert Schweitzer?

Albert Schweitzer, OM was a German—and later French—theologian, organist, philosopher, physician, and medical missionary in Africa, also known for his interpretive life of Jesus. He was born in the province of Alsace-Lorraine, at that time part of the German Empire. Schweitzer, a Lutheran, challenged both the secular view of Jesus as depicted by historical-critical methodology current at his time in certain academic circles, as well as the traditional Christian view. He depicted Jesus as one who literally believed the end of the world was coming in his own lifetime and believed himself to be a world savior.

He received the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize for his philosophy of "Reverence for Life", expressed in many ways, but most famously in founding and sustaining the Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Lambaréné, now in Gabon, west central Africa. As a music scholar and organist, he studied the music of German composer Johann Sebastian Bach and influenced the Organ reform movement.

Famous Quotes:

  • Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.
  • Just as the wave cannot exist for itself, but is ever a part of the heaving surface of the ocean, so must I never live my life for itself, but always in the experience which is going on around me. It is an uncomfortable doctrine which the true ethics whisper into my ear. You are happy, they say; therefore you are called upon to give much.
  • Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.
  • We cannot possibly let ourselves get frozen into regarding everyone we do not know as an absolute stranger.
  • The great secret of success is to go through life as a man who never gets used up.
  • Just as the wave cannot exist for itself, but is ever a part of the heaving surface of the ocean, so must I never live my life for itself, but always in the experience which is going on around me.
  • A great secret of success is to go through life as a man who never gets used up.
  • The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.
  • Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.
  • A man can do only what a man can do. But if he does that each day he can sleep at night and do it again the next day.

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Born
Jan 14, 1875
Kaysersberg
Also known as
  • Dr. Albert Schweitzer
Parents
Spouses
Children
Nationality
  • France
  • Germany
Profession
Education
  • University of Strasbourg
    Theology
    (1893 - 1899)
Died
Sep 4, 1965
Lambaréné

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

Citation

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"Albert Schweitzer." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/albert_schweitzer>.

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