“The willow which bends to the tempest, often escapes better than the oak which resists it; and so in great calamities, it sometimes happens that light and frivolous spirits recover their elasticity and presence of mind sooner than those of a loftier character.”

German polymath from Alsace

Albert Schweitzer was a German thinker from Alsace, active as a theologian, organist, musicologist, writer, humanitarian, philosopher, and physician. He became known for a life that joined scholarship, faith, and practical service. As a Lutheran minister, he questioned both the secular historical-critical portrait of Jesus and the traditional Christian reading of him. He is also known for his work on Pauline Christianity, especially his view that Paul’s mysticism of being in Christ is central, while justification by faith is secondary.