A Fresh Perspective - Aug. 14, 2009
Dr. Albert Schweitzer earned advanced degrees in theology, philosophy, music, and medicine. Over his career he was a renowned theological scholar, a concert pianist, and a medical doctor. The second half of his career was devoted to establishing and serving a medical mission in Africa. He could not get missionary support because his theology was suspect. He performed concerts in order to raise money to support his work. In the first half of his career as a theological scholar he wrote several books, one of which launched a major theological movement that has now went through several phases. The title of the book describes the movement, The Quest for the Historical Jesus.
Dr. Fred Craddock tells about the time he read the book for the first time. He was in his early twenties, just getting started in his theological career. He found Schweitzer's Christology woefully lacking. He marked up the book, wrote in the margins, and raised questions of all kinds. Fred was in Knoxville and read in the news that Schweitzer was going to be in Cleveland, Ohio to give a concert at a church dedicating a new organ. The article reported that there would be refreshments afterward in the Fellowship Hall and that Schweitzer would be around for conversation.
Fred boarded a greyhound bus and traveled all the way to Cleveland, hoping to have an opportunity to ask him some questions. He laid out his questions on the trip. He was going to take Schweitzer to task on his view of Christ. After the concert Fred was one of the first persons to get a seat in the Fellowship Hall. He plopped down in the first row armed with his questions. After a while Dr. Schweitzer strolled in—shaggy white hair, big white mustache, sort of stooped over, with a cup of tea and some refreshments. Fred was waiting for his chance. Dr. Schweitzer thanked everyone: "You've been very warm and hospitable to me, and I thank you for that. I wish I could stay longer, but I must get back to Africa. Many of my people are poor and diseased and hungry and dying, and I have to go. We have a medical station at Lambarene." Then he said, "If there's anyone here in this room who has the love of Jesus, would you be prompted by that love to go with me and help me."
Fred looked down at his questions and realized that they were absolutely stupid. Fred remarks, "And I learned, again, what it means to be a Christian and had hopes that I could be that someday."