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From: lisa@phs.UUCP (Jeff Gillette)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: Historical Veracity(?)
Message-ID: <960@phs.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 30-Oct-84 09:07:55 EST
Article-I.D.: phs.960
Posted: Tue Oct 30 09:07:55 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 31-Oct-84 06:34:16 EST
Organization: Duke Physiology
Lines: 38


<Wendy Alberts>

> [Albert Schweitzer's] essential conclusion? There is NOT ONE SHRED 
> of physical, historical, or any other reliable kind of verifiable 
> evidence that such a person as Jesus ever actually existed. 

It's been about a year since I read "Quest of the Historical Jesus",
but I do think Schweitzer believed in the existence of the historical
figure Jesus.  The main point of his book was to counter 19th Century
liberal theologians who portrayed Jesus as an enlightened individualist,
whose teachings foreshadowed their own religious ideas (e.g. A. Harnack's
"fatherhood of God and brotherhood of all men").  Schweitzer, on the other
hand, accepted a fairly "literal" interpretation of the Gospels - Jesus
was a Jewish preacher who believed the apocalyptic end of the world was
imminent, and believed that through his own work the [literal] kingdom 
of God would come.

> While honestly admitting that there is no evidence whatsoever for the 
> existence of Jesus, Schweitzer continued as strongly as ever in his 
> belief in the SPIRIT of Christianity, which any account of his life 
> amply illustrates. 

I'm not sure Schweitzer would want to put it that way.  But, in Jesus,
Schweitzer saw the power available to a person who put his own interests
behind the service of God (by serving humanity).  No doubt you are aware
that he gave up a brillian career as a Biblical scholar to become a physician,
and spent the rest of his life helping people in "third world" countries.

> Could it be so they can avoid meeting the REAL challenge of Christianity 
> - to actually LIVE IT?? 

Excellent point.  While we can debate the picture of Jesus Schweitzer gave
us, his example is a challenge and a rebuke to almost all of us.

	Jeff Gillette		...!duke!phs!lisa
	The Divinity School
	Duke University