The Quest of the Historical Jesus: The First Complete Edition (Fortress Classics in Biblical Studies)

A monument in historical Jesus studiesIn this revised translation and retrieval of the full text of the revised German edition, Schweitzer describes and critiques eighteenth and nineteenth century attempts at retrieving the "Jesus of history" and stands at the crossroads of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries to bring closure to the former, and to open the latter for New Testament scholarship. Schweitzer saw the problems of historiography, theology, and politics in the ways the issues were formulated and the answers proposed and refocused attention on Jesus' "eschatology" in a way abandoned by his predecessors. Issues of the messianic secret, the nature of the kingdom of God, and Jesus' mission are addressed.

Because of the new invigorated study of Jesus in his first-century context, informed readers will desire Schweitzer as a reference point for the mistakes of the past and the possibilitites of new directions.

Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965) was born in Alsace. He was Professor of Theology at the Theological Seminary of St. Thomas in Strasbourg. Schweitzer spent most of his life as a physician in Gabon, Africa, inthe village of Lambarene; and in 1953 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. He authored numerous works, including the renowned The Mystery of the Kingdom of God, The Mysticism of Paul the Apostle, and Out of My Life and Thought.