Evening star., 1948-07-04
Psychiotrist's
Case History
OfJesus
THE PSYCHIATRIC STUDY
IENYnH

OF Jesus
THE PSYCHIATRIC STUDY
OF JESUS
BY Albert Schweitzer. Forewore
by Winfred Overholser, M. D
deacon Press; $2J
Reviewed by
CARTER BROOKE JONES.
Albert Schweitzer is an amaz.
ing person. He holds doctors
degrees in philosophy, theology
and music, and has attained
eminence in each of these fields
He was born in Alsace, and II
1918, when he was still young, h
went to French Equatorial South
Africa to set UP a medical mission
for natives. Today, at 70, he still
ministers to the sick of severa
tribes, though his little mission has
grown into a 300-bed hospital, anc
he has a staff of doctors and nurses
Twenty years ago he published THE
Philosophy of Civilization" 1t was
called a prophecy of doom, because
he felt that our materialistic civil
ization was headed for chaos unless
1t was suffused with new spiritual
values, but the book received the re-
spectful attention of scholars every
where. DR.. SchWeitzer still practices
medicine. writes philosophy, breaches
to the natives and plays a piano
with organ pedals The piano was
the gift of the Paris Bach Society
In memory of a day when he was
considered the best interpreter OF
the master in Europe.
Last year Albert Schweitzer: Ar
Anthology" was published in this
country-a biography of "the jungle
philosopher" and selection from
his writings. The Psychiatric Study
of Jesus" dates back to 1918, but this
is the first English translation, and
the renewed interest in the human
itarian-philosopher accounts for its
publication at this time.
The study Of Jesus stems from
the early days of the Freudian
psychiatry, when it became the
mode to write psychoanalyses OF
famous men. 1t was said, for in
stance, that Alexander, Caesar and
Napoleon were epileptics and ex-
hibited mental disorders typical OF
some sufferers from that disease
A determined effort to tear dowr
not only the divinity of Christ, bu
to represent Him as a bewildered
deluded person is identified with {
school of German philosophy ant
psychology. although not all it.
teachers were Germans. Several doc
tors wrote books proving to thei
satisfaction that Jesus of Nazeretl
suffered from paranoia.
Contrary to Practice.
DR.. SchWeitzer says at the outse
OF this terse, lucid exposition tha
the practice of passing on the men
tality of significant personalities OF
the basis of their works has fallel
into disrepute (and that was 8
years ago.. ITO form a judgmen
about any person on the sole basis o
his acts" he explains, lis contrar.
to all psychiatric practice ant
has always something suspicious
about it."
But he goes on to sift the claim!
of the four psychiatrists about tht
Messiah. They saw only paranoia il
His experiences and messages to Hi
disciples and to the world. They re
garded His belief that He was th'
Son of God as delusion, the super
natural voices and appearance tina
came to him at times as hallucina
tions typical of paranoia. At leas
one of these learned doctors though
Jesus also was under the influences
of another paranoid psychotic-Johl
the Baptist!
DR.. SchWeitzer takes apart thes
contentious on strictly logica
grounds. He argues as theologial
without belief in the Messiani
Christ. He says that Jesus expressed
during His brief ministry only th'
legends and superstitions of Hi
times-the ancient Hebrew theolog.
colored by later events. He saw il
Himself fulfillment of the prophecie
of One who would come as a maj
among the Jews and bring then
salvation. But the author stresse
that Jesus expected His kingdom II
come after His sacrificial death, no
before.
DR.. Schweitzer doubts the authen
ITCHY of the voice from heavel
heard at the baptism of Jesus in th'
Jordan. But even assuming that thi
and the appearance of the devil il
the wilderness were historical, tn,
doctor contends, such "hallucina
tions" would not prove anything
for many mentally healthy individu'
ais have had such experiences undel
stress of emotion.
The psychiatrist questions tn,
accuracy of the beautiful account O.
the nativity in st. Luke. In fact
DR.. SchWeitzer doubts much more
He rejects as unhistorical the ap
pearance of the 12-year-old Jesu
before the doctors in the temple