Von Reimarus zu Wrede

Originally published in 1906 under the title 'Geschichte der Leben-Jesu-Forschung', this landmark work by Albert Schweitzer serves as a comprehensive historiographical survey of the academic quest for the historical Jesus. Schweitzer meticulously critiques the work of Enlightenment thinkers and nineteenth-century theologians, specifically focusing on the transition from Hermann Samuel Reimarus to William Wrede. His objective was to demonstrate that previous scholars had largely projected their own subjective ideals onto the figure of Jesus, rather than grounding their research in the apocalyptic reality of the first century.

The book is widely regarded as one of the most significant contributions to twentieth-century theology and New Testament studies. Schweitzer’s central argument—that Jesus was a failed apocalyptic prophet who believed the end of the world was imminent—challenged the prevailing liberal theological consensus of his time. The text remains a foundational piece of literature for students of modern religious history, and this specific edition serves as an accessible reprint of the original German discourse, preserving Schweitzer’s rigorous analytical framework for a contemporary audience.