He was born to a pious German woman and her Lutheran pastor husband in 1875. Raised in a Christian environment by educated parents, it was not unexpected when he began to study theology and philosophy at the university. He was a brilliant student and achieved doctorates in both disciplines by the time he had reached his early 20s. As an academic he was well known, especially in his immediate range of colleagues. In 1910, however, he wrote a book, The Quest for the Historical Jesus. This was an effort to apply historical criticism to the gospel narratives. The book made him an international celebrity in theology almost overnight.
He was at the top of his field, so it surprised many when he changed careers. But he felt that God called him to do something different, to dedicate himself to music. As a young man he had toyed with the idea of being a professional musician. Now, as he approached the age of 40, he began to tour the major European cities as a concert organist. His interpretation of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, both on the concert stage and on some of the first phonographic recordings, was unequaled in his day.
After conquering two different disciplines, theology and musical performance, he again felt called by God to change directions. This time the shift was more radical; he became a medical missionary in Africa. The challenge would be great, but he went with confidence that all would be provided. French Equatorial Africa had only been “opened” by Christian missionaries a few decades previously. In the 1920s, he established a hospital on the Gonge River in the nati
