St. Albert the Great

Born: c. 1200

Died: November 15, 1280

Feast day: November 15

Patron saint of: scientists, philosophers, medical technicians

At a time when we have so many questions about science, education, and society, reflecting on the life of Albert the Great is like looking into the past to see the future. The intellectuals of his time were searching for answers to questions by looking beyond our ephemeral lives on earth. Subsequently all medieval teaching was in the hands of the church and was related to theology. Albert, however, complemented theology with science so that they could cooperate toward the search for truth.

Unfortunately, we live in a time when many perceive science as the adversary of theology. I’m certain that this notion would have perplexed Albert even more than it does me.

Albert presented science as a method for discovering reliable knowledge and not merely as a collection of facts, concepts, and ideas about nature. Scientific thinking, according to Albert, is a method that can be applied beyond its ordinary subjects.

—Edwin P. Christmann