Saint Albert the Great: Patron of the Sciences

How faith and science came together in the life of this Doctor of the Church 

St. Albert the Great was born in 1200 in Germany into a military family. As a young man, Albert went to study at the University of Padua. There he first encountered philosophy and the writings of Aristotle; this would become the foundation of his later works, and would influence St. Thomas Aquinas, one of his most famous pupils. During his time at the University of Padua, Albert was deeply moved by the influence of the Dominicans there, and experienced an encounter with the Blessed Virgin Mary. This motivated him to become a member of the Dominican Order and go on to study theology. 

Among his teaching orders, St. Albert lectured in theology at the University of Paris and established houses of study in Cologne; at the University of Paris, Thomas Aquinas studied under Albert. During this time, Albert continued to study Aristotle, and wrote commentaries on many of his works. Albert also studied the teachings of many other Muslim scholars in science and medicine, who led the field at this time. In 1259, both Albert and Thomas Aquinas participated in the General Chapter of Dominicas and helped created a program of study for philosophy for the Dominican order; this program would later help in the development of the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, or the Angelicum, as a Dominican-run college for theology. 

Albert would go to become bishop of Regensburg, and after three years he was called to be an adviser to the pope, but would go on to retire shortly after. In these later years of his life in Cologne, Albert grew in his studies as a scientist; he performed experiments in chemistry, physics, botany, and even engineering, aiding in construction and design for a cathedral in Cologne. Albert wrote thirty eight volumes in his life on topics ranging from philosophy and theology to geography and astronomy to law and friendship. One of the great thoughts that Albert left for us to reflect on is how creation is a form of communication with God. As Pope Benedict XVI said, Albert believed that even the smallest piece of scientific knowledge told us something about God, and that “scientific study is then transformed into a hymn of praise.” He saw no opposition between science and faith, but rather that faith formed science to have a greater understanding of the world. 

St. Thomas Aquinas died in 1274, and during this time until the end of his life, Albert spent his years defending the work of his late pupil, helping it become some of the most important and well-known work of the Church. St. Albert died on November 15, 1280, and his remains are kept in St. Andreas Church in Cologne. He is known as the patron saint of scientists, philosophers, and natural sciences. He is known as “the Great”  because many in his life called him a “wonder” or a “miracle” of his time. Pope Benedict XVI gave a reflection on him, saying: “He still has a lot to teach us. Above all, St Albert shows that there is no opposition between faith and science, despite certain episodes of misunderstanding that have been recorded in history. A man of faith and prayer, as was St. Albert the Great, can serenely foster the study of the natural sciences and progress in knowledge of the micro- and macrocosm, discovering the laws proper to the subject, since all this contributes to fostering thirst for and love of God … St. Albert the Great reminds us that there is friendship between science and faith and that through their vocation to the study of nature, scientists can take an authentic and fascinating path of holiness.” May we continue to learn from the greatness of St. Albert’s life, and may he intercede for us in our endeavors!