Theophrastus Bombastus Von Hohenheim: Theological Reformer, Philosopher and Physician

Theophrastus Bombastus Von Hohenheim (1493–1541), known as Paracelsus, was a German-Swiss Renaissance man. His interests included alchemy and medicine. During the early 1500s, he worked as a physician, introducing mineral-based therapies to treat ailments. He is credited with developing the first recipe for laudanum, a powerful opium-based pain medication. He had radical beliefs, claiming that supreme knowledge could be reached by observing nature, not by reading books. He expressed rebellious opinions on religious topics and, though devoted Christian, criticized the Catholic Church, preaching that the spirit of Christianity dwells in the human soul and not within the church walls. Paracelsus’ efforts to “renovate” the expression of the Christian faith by limiting the ritual and augmenting the spirituality among believers are presented.