Approaching the Mystery of Golgotha: Ten Lectures Held in Various Cities in 1913-14: 152 (Collected Works of Rudolf Steiner) - Softcover

Steiner, Rudolf

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0880106069 ISBN 13: 9780880106061

Publisher: SteinerBooks, Inc, 2006

Synopsis

10 lectures, various cities, 1913-1914 (CW 152)

"The fear of the purely spiritual that is present in every person...belongs to the depths of the soul. This fear is the result of Ahriman's influence and would not exist had Ahriman not gained power over the souls of human beings. People are mostly unconscious of this fear because it works in the deepest foundations of the soul and plays no role in what they can reckon with in their everyday consciousness. Meanwhile, the fear of the spiritual knocks on the door of their ordinary consciousness without their knowing what it is that disquiets them from the depth of their souls. Then they look for something that has an anesthetic effect, something to dull this fear they want no part of. They find the anesthetic in materialistic thoughts, theories, and ideas. Materialistic theories are not invented on logical grounds, although one might believe this to be the case. They are conceived out of a fear of the spiritual, which is the result of Ahriman's influence on the soul." -- Rudolf Steiner (May 1, 1913)

In February of 1913--a landmark year for Rudolf Steiner and Anthroposophy--the first General Meeting of the Anthroposophical Society was held. In September, the Foundation Stone for the Goetheanum was laid in Dornach. The ground for Anthroposophy as we know it today was established.

Such is the background for the remarkable lectures contained in this volume. Outwardly, they begin to set the record straight. Inwardly, they seek to establish a right relationship of service to Christ and the spiritual worlds in accord with the spirit of the times, the archangel Michael. For the first time, Rudolf Steiner reveals openly the need for a true "Michael School" and that he and Anthroposophy, the fruit of his spiritual research, are earthly representatives of Michael.

Christ and Michael are the explicit guiding lights of this collection, which itself represents a profound act of Christ-Michael service. With courage, devotion, and conviction, Rudolf Steiner, now free and independent, the "teacher" of his own "school," sets about unveiling the truth and reality, as he knows it. Again and again, he returns to the sacrificial deeds of Christ--creative, sustaining, and enabling our humanity--before, during, and after Golgotha.

The teaching at the heart of this volume, as it is at the heart of the Christ, is selflessness: the overcoming of egotism and the primacy of the other. "We must become selfless--that is the task of culture today for the future. Human beings must become more and more selfless. Therein lies the future of right moral life actions, the future of all acts of love that can occur through earthly humanity."

Approaching the Mystery of Golgotha is the first complete English translation of «Vorstufen zum Mysterium von Golgatha» (GA 152).

About this title

About the Authors

Rudolf Steiner (b. Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner, 1861-1925) was born in the small village of Kraljevec, Austro-Hungarian Empire (now in Croatia), where he grew up. As a young man, he lived in Weimar and Berlin, where he became a well-published scientific, literary, and philosophical scholar, known especially for his work with Goethe's scientific writings. Steiner termed his spiritual philosophy anthroposophy, meaning "wisdom of the human being." As an exceptionally developed seer, he based his work on direct knowledge and perception of spiritual dimensions. He initiated a modern, universal "spiritual science" that is accessible to anyone willing to exercise clear and unbiased thinking. From his spiritual investigations, Steiner provided suggestions for the renewal of numerous activities, including education (general and for special needs), agriculture, medicine, economics, architecture, science, philosophy, Christianity, and the arts. There are currently thousands of schools, clinics, farms, and initiatives in other fields that involve practical work based on the principles Steiner developed. His many published works feature his research into the spiritual nature of human beings, the evolution of the world and humanity, and methods for personal development. He wrote some thirty books and delivered more than six thousand lectures throughout much of Europe. In 1924, Steiner founded the General Anthroposophical Society, which today has branches around the world.

Christopher Bamford (1943-2022) was born in Cardiff, South Wales, and lived for a while in Hungary and then in Scotland. He studied as an undergraduate at Trinity University in Dublin and earned his master's degree at the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania. For nearly thirty years, he was Editor in Chief at SteinerBooks (Anthroposophic Press) and its imprints. A Fellow of the Lindisfarne Association, he lectured, taught, and wrote widely on Western spiritual and esoteric traditions. His books include a selection of his numerous introductions, Encountering Rudolf Steiner: Introductions to Essential Works (2022); Healing Madonnas: Exploring the Sequence of Madonna Images Created by Rudolf Steiner and Felix Peipers for Use in Therapy and Meditation (2017); An Endless Trace: The Passionate Pursuit of Wisdom in the West (2003); and The Voice of the Eagle: The Heart of Celtic Christianity (1990). He also translated and edited numerous books, including Homage to Pythagoras: Rediscovering Sacred Science (2001); The Noble Traveller: The Life and Writings of O. V. de L. Milosz (1984); and Celtic Christianity: Ecology and Holiness (1982). Essays by Mr. Bamford are included in The Best Spiritual Writing 2000 ("In the Presence of Death") and The Best American Spiritual Writing 2005 ("The Gift of the Call"). Christopher passed over the threshold on May 13, 2022, at his Mt. Washington, Massachusetts home.

Edition details

• Publisher: SteinerBooks, Inc
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0880106069
• ISBN 13: 9780880106061
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 208