Anthroposophy: Encyclopedia II - Anthroposophy - History

Anthroposophy - History

In his early twenties, Steiner was asked to edit Goethe's scientific writings for a major publication of that writer's complete works. In the course of this work, Steiner began publishing various works that foreshadowed his later ideas, but were still set within the philosophical and scientific framework of his age: chiefly Goethe's Conception of the World and his commentaries on Goethe's scientific essays. His first masterwork, Die Philosophie der Freiheit (translated variously as The Philosophy of Spiritual Activity, The Philosophy of Freedom, or Intuitive Thinking as a Spiritual Path), was published when he was in his early thirties. Here, Steiner set forth a conception of free will that was strongly founded upon inner experiences, especially those that occur in independent thought, without any explicit references to the potentially spiritual nature of these experiences. His first reference to 'anthroposophy' dates from this early period.

Steiner's further development led him further and further into explicitly spiritual philosophical studies. These studies were chiefly interesting to others who were already oriented towards spiritual ideas; chief amongst these, at least in Steiner's middle phase of development, was the Theosophical Society. He was asked to lead the German section of this primarily Anglo-American group. His work was distinct from that of most other members of the Society (exceptions included Bertram Kingsley in England) and both he and the then president of the Theosophical Society appear to have 'agreed to disagree' in an at first harmonious way. By 1907, however, there was a growing split between the group around Steiner, who was trying to develop a path that embraced such cornerstones of Western civilizations as Christianity and natural science, and the mainstream Theosophical Society, which was oriented toward an Eastern, and especially Indian, approach.

The Anthroposophical Society was formed in 1912 after Steiner left the Theosophical Society Adyar over differences with its leader, Annie Besant. She intended to present to the world the child Jiddu Krishnamurti as Christ reincarnated. Steiner strongly objected, and considered any equation between Krishnamurti and Christ to be nonsense (as did Krishnamurti himself once he had reached adulthood). This and the philosophical differences mentioned above led Steiner to leave the Theosophical Society. He was followed by a large number of members of the Theosophical Society's German Section, of which he had been secretary. Members of other national chapters of the Theosophical Society followed.

By this time, Steiner had reached considerable stature as a spiritual teacher. He claimed to have direct experiences of the Akashic Records (by Steiner sometimes called the "Akasha Chronicle"), a spiritual chronicle of the history and pre-history of the world encoded in the aether, and allegedly available to anyone who takes the time to develop sufficient powers of spiritual vision. Sound vision could be developed, Steiner said, in part by practicing rigorous forms of ethical and cognitive self-discipline, concentration and meditation. However, no anthroposophist since Steiner has yet claimed to be able to read the Akashic Records to any great degree. According to Steiner, one's ethical development must precede the development of spiritual faculties. By all accounts, Steiner was an unusually upright and ethical human being who fostered an atmosphere of freedom, tolerance, creativity and humor in all his personal and work relationships.

By 1912, a flowering of artistic work inspired by Steiner and the anthroposophical movement was well underway. New directions in drama, painting, sculpture, artistic movement and architecture all came together in a grand theatre center, the First Goetheanum, built in the years 1913-1920. To a significant extent this was built by volunteers from many countries and much of the work was accomplished during the First World War. The international community of workers, artists and scientists that came together around the project in neutral Switzerland existed in sharp contrast to the war-torn European nations around.

After World War I, the anthroposophical movement took on new directions. Practical projects such as schools, centers for the handicapped, organic farms and medical clinics were established, all inspired by anthroposophical research. Each of these used ideas that seemed radical at the time; many of these ideas - such as organic agriculture - are now, nearly a century later, appreciated as important directions for our society's future development.

Steiner died in 1925, but anthroposophical work has continued in all of the areas established during his lifetime as well as in many new projects established since. Seminars, artistic trainings, and institutions such as schools, banks, farms and clinics flourish throughout the world, all inspired by the idea that spiritual work can be systematically and methodically pursued in harmony with outer endeavors.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "History", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki