Rudolf Steiner and the Anthroposophical Movement

The picture here is of the Goetheanum, the world headquarters of the Anthroposophical Society, named after Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the German poet-scientist who was a major reference for Rudolf Steiner, whose works Steiner also edited when only 21 years old.

History, purposes and expectations

While the fruits of Steiner’s work, and anthroposophy (or spiritual science) in particular, are available to anyone interested, they only come to life when shared and developed in community with others. This is the principal purpose of the Anthroposophical Society: to provide a forum and venue for this meeting of minds.

The Anthroposophical Society, originally founded in Germany in 1912, was refounded by Rudolf Steiner at Christmas 1923 in a way designed to overcome the traditional separation between inner and outer life: from now on ‘the principle of initiation is to be the principle of civilisation.’ The Society now comprises groups and branches in many parts of the world, with over 35 country groups and many others connected directly to the Society’s headquarters at the Goetheanum, near Basel, Switzerland.

Membership of the Society can be seen as offering two steps of engagement regarding anthroposophy and spiritual science. Signifying recognition of these as a main reference in one’s life, the first step is to join the Society – something, however, that entails no responsibility for either. In contrast, the second step occurs when in one’s biography one decides to represent both and so joins the School in its first, of three, classes, becoming, in Rudolf Steiner’s words, a ‘representant’ of anthroposophy and spiritual science.

In the long run of human development, the Anthroposophical Society offers a step towards a future human family, where, beyond consanguinity, the self is based on itself and respect for the selves of others.