During
Whitsun 1908, seven years after he had given the world the first
intimation of the consequences of his turn-of-the-century
Christ-experience in
Christianity as Mystical Fact,
Rudolf Steiner began his great task of renewing humanity's
understanding of the true meaning of the Mystery of Golgotha.
Accordingly, he turned to the deepest, most spiritual Gospel: that of
the Initiate, St. John.
In this
lecture cycle, readers will find that the incarnation, death and
resurrection of the Divine Word or Logos reveals the mission of the
earth to be Love. We learn the secret of the raising of Lazarus, of
the Seven Degrees of Initiation, of the I AM sayings. Listening to
Rudolf Steiner, we come to understand that the Gospel of St. John is
a continuing spiritual presence — to be recalled, meditated,
and permeated with one's life. Doing so, we realize that our
task – the task of human beings — is to become ourselves
Virgin Sophias, receptive to the Holy Spirit.
All of
Steiner's work, as Marie Steiner writes in her introduction,
was to “pave the way to Christ.” Indeed, at the
conclusion of these lectures Rudolf Steiner said: “It will come
to be understood that Christianity is only beginning its influence,
and will fulfill its real mission only when it is understood in its
true, spiritual form.” And he added: “The more these
lectures are understood in this sense, the better they will be
understood as they were intended.”
Rudolf
Steiner (1861–1925) philosopher, scientist, educator, spiritual
researcher and scholar, was the founder of Anthroposophy, a modern
spiritual path or science. Out of his research, he was able to
provide indications for the renewal of many human activities,
including education (the Waldorf movement), agriculture
(Biodynamics), medicine, special education, economics, philosophy,
and religion. In 1924, he founded the General Anthroposophical
Society which now has branches throughout the world.