Anthroposphy - Anyone know anything about it?

annsni · Mar 12, 2009

Someone is asking on my other board about this. What can any of you tell me about it?

Amy.G · Mar 12, 2009

Here's a /Wiki Article.

Sounds a little Shirley McClain to me. :laugh:

rjprince · Mar 12, 2009

Google it. Lots of stuff on the web about it...

annsni · Mar 12, 2009

I'm googling it and either it's too late for me to be googling it because my brain is asleep or it's just WEIRD and confusing. I've found a few things about it but wondered if anyone knew anything about it.

Man, Christianity is SO much easier!

Amy.G · Mar 12, 2009

annsni said:

I'm googling it and either it's too late for me to be googling it because my brain is asleep or it's just WEIRD and confusing. I've found a few things about it but wondered if anyone knew anything about it.

Man, Christianity is SO much easier!
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What I read was certainly weird and confusing. I was thinking the same thing as you. That stuff is too complicated. I can't figure it out. I'm so glad that God has made it simple for us to understand.

Revmitchell · Mar 12, 2009

Relationship to religion

[edit] The Christ as the center of earthly evolution

Steiner's writing, though appreciative of all religions and cultural developments, emphasizes Western tradition as having evolved to meet contemporary needs.[8] He describes Christ and his mission on earth of bringing individuated consciousness as having a particularly important place in human evolution.[1]

Steiner emphasized his belief that:

* Christianity has evolved out of previous religions;
* The being which manifests in Christianity also manifests in all faiths and religions;
* Each religion is valid and true for the time and cultural context in which it was born;
* The historical forms of Christianity need to be transformed considerably to meet the continuing evolution of humanity.[3]

For Steiner, Christ is a being who unifies all religions. He believed that Christ is not any particular religious faith, but instead is the central force in human evolution. This Christ Being is, according to Steiner, not only the Redeemer of the Fall from Paradise, but also the unique pivot and meaning of earth's evolutionary processes and of human history, which he believed to be manifested in all religions and cultures.[3]

"Spiritual science does not want to usurp the place of Christianity; on the contrary it would like to be instrumental in making Christianity understood. Thus it becomes clear to us through spiritual science that the being whom we call Christ is to be recognized as the center of life on earth, that the Christian religion is the ultimate religion for the earth's whole future. Spiritual science shows us particularly that the pre-Christian religions outgrow their one-sidedness and come together in the Christian faith. It is not the desire of spiritual science to set something else in the place of Christianity; rather it wants to contribute to a deeper, more heartfelt understanding of Christianity."[53]

This view has certain similarities to the concepts of Christogenesis advocated by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.

[edit] Divergence from conventional Christian thought

Steiner's views of Christianity diverge from conventional Christian thought in key places, and include gnostic elements:

* One central point of divergence is Steiner's views on reincarnation and karma.

* Steiner differentiated three contemporary paths by which he believed it possible to arrive at Christ:
o Through heart-filled experiences of the Gospels; Steiner described this as the historically dominant path, but becoming less important in the future.
o Through inner experiences of a spiritual reality; this Steiner regarded as increasingly the path of spiritual or religious seekers today.
o Through initiatory experiences whereby the reality of Christ's death and resurrection are experienced; Steiner believed this to be the path which people will increasingly take.[3]

* Steiner also believed that there were two different Jesus children involved in the Incarnation of the Christ: one child descended from Solomon, as described in the Gospel of Matthew, the other child from Nathan, as described in the Gospel of Luke.[1] (The genealogies given in the two gospels diverge some thirty generations before Jesus' birth, and 'Jesus' was a common name in biblical times.)

* His view of the second coming of Christ is also unusual; he suggested that this would not be a physical reappearance, but that the Christ being would become manifest in non-physical form, visible to spiritual vision and apparent in community life for increasing numbers of people beginning around the year 1933.[54]

* He emphasized his belief that in the future humanity would need to be able to recognize the Spirit of Love in all its genuine forms, regardless of what name would be used to describe this being. He also warned that the traditional name of the Christ might be misused, and the true essence of this being of love ignored.

[edit] The Christian Community

Towards the end of Steiner's life, a group of theology students (Lutheran as well as Catholic) approached Steiner for help in reviving Christianity, in particular "to bridge the widening gulf between modern science and the world of spirit."[1] They approached a notable Lutheran pastor, Friedrich Rittelmeyer, already working with Steiner's ideas to join their efforts. Out of their co-operative endeavor, the Movement for Religious Renewal, now generally known as The Christian Community, was born. Steiner emphasized that this help was given independently of his anthroposophical work,[1] as he saw anthroposophy as independent of any particular religion or religious denomination.[3]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthroposophy
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It is new age to be sure. But I have to say the following says quite a bit:

Applications
Further information: Rudolf Steiner's Breadth of activities

Applications of anthroposophy include:

[edit] Steiner/Waldorf education
Main article: Waldorf education

Out of the anthroposophical movement have come over 900 schools worldwide.[20] These are called Steiner/Waldorf schools or simply Waldorf schools, after the first such school, founded in 1919. Sixteen Waldorf schools in 14 countries have been affiliated with the United Nations' UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network, a program which sponsors education projects which foster improved quality of education throughout the world, in particular in terms of its ethical, cultural and international dimensions.[21] Waldorf schools receive full or partial governmental funding in some European nations, Australia and in parts of the United States (as Waldorf method public or charter schools). Since the first school opened in Germany in 1919, Waldorf education has spread to every continent, and has been characterized as "the leader of the international movement for a New Education,"[22] Schools based on Steiner/Waldorf education are found in a wide variety of communities and cultures: the impoverished favelas of São Paulo[23] and the wealthy suburbs of New York City,[23] in India, Egypt, Australia, Holland and Mexico. Though most of the early Waldorf schools were teacher-founded, the schools today are usually initiated and later supported by an active parent community.[22] Waldorf education is one of the most visible practical applications of an anthroposophical view and understanding of the human being.[24]
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donnA · Mar 12, 2009

* Christianity has evolved out of previous religions;
* The being which manifests in Christianity also manifests in all faiths and religions;
* Each religion is valid and true for the time and cultural context in which it was born;
* The historical forms of Christianity need to be transformed considerably to meet the continuing evolution of humanity.[3]
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well, I have an opinion about this, just not sure what to say, ever have those moments?
this sounds about as anti christian as you can get, certainly a 'religion' of satan, make people think they have evolved past the need for antiquated Christianity. The world ahs bencome more modern, man has become more modern, religion should too. yep, satan alright.

Marcia · Mar 13, 2009

annsni said:

Someone is asking on my other board about this. What can any of you tell me about it?
Click to expand...

I knew some Anthroposophists in Atlanta when I was in the New Age. In fact, my son attended a pre-school taught by a woman who was in the local Anthroposophical Society.

It was founded by Rudolph Steiner (Rev Mitchell posted some info on this), who had been in the Theosophical Society (a group founded by Mme. Blavatsky and largely based on Hindu beliefs along with other stuff mixed in). He left the Theosophical Society and started this group.

I would describe Anthroposophy as an early forerunner to the modern New Age Movement, mixed in with a gnostic form of Christianity. Some of its beliefs seeped into the New Age. The New Age has a lot of gnostic roots, as well as Eastern ones.

Steiner had a philosophy about education and the Walden Schools were founded on his beliefs. These schools exist in the U.S. and there are quite a few of them.

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