The spiritual human being

In the spring of 2020 Constanza Kaliks, Claus-Peter Röh and Peter Selg will take on the leadership of the General Anthroposophical Section at the Goetheanum. Their concerns include the human being’s spiritual aspect, anthroposophy as a principle of civilization and making publications on general anthroposophy more visible.

As the new leadership team we are looking forward to starting our cooperation in April 2020. Within the round of Sections, it is anthroposophy itself that forms the central theme of this particular department of the School of Spiritual Science. In this Section, our human essence becomes question and content, for instance in our search for awareness of ourselves as spiritual beings in relation to the world, to destiny, to our spirituality, to our connection with others, or in taking hold of our freedom and responsibility in relation to the spirit of our time.

From the wide range of questions and themes that belong to this Section, we will focus on three particular ones that arise from our spheres of work. Wherever possible, we invite people to join us in this work. There will initially be three main aspects for which the Section leaders will take individual responsibility:

The nineteen Class Lessons and the tasks and questions associated with them (Claus-Peter Röh)

As a spiritual-earthly institution, the School of Spiritual Science is connected with and gives impulses to all the Sections. At the same time it asks about and realizes anthroposophy itself. One essential aspect of this realization of anthroposophy is apparent in the diversity of approaches that have emerged in recent years from Class holders and Class members working together. Where it has been made possible to experience the spiritual levels of the Class Lessons in conjunction with deepening artistic activities, targeted questions and Class conversations, an attitude to knowledge can arise that is based on multiple perspectives. It is this development of diverse forms of working and research projects within the School of Spiritual Science that we would like to increasingly promote.

In addition to the inner work on the Class lessons, the publication, in 1992, of the Class texts and mantras by the Leadership of the School of Spiritual Science has given rise to the question as to how this should be dealt with. One of our goals is to create more open spaces of encounter in the future, where we can have conversations with individuals and groups who are interested in the work of the School of Spiritual Science.

Anthroposophy in a multicultural world and the study of anthroposophy (Constanza Kaliks)

Our main focus will be on creating and promoting possibilities for accessing and studying Rudolf Steiner’s work, for practising independent approaches to it (as in the Goetheanum Studies, for instance), and on the exchange and cooperation with other people and institutions for whom this is a central concern. A question arising increasingly today is how anthroposophy can be explored in dialogue with questions that live in individuals and in society, while considering cultural and social diversities.

One of our projects for the next years is a study into Rudolf Steiner’s Anthroposophical Leading Thoughts and Michael Letters (GA 26), including the provision of a commentary on references within Steiner’s work, annotations regarding authors and facts, a documentation of the historical and cultural context as well as esoteric deepening. Work on this will be done in the form of colloquia and, if possible, lead to the publication of a study edition.

Research into Rudolf Steiner’s work; anthroposophy in relation to today’s cultural developments and challenges (Peter Selg)

From the spring of 2020 onwards, the activities of the Ita Wegman Institute Arlesheim (CH) will form an integral part of the General Anthroposophical Section. These activities will continue to focus on research into Rudolf Steiner’s work and the application of anthroposophical spiritual science to all aspects of modern life and to the challenges of our time. Peter Selg will continue with his research, publication, lecturing and teaching activities, for instance at Witten Herdecke University and Alanus University (both de). In addition, he intends to represent aspects of general anthroposophy in Section conferences and in the spiritual annual cycle of the Goetheanum, and to present, at events and in journals, any new editions of Rudolf Steiner’s lecture cycles (by the Rudolf Steiner Archives or Rudolf Steiner Verlag) as well as important new publications on general anthroposophy.

Section office

The General Anthroposophical Section will have an office that, in addition to questions of Class membership and responsibilities, will deal with the organization of the Section events and conferences that will take place regularly once a year, starting in 2021. Plans so far include conferences on human dignity and its endangerment, on the Leading Thoughts and Michael Letters, and on the idea of destiny in anthroposophy. We are aware that we will not be able to do full justice to the multiple demands, expectations and hopes associated with this Section, but it is our will and endeavour to take concrete steps and we hope to make a positive contribution to the Goetheanum and its School of Spiritual Science.