Materialism and the Task of Anthroposophy
GA 204
17 April 1921, Dornach
Lecture VI
During the last few days, I have tried to show how Western civilization originated and that a significant and mighty turning point can be noted in mankind's overall evolution in the fourth Christian century. It was also necessary to point out how Greece gradually developed in the direction of this twilight, so to speak; how, based on quite different impulses, the civilization of central and western European culture came about, and how a comprehension of Christianity developed under these influences. To begin with, let us try and refer to the facts under consideration once more from a certain different viewpoint.
Christianity originated in the western Orient from the Mystery of Golgotha. Insofar as its specific nature was concerned, Oriental culture certainly was already in decline. The ancient, primordial wisdom existed in its last phases in what developed in Asia Minor and Greece as Gnosticism. The Gnosis, after all, was a form of wisdom that combined, in the most manifold ways, what presented itself to the human being as phenomena of the cosmos and nature. This not withstanding, in comparison to the directly perceived, instinctive insight into the spiritual world that was the foundation of Oriental development, Gnosticism already had a more, shall we say, intellectual, rational character. The spiritual life that permeated all human perception in the ancient Orient was no longer present. It was actually from the last vestiges of the ancient wisdom that people sought to fit together the philosophical and humanistic view that was then employed as a body of wisdom for understanding the Mystery of Golgotha. The substance inherent in the Mystery of Golgotha was clothed in the wisdom retained from the Orient in Greece.
Now let us consider this wisdom from the point of view of spiritual science. If we view human beings as they devoted themselves once upon a time to this wisdom, we find that the main thing in the ancient Orient was that people saw the world with what was active in their astral body, with what they could experience in their soul through their astral body—even though their sentient soul and rational or intellectual soul had already developed. It was the astral body that worked into these soul members and enabled people to actually turn their glance away from the earthly phenomena and to still perceive quite clearly what enters in the spiritual, super-sensible sphere from the cosmos. As yet, human beings did not have a view of the world based on the ego. Their self expressed itself only dimly. For the human being the ego was as yet not an actual question. Human beings dwelled in the astral element, and in it they still lived in a certain harmony with the world phenomena surrounding them. In a sense, the really puzzling world for them was the one they beheld with their eyes, the one that ran its course around them. For them, the comprehensible world was the super-sensible world of the gods, the world in which the spiritual beings had their existence. Human beings looked across to these spiritual beings, to their actions, their destinies. It was indeed the essential characteristic of the view of the ancient Orient that people's attention was directed towards these spiritual worlds. People wished to comprehend the sensory world on the basis of these spiritual worlds.
Today, finding ourselves within our civilization, we take the opposite view. To us, the physical-sensory world is given. Proceeding from it, in one way or another, we try to comprehend the spiritual world—if we attempt that at all, if we do not reject doing so, if we do not remain stuck in pure materialism. The material world is seen as given by us. The ancient Orientals saw the spiritual world as given. On the premise of the physical world, we try to discover something with which to comprehend the wondrousness of the phenomena, the purpose of the structure of the organisms, and so on; based on this physical, sensory world, we try to prove to ourselves the existence of the supersensory world. The ancient Orientals tried to comprehend the physical, sensory environment on the basis of the superphysical, supersensory world given to them. Out of it, they wished to receive light—indeed, they did receive it, and without it, the physical, sensory world was to them only darkness and trepidation. Thus, they also experienced what they sensed to be their innermost being as still completely illuminated by the astral body, as having emerged from the spiritual worlds. People then did not say, I have grown out of earthly life. Rather, they said, I have grown and descended out of divine-spiritual worlds; and the best I bear within me is the recollection of these divine spiritual worlds. Even Plato, the philosopher, speaks of the fact that the human being has insights, memories, of his prenatal life, the life he led prior to descending into the physical material world. The human being certainly viewed his ego as a ray emerging from the light of the super-sensible world. For him, the material world, not the supersensory world, was puzzling.
This world view then had its offshoots in Greece. The Greeks already experienced themselves within the body, but in it they discovered nothing that could have explained this body to them. They still possessed the traditions of the ancient Orient. They viewed themselves in a certain sense as a being that had descended from the spiritual worlds but that in some ways had already lost the awareness of these spiritual worlds. It was actually the final phase of the Oriental life of wisdom that appeared in Greece, and it was on the basis of this world view that the Mystery of Golgotha was to be understood. After all, this Mystery presented the human being with the profound, tremendous problem of life, with the question how the super-sensible, cosmic being from other worlds, the Christ, could have found His way into a human corporeality. The permeation of Jesus by the Christ was the great problem. We see it light up everywhere in the Gnostic endeavors. People had no such insight of their own concerning a link between the super-sensible aspect of their own nature and the sensory-physical element of their being, and because they had no perception of the connection between the soul-spiritual and the corporeal-physical in reference to themselves, the Mystery of Golgotha became an unsolvable problem for the thinking influenced by the Greek world view. It was, however, a problem with which Greek culture struggled and to which it devoted its finest resources of wisdom. History records much too little of the spiritual struggles that took place then.
I have called attention to the fact that the body of Gnostic literature was eradicated. If it were still available, we would be able to discern this tragic struggle for a comprehension of the living union of the super-sensible Christ with the sense-perceptible Jesus; we would observe the development of this extraordinarily profound problem. This struggle was extinguished, however, an end was put to it by the prosaic, abstract attitude originating from Romanism which is only capable of carrying inner devotion into its abstractions by means of whipping up emotions. The Gnosis was covered up and dogmatism and Church Council decisions were put in its place. The profound views of the Orient that contained no juristic element were saturated with a form assumed by Christianity in the more Western world, the Western world of that age, the Roman world.
Christianity emerged from this Romanism imbued, as it were, with the legal element; everywhere, legal concepts moved in as the Roman political concepts spread out over Christianity. Christianity assumed the form of the Roman body politic, and from what was once the world capital, Rome, we see the emergence of the Christian capital city of Rome. We see how this Christian Rome adopts from ancient Rome the special views on how human beings must be governed, how one's rule must be extended over men. We observe how a kind of ecclesiastical imperialism gains ground because Christianity is poured into the Roman form of government. What had been molded in spiritual forms of conception was transformed into a juristic and human polity. For the first time, Christianity and external political science were forged together and Christianity spread out in that form. Such mighty forces and impulses dwell in Christianity that they could, of course, be effective and survive despite the fact that they were poured into the mold of the Roman political system. And as the Roman political system took hold of the Western world, side by side with it, the humble narrations, the factual reports concerning what had taken place in Palestine, continued on.
In this Western world, however, people had been prepared in a quite special way for Christianity. This preparation consisted in the fact that the human being was aware of himself based on his physical nature; he sensed his ego by means of his physical being. Here, the difference became evident between the way Christianity had passed, as it were, through the Greek world, which then declined, and the form of Christianity that then turned into the actually political Christianity, the governmental, Roman Christianity. Then, more from the northern regions, another form of Christianity emerged that was poured into the northern people, called Barbarians by the Greeks and Romans. It streamed into those northern people who due to their nature and in concentrating their own being, so to speak, sensed their ego. Out of the totality of man in the physical-sensory realm, out of the human physical and sensory ego incarnation, they arrived at self-comprehension. Now they also tried to grasp what reached them as a simple story about the events in Palestine. Thus, in this Barbarian world, the humble tale of the events in Palestine encountered the ego-feeling, I would like to say, the blood-ego-feeling, particularly in the central and northern European realm. These two aspects came together. On the premise of this ego comprehension of man, people tried to grasp the simple report of the events in Palestine. They did not wish to comprehend its deeper content. They did not try to permeate it with wisdom. They only tried to draw it into the physical-sensory, human sphere.
In the Heliand,1 Heiland, (meaning “Heiland” or “Savior”), ancient Saxon poetical Gospel work from around A.D. 830. we can observe how these tales concerning the events in Palestine appear drawn completely down to the human level, into the world of European people, the ego-world. We see how everything is brought down to the human level; unlike the way it was in Greece, people later had no ability to penetrate the Mystery of Golgotha with wisdom. The urge developed to picture even the activity of Christ Jesus as humble human activity without looking up into the super-sensible, and increasingly to imbue these tales with the merely human element. Furthermore, into this were fitted the Church Council resolutions spreading out dogmatically from the Roman-Christian Empire. Like two worlds that were alien to one another, these two merged—the Christianity that in a sense had Europeanized the report from Palestine and the Christianity representing the Greek spirit in juristic, Romanized, abstract form. This is what then lived on through the centuries.
Only a few individuals could place themselves into this stream in the manner I described yesterday, when I spoke of the sages who developed the conception of the Grail. They pointed out that the impulse of Christianity had indeed once been couched in Oriental wisdom, but that the bearer of this Oriental view, the sacred vessel of the Grail, could be brought to Europe only by means of divine spirits who hovered above the earth, holding on to it. Only then, so they said, a hidden castle was built for it, the Castle of the Grail on Mont Salvat. To this was added that a human being could only approach the miracles of the Holy Grail through inaccessible regions. Then these sages did not say that the surrounding impassable region a person has to penetrate in order to reach the miracles of the Grail is sixty miles wide. They put it in a much more esoteric way when they described this path to the Holy Grail. They said, Oh, these people of Europe cannot reach the Holy Grail, for the path they must take in order to arrive at the Holy Grail takes as long as the path from birth to death. Only when human beings arrive at the portal of death, having tread the path, impassable for Europeans, the path that extends from birth to death, only then will they arrive at the Castle of the Grail on Mont Salvat.
This was basically the esoteric secret that was conveyed to the pupil. Because the time had not yet come when human beings would be able to discern with a clear consciousness how the spiritual world might once more be discovered, the pupils were told that they could enter into the sacred Castle of the Grail only by way of occasional glimpses of light. In particular, they were given strict injunctions that they had to ask, that the time had come in human development when the human being who does not ask—who does not develop his inner being and does not seek the impulse of truth on his own but remains passive—cannot arrive at an experience of his own self. For man must discover his ego by means of his physical organization. This I, which discovers itself through the physical organization, must in turn raise itself up by its own power in order to behold itself where, even in the early Greek culture, this self was still beheld, in super-sensible worlds. The I must first lift itself up in order to recognize itself as something super-sensible.
In the ancient Orient, people saw what occurred in the astral body; the consequences of former earth lives were beheld in it. This is why one spoke of karma. In Greece, this conception was already obscured. The cosmic events were observed only with dim astral vision. This is why people spoke vaguely of destiny, of fate. This view of destiny is only a diminished, weaker form of the fully concrete conception held by the ancient Orient concerning man's passage through repeated earth lives, the consequences of which make themselves known to experience within the astral body, though only instinctively. Thus, the ancient Orientals could speak of karma developing in the recurring incarnations on earth, the consequences of which were simply present in astral experience.
Now the development moved westward to the ego experience. This experience of the ego was initially tied to the physical body. It was egotistically self-enclosed. The first ego experience dwelled in dullness, even when it contained a strong impulse towards the super-sensible worlds. Parsifal, who undertook his pilgrimage to the Holy Grail, is described as a dim-witted man. It must be clearly understood that when the Mithras worship spread across the West from the Orient, it was rejected by the West; it was not comprehended. For he who sat on the bull, who was to become the victor over the base forces, experienced himself, after all, as emerging from these lower forces. If Western man beheld Mithras riding on the bull, he did not comprehend this being, for this being could not be the one the ego felt and experienced out of its own physical organization. An understanding for this riding Mithras faded away and disappeared.
It can be said that all this had to come to pass, for the ego had to experience its impulse in the physical organization. It had to connect itself firmly with the physical organization, but it must not allow itself to become set in this firm experience within the physical organization.
It was a profound reaction to the Orient's treasures of wisdom, when the West increasingly aimed for what developed out of the purely physical element. This reaction was a necessity. Any number of views did come together in Europe to make this reaction a very strong one. But it was not proper for it to extend into this spiritual striving for more than a few centuries. A new spirituality has indeed emerged since then in the first third of the fifteenth century, but it was an abstract spirituality, a sublimated, filtered spirituality.
Human beings took hold of physical astronomy and physical medicine, and, to begin with, they had to have this stimulus based on the ego impulse sensing itself in the physical element. But it must not continue to become firmly set in European civilization if this European culture wishes to avoid its decline. Truly, more than enough forces of decline are present, vestiges which should only be vestiges and which should be recognized as such.
Just remember how the most up-to-date theology—I have often emphasized this—has lost the faculty for comprehending Christ; increasingly it has arrived at the point of turning Christ Jesus completely into an earth being, a human being. It has put the “humble man from Nazareth”2 Reference to the overall tendency of descriptions of Jesus at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. in the place of Christ Jesus. Proceeding from Romanism, out of a materialistically oriented principle of authority, the living spirituality, by means of which the human being can really become familiar with the Mystery of Golgotha, was lost more and more. And observe how in modern times a science is developing that tries to comprehend everything external but that does not wish to penetrate to the human being. As a result of this science, see how impulses arise in society that try only to bring about a human, physical order but that do not want to penetrate the human, physical structures with any divine-spiritual, supersensory, spiritual principle.
During all this it is as if in human souls, in a few human souls, there remained an individual glimpse of light. When a ray of the astral element still dwelling within them combined with the ego, these individuals received such glimpses of light. It is part of the most impressive phenomena of modern Europe when we observe how, out of the East, there resounds a mighty admonition in the religious philosophy of Soloviev,3 Vladimir Soloviev, 1853–1900, Russian philosopher and poet. a religious philosophy steeped, so to speak, in Eastern sultriness. But something resounds from there to the effect that a super-sensible, spiritual element must permeate the earthly social order. In a sense, we see how Soloviev dreams of a kind of Christ-state. He is capable of that because within him are the last vestiges of a subjective astral experience illuminating the ego.
Compare these dreams of a Christ-permeated state with what has been established in the East accompanied by the negation of all spiritual elements, something that harbors only forces of decline—what an overwhelming, colossal contrast! The world should pay attention to such a colossal contrast. If people had already today sufficient objectivity to observe these things, they would be able to see, on the one hand, the one who raises the demand of the Christ-permeated state, the Christ-permeated social structure, Soloviev. They would view him as somebody still stimulated by the Oriental element and casting, so to speak, a final spark into this Europe growing torpid, in order to revive it again from this viewpoint. On the other hand, Czar Nicholas or his predecessors could well be placed together with Czar Lenin; the fact that they give vent to different ideas in the historical development of mankind does not constitute a fundamental difference between them. What matters are the forces living in them and shaping the world, and the same forces dwell in Lenin that dwell in the Russian Czar; there really is no fundamental difference. It is naturally difficult to find one's way within this melee of forces that extend into European civilization from earlier times. Initially, it is indeed a melee of forces and a firm direction must be sought. Such a firm direction can be found in no other way than by lifting the ego up to a spiritual comprehension of the world. Through a spiritual comprehension of the world, the Christian impulse must be reborn. What has been striven for in regard to the external world since the first third of the fifteenth century must be striven for in reference to the totality of the human being; the whole human being has to be understood based on the knowledge of the world.
The comprehension of the world must be viewed in harmony with the understanding of humanity. We must understand the earth evolution in phases, in metamorphoses. We have to look at earlier embodiments of our earth, but we must not consider a primordial nebula devoid of human beings. We have to look at Saturn, sun, and moon as already permeated with the activity of human beings; we must observe how the present structure of the human being originated from the earlier metamorphoses of the planet earth and how the human form in an early phase was likewise active there. We must recognize the human being in the world, and out of this knowledge of man in the world an understanding of the Mystery of Golgotha can well up once again. Human beings must learn to understand why an impassable region surrounds the Castle of the Grail, why the path between birth and death is difficult terrain. When they understand why it is difficult, when they grasp that the ego experiences itself based on the physical organization, when they sense how impossible a merely physical astronomy, a merely physical medicine are, then they themselves will clear the paths. Then people will bring something into this hitherto difficult terrain between birth and death that comes into being through their own soul efforts.
Out of the substance of the soul and spirit, human beings have to fashion the tools with which to break the ground on the field, the soul-field, leading to the Castle of the Grail, to the Mystery of Bread and Blood, to the fulfillment of the words, “Do this in remembrance of me” [Luke 22:19]. For this remembrance has been forgotten; people are no longer aware of what dwells in the words, “Do this in remembrance of me.” For this is truly done in remembrance of the mighty moment of Golgotha if the symbol of the bread, that is what develops out of the earth through the synthesis of cosmic forces is understood. It is done rightly if we understand once again how to comprehend the world through a spiritualized cosmology and astronomy, and if we learn to comprehend the human being based on what his extract is, namely, the element where the spiritual directly intervenes in him—if we grasp the Mystery of the Blood. Through work on the inner being of human souls the path must be discovered that leads to the Holy Grail. This is a task of cognition, this is a social task. It is also a task that, to the greatest extent possible, is hated in the present
For due to being placed within the ego education of Western civilization, human beings develop above all a longing to remain passive inwardly in the soul, not to allow earthly existence to give to them what could bring progress to their souls. The active taking hold of the soul forces, the inward experiencing, and this does not necessarily mean occult development but merely the experience of soul nature in general; yet this is something European humanity does not like. Instead, it wishes to continue what was natural for the epoch directly preceding it, namely, the ego development, which does, however, lead to the most blatant egotism, to the blindest raging of instincts, when it is extended beyond its own age. This ego feeling, extending beyond the time properly assigned to it, first of all has penetrated the sentiments of national chauvinism. It appears in national chauvinism; from these feelings arise the spirits who wish to keep the path to the Holy Grail in an impassable condition. But it is our obligation to do everything that can be done in order to call human souls to activity in the area of knowledge as well as in the social sphere. Yet, all those forces filled with hatred against such activity of the soul emerge in opposition to such a call. After all, haven't people been conditioned long enough so that they concluded, We must consider heretical all our own soul efforts to free ourselves from guilt; we must properly cultivate the awareness of sin and guilt, for we must not progress by means of our own efforts, but must be redeemed in passivity through Christ?
We fail to understand Christ if we do not recognize Him as the cosmic power that completely unites with us when through questions and inner activity we work our way through to Him. Everywhere today, from the denominations, from theology and those who were always connected to theology, from the military and science—from all this we see arise those powers today that try to obstruct the path of inner activity.
For a long time, I have had to call attention to the fact that this is the case, and I have had to say again and again: the arising opposing powers will become more and more vehement. Indeed, to this day this has certainly come true. It is definitely not possible to say that the opposition has already reached its greatest strength. Not by a long shot has it attained its culmination. This opposition has a strong, organizing power in concentrating together all the elements that, while they are in reality destined to decline, can obstruct in their very decline for the time being everything working with the forces of upward striving progress. The forces fostering the activity of souls are weak today in comparison to the opposing elements. Those forces that, based on the comprehension of the spiritual world, try to turn the progressive forces into forces of their own soul are weak. The world has taken on an ahrimanic character. For it was inevitable that the ego, having comprehended itself in the physical element, is taken hold of by ahrimanic forces if it remains in the physical element and does not lift itself up at the right time to a spiritual understanding of itself as a spiritual being. Indeed, we see this process of usurpation by the ahrimanic powers; we observe it in the fact that, little as the sleepy souls would be willing to admit this, an actual tendency towards evil is making itself felt everywhere today.
An inclination towards evil is clearly noticeable, for example, in the manner opponents fight against anthroposophical spiritual science and everything related to it. From the most questionable sources come the means with which individuals battle today against spiritual science, even individuals who enjoy a prestigious standing in the world in scientific or theological circles. The truth is not what people are concerned with. It is only a matter of what slander suits these individuals best and what they like better. It is truly a matter of humanity being strongly possessed by the forces of evil, by a love for evil. Those who are unable today to reckon with this tendency for evil, with this ever increasing love for evil in the battle against anthroposophy, will not be able to develop a feeling, an awareness of the kind of opposing forces and powers that will yet arise in the future. For years, reference has been made to this ever-increasing development. If nothing more can be attained than a clear feeling of it, then this clear feeling, which is, after all, also a force, must at least be maintained. We have to look into the world and be aware of the way it surrounds us. With a sober mind we must realize what is really facing us in the filthy slander that is now emerging from among our opponents and that is the more impressive the more tarnished its source.
It is really necessary to become acquainted with this particular tendency, with this love of evil, that will become more and more prevalent. It is truly necessary not to wallow groggily in excuses that the opponents are convinced of what they say. Do you really believe that in individuals such as the one who has emerged as the newest opponent against anthroposophical spiritual science even the possibility for an inner force of conviction is present? Not even the possibility of conviction is present in him. He acts out of quite different deeper motives. It is indeed a clever move to seek particularly in this direction, to seek for the manner of viewing things that is based on fooling the opponent. Who is the better commander? He who can best fool the enemy! But when this principle is transferred to the means of battling against truth, then such a battle is a battle of the lie, of the personified lie against truth. We must realize that this battle of the personified lie against truth is capable of anything, that it will definitely attempt to take away from us what we have tried and are still trying to attain in the way of outward supports in order to find bearers of truth in this civilization. It is not exaggerated to say that there exists the most profound and thoroughgoing wish to deprive us of the Waldorf School and this building.4 Reference to the first Waldorf School, established in Stuttgart in 1919, and the first Goetheanum. And if we pay no attention to this; if we do not even develop in us a feeling concerning the ways and means of this opposition, then we remain sleeping souls. Then we do not take hold with inner alertness of what is trying to pour forth out of anthroposophical spiritual science.
Basically, we should not be surprised now that the opponents could turn out the way they did for that could have been known long ago. The overwhelming impression for us today certainly is that there are too few individuals who can be active representatives of our spiritual movement. It is generally still easier to be effective among human beings by means of force, control, and injustice than by means of freedom. The truth that is to be proclaimed through anthroposophical spiritual science is permitted to count only on human freedom. It must find people who ask questions. One certainly cannot say, Why doesn't this truth possess in itself the strength to compel human souls by virtue of divine-spiritual power? It does not wish to do that; it cannot do that. The reason is that it will always consider inner freedom, the freedom of the human being in general, to be something absolutely inviolable. If the human being is to come to anthroposophy out of his own judgment, he must become one who asks questions; out of the innermost freedom of judgment he must convince himself. The word of spiritual truth will be spoken to him; convincing himself of it is something he must do on his own. If he wishes to cooperate and be active in society, he must do so out of the innermost impulse of his heart. Those who belong in the truest sense of the word to anthroposophical spiritual science must become people who ask questions.
What do we encounter on the side of the opposition? Do not believe that only those who band together who are in some way one-sided in any one creed. No, in a Catholic church in Stuttgart, a sermon tells its listeners, Go to the lecture by Herr von Gleich.5 Gleich completed his lecture of April 6, 1921, in Stuttgart with a quote from a song by Martin Luther. On the day before, a Jesuit, Sorel, had recommended that people attend this lecture. There you can invigorate your Catholic souls and can vanquish the opponents of your Catholic souls! And these Catholic souls go there; the Catholic, General von Gleich, gives a lecture and concludes with a song by Martin Luther! A fine union of one side and the other—the opponents organize as one! It certainly matters not if they agree in any way in their faith, their convictions.
For us, what matters is the strength to stand firmly on the ground of what we recognize as right. Yes, nothing will be left undone to undermine this ground; of this you can be sure. I had to bring this up one more time, particularly in connection with the considerations concerning the course taken by European civilization; for it is necessary that at least the intention develops to place oneself firmly on the ground we must recognize as the right one. It is also necessary that among ourselves we do not give ourselves up to the popular illusions concerning the various oppositions. Their aim is to undermine the ground we stand on. It is up to us to work as much as is humanly possible, and then, if the ground under us should become undermined and we do slide down into the chasm, our efforts will nevertheless have been such that they will find their spiritual path through the world. For what appears now are the last convulsions of a dying world. But even if it is in its last throes of death, this world can still strike out like a raving maniac, and one can lose one's life due to this frantic lashing out. This is why we must at least recognize what kind of impulses give rise to this mad lashing out. Nothing can be achieved by what is timid; we must appeal to what is bold. Let us try to measure up to such an appeal!
I had to include this so that you would sense that we face an important, significant, and decisive moment, and that we have to consider how we are to find the strength to persevere.
Sechster Vortrag
[ 1 ] In diesen Tagen habe ich mich bemüht, zu zeigen, wie die abendländische Zivilisation entstanden ist, wie ein bedeutsamer, ein gewaltiger Einschnitt in der Menschheitsentwickelung überhaupt zu verzeichnen ist im 4. nachchristlichen Jahrhundert, und es ist notwendig gewesen, darauf hinzuweisen, wie das Griechentum allmählich gewissermaßen zu dieser Abenddämmerung hin sich entwickelt hat, wie dann aus ganz anderen Impulsen heraus die Mittel- und Westeuropäische Zivilisation entstanden ist, und wie die Auffassung des Christentums sich unter diesen Einflüssen herausgebildet hat. Versuchen wir zunächst von einem gewissen anderen Gesichtspunkte aus noch einmal auf die entsprechenden Tatsachen hinzuweisen. Das Christentum entsteht im westlichen Orient aus dem Mysterium von Golgatha heraus. Die orientalische Kultur war in ihrer besonderen Eigenart schon durchaus im Sinken. Die alte Urweisheit war in ihren letzten Phasen vorhanden in dem, was sich herausbildete gegen Vorderasien, Griechenland zu als Gnosis. Diese Gnosis war immerhin noch eine solche Weisheit, welche in der verschiedensten Art zusammenfaßte, was dem Menschen vorlag an Welt- und Naturetscheinungen. Sie hatte aber doch schon im Verhältnis zu dem unmittelbaren anschaulich-instinktiven Einblicke in die geistige Welt, der eigentlich der orientalischen Entwickelung zugrunde lag, sie hatte demgegenüber einen schon mehr, man könnte sagen intellektuellen, verstandesmäßigen Charakter. Es war das geistige Leben, das im alten Orient alles menschliche Anschauen durchdrang, nicht mehr vorhanden. Und eigentlich aus den letzten Resten der alten Urweisheit heraus suchte man jene philosophisch-menschliche Anschauung zusammenzusetzen, die man als Weisheitsgut anwendete, um das Mysterium von Golgatha zu verstehen. Es wurde gekleidet dasjenige, was im Mysterium von Golgatha lag, in die Weisheit, die sich. ins Griechentum herüber vom Orient gerettet hatte. Nun fassen wir einmal diese Weisheit ganz im geisteswissenschaftlichen Sinne auf. Wenn wir den Menschen betrachten wollen, so wie er sich dieser Weisheit einstmals hingegeben hat, so finden wir, daß im alten Orient das Wesentliche doch war, daß der Mensch mit dem, was in ihm sein astralischer Leib wirkte, mit dem, was er durch seinen astralischen Leib in seiner Seele erleben konnte, die Welt ansah, auch wenn sich Empfindungsseele, Verstandes- oder Gemütsseele herausgebildet hatten. Es war der astralische Leib, welcher in diese seelischen Glieder des Menschen hineinwirkte und welcher den Menschen befähigte, den Blick eigentlich abzuwenden von den irdischen Erscheinungen, dasjenige noch klar zu durchschauen, was im Geistig-Übersinnlichen aus dem Kosmos hereindringt. Der Mensch hatte noch nicht eine Ich-Anschauung der Welt. Sein Ich sprach nur dumpf. Sein Ich war für den Menschen noch nicht eine eigentliche Frage. Der Mensch lebte im Astralischen und in diesem Astralischen lebte er noch in einem gewissen Einklang mit den ihn umgebenden Welterscheinungen. Gewissermaßen war für ihn die eigentlich rätselhafte Welt diejenige, die er mit seinen Augen erblickte, diejenige, die sich abspielte als Menschenwelt um ihn herum. Dagegen war für ihn die verständliche Welt die übersinnliche Götterwelt, die Welt, in welcher die geistigen Wesenheiten ihr Dasein hatten. Der Mensch blickte hinüber zu diesen geistigen Wesenheiten, zu ihren Handlungen, zu ihren Geschicken. Das war ja das Wesentliche in der Anschauung des alten Orients, daß der Blick hingerichtet war auf diese geistigen Welten. Aus den geistigen Welten heraus wollte man die sinnliche Welt verstehen.
[ 2 ] Wir stehen heute als innerhalb unserer Zivilisation befindlich auf dem gegenteiligen Standpunkte. Uns ist die sinnlich-physische Welt gegeben, und von ihr aus wollen wir die geistige Welt irgendwie begreifen, wenn wir das überhaupt wollen, wenn wir es nicht ablehnen, wenn wir nicht im bloßen Materialismus stecken bleiben. Die materielle Welt betrachten wir als das Gegebene. Der alte Orientale betrachtete die geistige Welt als das Gegebene. Aus der materiellen Welt wollen wir etwas herausbekommen, um die Wunderbarkeit der Erscheinungen, die Zweckmäßigkeit des Baues der Organismen und so weiter zu verstehen, und aus dieser physisch-sinnlichen Umwelt wollen wir uns die übersinnliche beweisen. Der alte Orientale wollte die physisch-sinnliche Umwelt aus der ihm gegebenen überphysischen, übersinnlichen Welt verstehen. Aus ihr heraus wollte er das Licht empfangen, er empfing es auch, und ohne es war ihm die physisch-sinnliche Welt überhaupt Finsternis und Bangigkeit. Und so empfand er auch dasjenige, was er als sein innerstes Wesen noch ganz vom astralischen Leibe durchstrahlt empfand, als aus den geistigen Welten hervorgegangen. Er sagte sich nicht: Ich bin herauserwachsen aus dem irdischen Leben -, er sagte sich: Ich bin herauserwachsen aus dem göttlich-geistigen Wesen, ich bin heruntergestiegen aus göttlich-geistigen Welten und das Beste, was ich in mir trage, ist die Erinnerung an diese göttlich-geistigen Welten. Noch Plato, der Philosoph, spricht davon, wie der Mensch Erkenntnisse hat, Erinnerungen aus seinem präexistenten Leben, aus dem Leben, das er geführt hat, bevor er heruntergestiegen ist in die physisch-sinnliche Welt. Der Mensch betrachtete sein Ich durchaus als einen Strahl, der hervorkam aus dem Lichte der übersinnlichen Welt. Für ihn war rätselhaft die sinnliche Welt, nicht die übersinnliche Welt.
[ 3 ] In Griechenland hatte dann diese Anschauung ihre Ausläufer gefunden. Der Grieche fühlte sich schon in seinem Leibe, aber er fühlte noch nicht in seinem Leibe irgendwie etwas, was diesen Leib besonders erklären konnte. Er hatte noch die Überlieferungen des alten Orients. Er schaute sich in gewissem Sinne an als etwas, was heruntergestiegen war aus den geistigen Welten, aber was in gewissem Sinne das Bewußtsein von diesen geistigen Welten schon verloren hatte. Es ist tatsächlich die letzte Phase des orientalischen Weisheitslebens, die in Griechenland auftrat. Und aus dieser Weltempfindung heraus sollte das Mysterium von Golgatha verstanden werden. Es legte ja dieses Mysterium dem Menschen das große Problem vor, dieses ungeheure Lebensproblem: Wie hat das überweltliche, das übersinnliche Wesen, das kosmische Wesen, der Christus, seinen Platz finden können im menschlichen Leibe? - Die Durchdringung des Jesus mit dem Christus, das war das große Problem, und wir sehen es aufleuchten überall in den gnostischen Bestrebungen. Aber der Mensch hatte ja von sich aus kein solches Verständnis des Zusammenhanges zwischen dem Übersinnlichen seines eigenen Wesens und dem Sinnlich-Physischen dieses Eigenwesens, und weil er an sich die Erkenntnis des Zusammenhanges des GeistigSeelischen und des Leiblich-Physischen nicht hatte, wurde gerade für dasjenige, was unter dem Einfluß der griechischen Anschauung stand, das Mysterium von Golgatha ein unauflösliches Problem, aber ein Problem, mit dem das Griechentum rang, dem es seine besten Weisheitskräfte widmete. Die Geschichte überliefert viel zu wenig von dem, was da eigentlich stattfand an geistigen Kämpfen.
[ 4 ] Ich habe aufmerksam darauf gemacht, daß ja die gnostische Literatur ausgerottet worden ist. Würde sie noch da sein, diese gnostische Literatur, so würde man in ihr sehen dieses tragische Ringen um das Verstehen des Zusammenlebens des übersinnlichen Christus mit dem sinnlichen Jesus, man würde dieses so außerordentlich tiefe Problem in seiner Entwickelung sehen. Aber dieses Ringen ist ausgelöscht worden. Diesem Ringen wurde ein Ende gemacht durch das nüchterne, abstrakte Wesen, das vom Romanismus ausging, das nur durch, ich möchte sagen, Aufpeitschung der Emotionen dazu kommt, Innerlichkeit hineinzutragen in die Abstraktionen. Die Gnosis wurde überschüttet, und Dogmatik und Konzilsbeschlüsse wurden an die Stelle gesetzt. Durchtränkt wurden die tiefen Anschauungen des Orients, die nichts vom Juristischen hatten, mit einer Form, die das Christentum annahm in der mehr westlichen Welt, der damals westlichen Welt, der römischen Welt.
[ 5 ] Aus diesem Römertum ging das Christentum hervor, indem es sozusagen durchjuristet wurde, indem überall juristische Begriffe einzogen, indem die römischen Staatsbegriffe über das Christentum sich ausbreiteten. Das Christentum nahm die Form des römischen Staatskörpers an, und wir sehen hervorgehen aus demjenigen, was einstmals die Weltenhauptstadt Rom war, die christliche Hauptstadt Rom. Wir sehen, wie dieses christliche Rom annimmt vom alten Rom die besonderen Anschauungen, wie man Menschen regieren muß, wie man über Menschen seine Herrschaft ausdehnen muß. Wir sehen, wie sich ausbreitet eine Art kirchlicher Imperialismus, indem hineingegossen wird dasjenige, was das Christentum ist, in die römische Staatsform. Was in spirituelle Erkenntnisformen gegossen war, ging ein in juristisch-menschliche Staatsform. Das erste Mal wurde in einer gewissen Weise zusammengeschmiedet Christentum und äußerliche Staatsweisheit, und in dieser Form breitete sich da das Christentum dann aus. Im Christentum sind so tiefe Kräfte, im Christentum sind so gewaltige Impulse, daß sie natürlich tätig und fortwirkend sein konnten, trotzdem sie in die Form des römischen Staatstums hineingegossen waren. Und es konnten sich eben, als diese römische Staatsform die westliche Welt ergriff, neben dem forterhalten die schlichten Erzählungen, das Tatsächliche, was in Palästina geschehen ist.
[ 6 ] Aber in dieser westlichen Welt war man in einer ganz besonderen Weise auf das Christentum vorbereitet und man war so vorbereitet, daß der Mensch sich aus seiner physischen Natur heraus erfaßte, sein Ich fühlte aus seiner physischen Natur heraus. Es zeigte sich da der Unterschied, als gewissermaßen das Christentum durchging durch die griechische Welt und diese griechische Welt abschmolz, es zeigte sich der gewaltige Unterschied dieses griechischen Christentums und desjenigen Christentums, das dann das eigentlich staatliche Christentum war, das Hertschaftschristentum, das romanische Christentum. Und es zeigte sich dann mehr vom Norden herein jenes Christentum, welches hineingegossen wurde in die nördlichen Menschen, die von den Griechen und Römern die Barbaren genannt worden sind, in jene nördlichen Menschen, welche aus ihrer Natur heraus, ich möchte sagen, ihr eigenes Wesen zusammenfassend ihr Ich fühlten und aus dem ganzen Menschen im Physisch-Sinnlichen, aus der menschlich-physisch-sinnlichen Ich-Verkörperung heraus sich begriffen und nun auch dasjenige begreifen wollten, was als schlichte Erzählung sich bis zu ihnen fortpflanzte von den Vorgängen in Palästina. Und so stießen zusammen in dieser barbarischen Welt die schlichte Erzählung von den Vorgängen in Palästina mit dem, was Ich-Gefühl, ich möchte sagen, Bluts-Ich-Gefühl war, namentlich in der mittleren europäischen Welt und in der nordischen europäischen Welt. Diese Dinge stießen zusammen. Und man wollte begreifen, aus diesem Ich-Erfassen des Menschen heraus wollte man begreifen die schlichte Erzählung über die Vorgänge in Palästina. Ihren tieferen Gehalt wollte man nicht erfassen. Mit Weisheit wollte man sie nicht durchdringen. Man wollte sie nur eben in das Physisch-Sinnlich-Menschliche hereinziehen.
[ 7 ] Man sieht, wie im «Heliand» ganz vermenschlicht und ganz in die europäische menschliche Welt, in diese Ich-Welt hereingezogen erscheinen diese Erzählungen über die Vorgänge in Palästina. Wir sehen, wie da alles vermenschlicht wird, wie da kein Vermögen vorhanden ist, so wie es Griechenland gemacht hat, mit Weisheitsgut zu durchdringen das Mysterium von Golgatha. Und es entwickelte sich der Drang, ohne Aufblick zum Übersinnlichen auch als schlichte menschliche Vorgänge darzustellen das Wirken des Christus Jesus in der Welt, immer mehr und mehr diese Erzählungen zu vermenschlichen. Und dahinein wurde geschoben dasjenige, was sich vom romanisch-christlichen Imperium dogmatisch als Konzilsbeschlüsse ausbreitete; wie zwei einander fremde Welten schoben sich diese ineinander, jenes Christentum, welches sozusagen vereuropäisierte die Palästinaerzählung, und jenes Christentum, welches verjuristet-romanisiertes Griechentum war, abstrakt geworden war. Das ist dasjenige, was nun in den Jahrhunderten fortlebte, und in das sich hineinstellen konnten nur einzelne in der Weise, wie ich es gestern erzählt habe von den Weisen, die die Vorstellung über den Gral ausgebildet haben und die darauf hingewiesen haben, daß ja einstmals in orientalische Weisheit gekleidet war der Impuls des Christentums, daß aber der Träger dieser orientalischen Auffassung, die Heilige Gralsschale, der Heilige Gral nach Europa nur so gebracht werden konnte, daß er über der Erde schwebend gehalten wurde von überirdischen Geistern, und dann erst ihm eine verborgene Burg gebaut wurde, die Gralsburg auf dem Montsalvatsch. Aber es war auch zugleich daran die Vorstellung gefügt, daß der Mensch sich allein durch unwegsame Gebiete nähern könne demjenigen, was die Wunder des Heiligen Grales sind. Dann sagten diese Weisen nicht: Sechzig Meilen ist der Umkreis, den man unwegsam zu absolvieren hat, wenn man zu den Wundern des Grales kommen will -, sondern dann sagten sie in einer viel esoterischeren Weise, wie dieser Weg zum Heiligen Gral eigentlich ist, dann sagten sie: Oh, diese Menschen Europas, sie kommen nicht zu dem Heiligen Gral, denn der Weg, den sie gehen sollen, um zum Heiligen Gral zu kommen, der ist so weit, wie der Weg von der Geburt bis zum Tode, und erst, wenn die Menschen am Tode ankommen, indem sie den für Europa unwegsamen Weg durchgemacht haben, der da sich erstreckt von der Geburt bis zum Tode, erst dann kommen sie bei der Gralsburg auf dem Montsalvatsch an. - Das war im Grunde genommen das esoterische Geheimnis, das dem Schüler mitgeteilt wurde. Mitgeteilt wurde den Schülern - weil noch nicht erwacht war die Zeit, in der die Menschen mit klarem Bewußtsein sehen konnten, wie die geistige Welt wiederum gefunden werden kann -, mitgeteilt wurde den Schülern aus diesem Grunde, daß sie nur in einzelnen Lichtblitzen hineinkommen können zu der heiligen Gralsburg. Aber besonders tief wurde ihnen eingeschärft, daß sie zu fragen hatten, daß die Zeit gekommen sei in der Menschheitsentwickelung, in der der Mensch, wenn er nicht frägt, das heißt, wenn er nicht sein Inneres entwickelt, wenn er nicht aus sich heraus den Impuls der Wahrheit sucht, wenn er passiv bleibt, er nicht zu einem Erleben seines Selbstes kommen könne. — Denn der Mensch muß sein Ich finden aus seiner physischen Organisation heraus. Und dieses Ich, das aus der physischen Organisation heraus sich findet, das muß durch seine eigene Kraft sich wiederum hinaufschwingen, um sich da zu sehen, wo selbst noch in der älteren griechischen Zivilisation dieses Selbst gesehen worden ist, in übersinnlichen Welten. Das Ich muß sich erst wiederum hinaufheben, um sich zu erkennen als ein Übersinnliches. |
[ 8 ] Im alten Orient sah man, was in dem astralischen Leibe vorging, und in dem astralischen Leibe sah man die Folge der früheren Erdenleben. Daher sprach man da von Karma. In Griechenland war die Vorstellung bereits abgeschattet. Man nahm nur noch dumpf astralisch die Weltgeschehnisse war. Daher sprach man unbestimmt vom Schicksal, vom Fatum. Diese Anschauung vom Schicksal, vom Fatum, ist nur eine Abschwächung, eine Ablähmung der vollen konkreten Vorstellung des alten Orients von dem Durchgang des Menschen dutch die wiederholten Erdenleben, deren Folgen sich in dem Erleben innerhalb des astralischen Leibes, wenn auch nur instinktiv, abet doch ankündigten, so daß gesprochen werden konnte vom Karma, das sich ausbildete in den wiederholten Erdenleben, und dessen Folgen eben da waren in dem astralischen Erleben.
[ 9 ] Jetzt rückte man vor gegen den Westen zu in dem Ich-Erleben. Aber dieses Ich-Erleben war zunächst gebunden an den physischen Leib. Dieses Ich-Erleben war egoistisch in sich selber abgeschlossen. Dieses Ich-Erleben lebte zunächst in der Dumpfheit, das lebte, selbst wenn in ihm ein starker Impuls nach übersinnlichen Welten hin war, in der Dumpfheit; und Parzival, der pilgert nach dem Heiligen Gral, wird uns als ein Mensch in der Dumpfheit geschildert. Man muß es durchaus verstehen, daß, als der Mithrasdienst sich ausbreitete herüber aus dem Orient nach dem Westen, er von dem Westen zurückgewiesen wurde, nicht verstanden wurde. Denn der da auf dem Stier saß, der der Besieger werden sollte der niederen Kräfte, der fand sich ja selbst als aus niederen Kräften hervorgehend. Sah der westliche Mensch den auf dem Stiere reitenden Mithras, so verstand er dieses Wesen nicht, denn dieses Wesen konnte ja nicht dasjenige sein, was das Ich herausempfindet und -erlebt aus seiner physischen Organisation. Es verging, verglomm das Verständnis für diesen reitenden Mithras.
[ 10 ] Man kann sagen: Das alles mußte geschehen, denn das Ich mußte seinen Impuls in der physischen Organisation erleben. Das Ich mußte sich fest binden an die physische Organisation, aber es darf sich nicht in diesem Sich-fest-Fühlen in der physischen Organisation versteifen. — Es war das eine gewaltige Reaktion auf die Weisheitsgüter des Orients, als man im Westen immer mehr und mehr drang auf das aus dem reinen Physischen heraus sich Entwickelnde. Diese Reaktion mußte da sein. Es fand sich auch in Europa alles mögliche zusammen, um diese Reaktion zu einer recht starken zu machen. Aber sie durfte sich nicht länger als einige Jahrhunderte in dieses geistige Streben hinein erstrecken. Eine neue Geistigkeit ist ja dann heraufgezogen, aber eine abstrakte Geistigkeit, eine sublimierte Geistigkeit, eine filtrierte Geistigkeit seit dem ersten Drittel des 15. Jahrhunderts.
[ 11 ] Die Menschen haben die physische Astronomie ergriffen, auch die physische Medizin, und mußten zunächst diese Anregung aus diesem physisch erfühlten Ich-Impuls heraus haben. Aber es darf sich weiterhin nicht versteifen in der europäischen Zivilisation, wenn diese europäische Zivilisation nicht ihren Niedergang finden will. Und Niedergangskräfte sind ja genug schon da, Reste, die eben nur Reste sein sollten, die man als Reste erkennen sollte. Man bedenke nur einmal, wie gerade die modernste Theologie, ich habe das oftmals hervorgehoben, verloren hat die Möglichkeit, den Christus zu begreifen, wie sie immer mehr und mehr dazu gekommen ist, den Christus Jesus ganz zu verirdischen, ganz zu vermenschlichen, wie sie den «schlichten Mann aus Nazareth» an die Stelle des Christus Jesus setzte, wie in einem materialistisch gestalteten Herrschaftsverhältnis vom Romanismus aus immer mehr und mehr verloren wurde die lebendige Geistigkeit, durch die das Mysterium von Golgatha wirklich dem Menschen nahegebracht werden kann. Und man sehe, wie sich eine Wissenschaft herausentwickelt in der neueren Zeit, welche alles, was äußerlich ist, begreifen will, welche aber nicht herandringen will zum Menschen. Und man sehe, wie im Gefolge dieser Wissenschaft Impulse im sozialen Leben entstehen, die nur menschliche physische Ordnung herbeiführen wollen und die nicht durchdringen wollen die menschlichen physischen Ordnungen mit demjenigen, was das göttlich-geistige, das übersinnlich-geistige Prinzip ist.
[ 12 ] Dabei ist es immer nur so, wie wenn in den Menschenseelen, in einigen Menschenseelen zurückbliebe so ein einzelner Lichtblick. ‚Wenn ein Strahl von dem, was noch immer in ihnen von diesem Astralischen lebt, mit diesem Ich sich vermischt, dann bekommen sie solche Lichtblicke, und es gehört zu den eindrucksvollsten Erscheinungen des neueren Europa, wenn wir sehen, wie aus dem Osten herüberstrahlt eine gewaltige Mahnung in der Religionsphilosophie, in der ganz, ich möchte sagen, in östliche Schwüle getauchten Religionsphilosophie des Solowjow, wie da herüberstrahlt etwas von dem: es müsse durchdringen die irdische soziale Ordnung ein Übersinnlich-Geistiges. Wir sehen gewissermaßen, wie dieser Solowjow eine Art Christus-Staat träumt. Er kann diesen Christus-Staat träumen, weil letzte Reste eines das Ich durchstrahlenden astralischen subjektiven Erlebens in ihm sind.
[ 13 ] Halten wir neben diese Träume eines durchchristeten Staates, halten wir daneben dasjenige, was mit der Ablehnung allesGeistigen nunmehr im Osten aufgerichtet worden ist, das, was nur Niedergangsktäfte in sich birgt — ein ungeheurer, ein kolossaler Kontrast! Die Welt müßte aufmerksam werden auf einen solchen kolossalen Kontrast. Und wenn man heute schon Distanz genug hätte, diese Dinge zu sehen, man würde hinstellen auf die eine Seite den Forderer des durchchristeten Staates, des durchchristeten sozialen Gebildes, Solowjow, man würde ihn betrachten als jemanden, der noch von orientalischem Wesen angeregt war und gewissermaßen einen letzten Funken hinwarf in dieses erstarrende Europa, um es von diesem Gesichtspunkte aus zu beleben. Man würde dann auf der anderen Seite ruhig zusammenstellen können den Zaren Nikolaus oder seine Vorgänger und den Zaren Lenin, denn daß sie verschieden schwatzen in die Weltenentwickelung der Menschheit hinein, das macht ihren Unterschied im Grunde genommen nicht aus. Nur das macht es aus, was an weltgestaltenden Kräften in ihnen lebt, und da lebt das gleiche in Lenin, das gleiche in dem russischen Zaren; da ist im Grunde genommen kein besonderer Unterschied. Es ist selbstverständlich schwer, innerhalb dieser durcheinanderwogenden, aus der Vorzeit in die europäische Zivilisation hereinragenden Kräfte sich zurechtzufinden. Ein Gewoge ist es zunächst, und zu suchen ist eine feste Richtung. In nichts anderem kann diese feste Richtung gefunden werden, als in dem Hinaufheben des Ich zu einem geistigen Be-. greifen der Welt. In einem geistigen Begreifen der Welt muß der christliche Impuls wiedergeboren werden. Was angestrebt worden ist für die äußere Welt seit dem ersten Drittel des 15. Jahrhunderts, das muß für den Menschen angestrebt werden, der ganze Mensch muß aus der Welt heraus begriffen werden. Im Einklange muß geschaut werden Weltbegreifen und Menschheitsbegreifen. In Phasen, in Metamorphosen müssen wir die Erdenentwickelung begreifen. Frühere Verkörperungen unserer Erde müssen wir sehen, aber nicht müssen wir hinschauen auf menschenleere Urnebel. Hinschauen müssen wir auf Saturn, Sonne und Mond, welche schon durchtätigt waren von der Menschenwesenheit, hinschauen müssen wir, wie die jetzige Gestaltung der. Menschenwesenheit aus der Gestaltung der früheren Metamorphosen des Erdenplaneten entstanden ist, wie da schon die menschliche Gestaltung ebenfalls in früher Phase tätig wat. Den Menschen müssen wir erkennen in der Welt, und aus dieser Erkenntnis des Menschen in der Welt wird auch wiederum ein Verständnis hervorquellen können des Mysteriums von Golgatha. Die Menschen müssen lernen zu verstehen, warum eine unwegsarne Gegend um die Gralsburg herum ist, warum der Weg zwischen der Geburt und dem Tode unwegsam ist. Und wenn sie verstehen, warum et unwegsam ist, wenn sie verstehen, daß das Ich sich darinnen nun erfühlt aus der physischen Organisation heraus, wenn sie fühlen, wie unmöglich eine bloße physische Astronomie ist, wenn sie fühlen, wie unmöglich eine bloße physische Medizin ist, dann werden sie sich selbst die Wege bahnen, dann werden sie in dieses bisher unwegsame Leben zwischen der Geburt und dem Tode etwas hineinbringen, was durch die eigene Seelenarbeit des Menschen entsteht. Aus dem Material der Seele, des Geistes heraus selber müssen die Werkzeuge geschaffen werden, durch die zustande kommen die Spatenstiche auf jenem Felde, das ein Seelisches sein muß, das hinführt zur Gralsburg, zum Geheimnis des Brotes und des Blutes, zur Erfüllung des Wortes: Tuet dies zu meinem Angedenken. - Denn vergessen ist dieses Angedenken, unbewußt ist worden dasjenige, was in den Worten lebt: Tuet dieses zu meinem Angedenken. Denn man tut dieses zum Angedenken an den großen Moment von Golgatha, wenn man versteht, in dem Symbolum des Brotes, das heißt desjenigen, was aus der Erde sich heraus entwickelt durch die Synthesis der kosmischen Kräfte, und wenn man versteht, in einer wiederum durchgeistigten Kosmologie und Astronomie die Welt zu begreifen, und wenn man lernt, den Menschen zu verstehen aus demjenigen, was sein Extrakt ist, das dasjenige ist, wo das Geistige in ihm unmittelbar eingreift, wenn man versteht das Mysterium des Blutes. Hingefunden werden muß durch die Arbeit am Inneren der Menschenseelen der Weg zum Heiligen Gral. Das ist eine Erkenntnisaufgabe, das ist eine soziale Aufgabe. Das ist aber auch eine Aufgabe, welche im weitesten Umfange in der Gegenwart gehaßt wird.
[ 14 ] Denn was die Menschen vermöge ihres Darinnenstehens in der Ich-Erziehung der westlichen Zivilisation in sich entwickeln, das ist vor allen Dingen eine Sehnsucht, innerlich-seelisch passiv zu bleiben, sich nicht aus dem Weltendasein geben zu lassen, was die Seelen vorwärtsbringen sollte. Das aktive Erfassen der Seelenkräfte, das innerliche Erleben, das ja nicht gleich eine okkulte Entwickelung zu sein braucht, sondern das Erleben des Seelischen überhaupt, das ist das, was eine Menschheit in Europa nicht will, welche fortsetzen will, was für das uns unmittelbar vorangegangene Zeitalter selbstverständlich war: die Ich-Entwickelung, was aber hineinführt in den krassesten Egoismus, in das blindeste Wüten der Instinkte, wenn es ausgedehnt wird über seine Zeit hinaus. In die nationalen Chauvinismen hinein hat sich dieses über sein Zeitmaß hinaus erstreckende Ich-Gefühl zunächst begeben; in den nationalen Chauvinismen erscheint es, und aus den nationalen Chauvinismen kommen die Geister heraus, welche den Weg zum Heiligen Gral unwegsam erhalten wollen. Aber die Verpflichtung ist ja, alles zu tun, was getan werden kann, um die Menschenseelen aufzurufen zur Aktivität sowohl auf dem Erkenntnisgebiete wie auf sozialem Gebiete. Aber gegen einen solchen Aufruf erstehen eben alle diejenigen Kräfte, die von Haß erfüllt sind gegen diese Aktivität der Seele. Hat man denn die Menschen nicht lange genug dazu erzogen,daß sie sich gesagt haben: Wir sollen als ketzerisch ansehen die eigene Arbeit der Seelen, um von Schuld frei zu werden, wir sollen das Sünden- und Schuldbewutßtsein recht entwickeln, denn wir sollen nicht durch uns vorwärtskommen, wir sollen in Passivität durch den Christus auch erlöst werden?
[ 15 ] Den Christus verkennt man, wenn man ihn nicht so erkennt, daß er diejenige Weltenkraft ist, die sich ganz mit uns vereinigt, wenn wir uns durch Fragen, durch innere Aktivität zu ihm hindurcharbeiten. Und überall sieht man heute aufstehen aus den Bekenntnissen heraus, aus der Theologie, aus denjenigen, die mit der Theologie immer verbunden waren, aus dem Soldatentum, aus der Wissenschaft, überall sieht man diejenigen Mächte heute aufsteigen, die den Weg der Aktivität verbauen wollen.
[ 16 ] Daß dies der Fall ist, darauf mußte ich seit langer Zeit hinweisen und seit langer Zeit mußte ich immer wieder und wiederum sagen: Was heraufzieht als gegnerische Mächte, das wird immer heftiger und heftiger werden; und bis heute ist das durchaus eingetroffen. Und nicht etwa ist es möglich, heute zu sagen, daß diese Gegnerschaft ihren Höhepunkt erreicht habe. Diese Gegnerschaft hat noch lange nicht ihren Höhepunkt erreicht. Diese Gegnerschaft hat eine starke organisierende Kraft im Zusammenfassen alles desjenigen, was zwar in Wirklichkeit zum Untergange bestimmt ist, was aber in seinem Untergehen durchaus für die Zeit aufhalten kann dasjenige, was mit den Aufgangskräften arbeitet. Und demgegenüber sind die Kräfte, die hinarbeiten zur Aktivität der Seelen, heute schwach. Diejenigen Kräfte sind schwach, welche aus dem Erfassen der geistigen Welt heraus die Aufgangskräfte zu den Kräften ihrer eigenen Seele machen wollen. Die Welt hat einen ahrimanischen Charakter angenommen. Denn das mußte geschehen, daß das Ich, indem es sich im Physischen erfaßte, dann, wenn es nicht zur rechten Zeit sich hinaufhebt zum geistigen Sich-Erfassen als eines Geisteswesens, daß es dann, wenn es im Physischen bleibt, von den ahrimanischen Mächten ergriffen wird. Und dieses Ergriffenwerden von den ahrimanischen Mächten, das sehen wit; das sehen wir daran, daß, sowenig es sich die schläfrigen Seelen gestehen wollen, geradezu eine Hinneigung zum Bösen heute sich überall geltend macht. Eine Hinneigung zum Bösen ist ja deutlich wahrzunehmen gerade in der Kampfesart, die zum Beispiel gegen anthroposophische Geisteswissenschaft und alles dasjenige unternommen wird, was mit dieser zusammenhängt. Aus den trübsten Pfützen wird dasjenige entnommen, mit dem heute Persönlichkeiten gegen anthroposophische Geisteswissenschaft kämpfen, die in der Welt sogar ein wissenschaftliches oder theologisches Ansehen genießen. Nicht wird gefragt nach der Wahrheit, sondern nur gesehen wird darauf, welche Verleumdung diesen Persönlichkeiten besser gefällt, welche Verleumdung ihnen sympathischer sein kann; es ist ein starkes Besessensein der Menschheit von den Kräften des Bösen, von der Liebe zum Bösen. Und wer heute nicht zu rechnen versteht mit dieser Liebe zum Bösen, mit diesem Immer-größer-und-größer-Werden gerade dieser Liebe zum Bösen in dem Kampf gegen anthroposophische Geisteswissenschaft, der wird ein Gefühl, eine Erkenntnis nicht in sich entwickeln können von dem, was noch alles heraufziehen wird an gegnerischen Kräften und gegnerischen Mächten. Seit Jahren wird gesprochen von mir von diesem Immer-größer-und-größer-Werden. Und wenn zunächst auch nichts anderes zu erlangen ist als ein deutliches Gefühl davon, dann muß wenigstens dieses deutliche Gefühl, das immerhin auch eine Macht ist, aufrechterhalten werden. Man muß hineinschauen in die Welt, wie sie uns heute umgibt, und man muß nüchternen Blickes sehen, was eigentlich mit so etwas gegeben ist, wie mit den Schmutzereien, die jetzt bei unseren Gegnern auftauchen und die um so mehr Eindruck machen, je trüberen Pfützen sie entstammen.
[ 17 ] Es ist schon notwendig, daß man sich mit dieser besonderen Eigenart, die immer mehr und mehr auftreten wird, mit dieser Liebe zum Bösen bekanntmacht und daß man nicht in einer schläfrigen Weise immer wieder und wiederum in Entschuldigungsgründen schwelgt, daß die Gegner von diesen Dingen überzeugt seien. Glauben Sie überhaupt, daß Sie in einem solchen Menschen, wie der, der als der neueste Gegner aufgetreten ist gegen anthroposophische Geisteswissenschaft, glauben Sie denn, daß in dem überhaupt die Möglichkeit einer inneren Überzeugungskraft vorhanden ist? — Es ist in ihm gar nicht die Möglichkeit einer Überzeugungskraft vorhanden. Er handelt aus ganz anderen Untergründen heraus. Und es ist schon, ich möchte sagen, ein schlauer Griff, gerade nach dieser Seite hin zu suchen, zu suchen nach derjenigen Art, die Dinge anzuschauen, die ja gerade darauf beruht, den Gegner zu täuschen. Wann ist man ein besserer Feldherr? - Wenn man besser den Gegner täuschen kann! - Wenn aber übertragen wird dieses Prinzip auf die Kampfesweise um die Wahrheit, dann ist dieser Kampf ein Kampf der Lüge, der personifizierten Lüge gegen die Wahrheit. Und damit muß man sich bekanntmachen, daß dieser Kampf der personifizier ten Lüge gegen die Wahrheit zu allem fähig ist, daß er dasjenige, was wir versuchten und versuchen, namentlich an äußeren Stützen zu gewinnen, um der Wahrheit Träger zu finden in der Zivilisation, . daß er uns das durchaus wird nehmen wollen. Es ist nicht über trieben, wenn gesagt wird: Alles dasjenige, was da ist als «Waldorf schule» und so weiter, als dieser Bau, es ist demgegenüber die tiefste, gründlichste Sehnsucht in der Welt vorhanden, uns das zu nehmen! Und wenn wir darauf nicht aufmerksam sind, wenn wir nicht einmal ein Gefühl von der ganzen Art und Weise dieser Kampfesweise in uns entwickeln, dann bleiben wir eben schlafende Seelen, dann er greifen wir doch nicht mit innerer Wachsamkeit dasjenige, was durch anthroposophische Geisteswissenschaft quellen will.
[ 18 ] Im Grunde genommen sollte eigentlich der Zeitpunkt nicht gekommen sein, wo man sich verwundert, daß die Gegner so werden konnten; denn das konnte lange voraus gewußt werden. Und wir stehen ja durchaus heute unter dem Eindrucke dessen, daß wir zuwenige Persönlichkeiten haben, die sich zu aktiven Trägern unserer Geistessttömung machen. Es ist im allgemeinen unter Menschen heute noch leichter, dutch Gewalt und Macht und Unrecht zu wirken als durch die Freiheit. Diejenige Wahrheit, die durch anthroposophische Geisteswissenschaft verkündet werden soll, sie darf nur rechnen auf die Freiheit der Menschen. Sie muß Frager finden. Und man darf gar nicht sagen: Warum hat diese Wahrheit nicht in sich selber durch göttlich-geistige Macht die Gewalt, die Seelen zu zwingen? — Das will sie nicht, das kann sie nicht. Sondern weil sie, was sie immer tun wird, die innere Freiheit, die Freiheit des Menschen überhaupt als das Unantastbarste ansehen wird. Soll der Mensch zur anthroposophischen Geisteswissenschaft mit seinem Urteil kommen, er muß ein Frager werden, er muß in der innersten Freiheit des Urteiles sich selber überzeugen. Gesprochen werden soll zu ihm das Wort von der geistigen Wahrheit; überzeugen muß er sich selber. Soll er mittätig sein im sozialen Leben, so muß er das aus dem innersten Impuls seines Herzens heraus tun. Frager müssen diejenigen Menschen werden, die im wahren Sinne des Wortes zur anthroposophischen Geisteswissenschaft gehören.
[ 19 ] Was erblicken wir auf der gegnerischen Seite? — Glauben Sie nicht, daß da nur diejenigen sich zusammen organisieren, die irgendwie einseitig sind in irgendeinem Bekenntnis. Nein, in Stuttgart wird in einer katholischen Kirche gepredigt: Gehet hinein zu dem Vortrag des Herrn vor Gleich, denn dadurch könnt ihr eure katholischen Seelen stärken, ihr könnt die Gegner eurer katholischen Seelen überwinden! - Und die katholischen Seelen gehen hinein, der katholische General von Gleich hält einen Vortrag und schließt mit einem Lutherlied! Schöne Vereinigung hüben und drüben, zusammen organisieren sich Gegner! — Es kommt nicht darauf an daß sie irgendwie in ihrem Glauben, in ihren Meinungen einig sind.
[ 20 ] Für uns kommt es aber an auf die Kraft, festzustehen auf dem als richtig erkannten Boden. Ja, es wird nichts unversucht bleiben, um diesen Boden zu untergraben, dessen können Sie sicher sein. Ich mußte das noch einmal aussprechen, gerade in Anlehnung an die Betrachtungen des Herganges der europäischen Zivilisation, denn es ist notwendig, daß wenigstens die Absicht entsteht, sich fest zu stellen auf den Boden, den wir als den richtigen erkennen müssen. Und es ist notwendig, daß man unter uns sich nicht den ja auch so beliebten Illusionen über die Gegnerschaften hingibt. Es wird darauf ausgegangen, uns den Boden zu unterhöhlen. An uns ist es, so viel zu arbeiten, als nur irgend geht, und wenn der Boden unterhöhlt werden sollte und wir hineinfielen in den Spalt, dann müßte unsere Arbeit dennoch so gewesen sein, daß sie ihren geistigen Weg durch die Welt findet. Denn was da auftritt, es ist das letzte Zucken einer untergehenden Welt; aber sie kann auch noch, wenn es das letzte Zucken ist, wie ein Tobsüchtiger um sich schlagen; man kann unter diesem tobsüchtigen Umsichschlagen sein Leben verlieren. Deshalb muß wenigstens erkannt werden, aus welchen Impulsen heraus das tobsüchtige Umsichschlagen geschieht. Mit kleinen Mitteln wird nichts erreicht; an das große müssen wir appellieren. Versuchen wir, gewachsen zu sein einem solchen Appellieren!
[ 21 ] Ich mußte dieses einschließen, damit gefühlt werde, daß wir in einem wichtigen, bedeutungsvollen, entscheidungsvollen Momente stehen und daß wir zu überlegen haben, wie wir die Kraft finden sollen, um durchzukommen.
Sixth Lecture
[ 1 ] In recent days, I have endeavored to show how Western civilization came into being, how a significant, a tremendous turning point in human development can be recorded in the 4th century AD, and it has been necessary to point out how Greek culture gradually developed toward this twilight, how Central and Western European civilization arose from completely different impulses, and how the Christian view of the world emerged under these influences. Let us first try to point out the relevant facts from a somewhat different perspective. Christianity arose in the Western Orient out of the mystery of Golgotha. Oriental culture, in its particular character, was already in decline. The ancient primordial wisdom was present in its final phases in what emerged in the Near East and Greece as Gnosticism. This Gnosis was still a form of wisdom that summarized in various ways what was available to human beings in terms of world and natural phenomena. However, in relation to the immediate, intuitive insights into the spiritual world that actually formed the basis of Oriental development, it already had a more intellectual, rational character. The spiritual life that had permeated all human perception in the ancient Orient was no longer present. And it was actually from the last remnants of the ancient primordial wisdom that people sought to piece together the philosophical-human view that was applied as wisdom to understand the mystery of Golgotha. What lay in the mystery of Golgotha was clothed in the wisdom that had been saved from the Orient and carried over into Greek culture. Let us now take up this wisdom in a purely spiritual-scientific sense. If we want to look at human beings as they once devoted themselves to this wisdom, we find that in the ancient Orient, the essential thing was that human beings viewed the world with what was at work in their astral body, with what they could experience in their soul through their astral body, even if the sentient soul, the intellectual soul, and the emotional soul had developed. It was the astral body that worked into these soul members of the human being and enabled him to actually turn his gaze away from earthly phenomena and still see clearly what was penetrating from the spiritual, supersensible world of the cosmos. Human beings did not yet have an ego view of the world. Their ego spoke only dimly. Their ego was not yet a real question for them. Human beings lived in the astral, and in this astral they still lived in a certain harmony with the world phenomena surrounding them. In a sense, the truly mysterious world was the one he saw with his eyes, the one that unfolded around him as the human world. In contrast, the intelligible world was the supersensible world of the gods, the world in which spiritual beings existed. Man looked over to these spiritual beings, to their actions, to their destinies. That was the essence of the ancient Oriental view, that the gaze was directed toward these spiritual worlds. People wanted to understand the sensory world from the spiritual worlds.
[ 2 ] Today, as members of our civilization, we stand on the opposite point of view. We are given the sensory-physical world, and from it we want to somehow understand the spiritual world, if we want to at all, if we do not reject it, if we do not remain stuck in mere materialism. We regard the material world as given. The ancient Oriental regarded the spiritual world as given. We want to extract something from the material world in order to understand the wonder of phenomena, the purposefulness of the structure of organisms, and so on, and from this physical-sensory environment we want to prove the supersensible to ourselves. The ancient Oriental wanted to understand the physical-sensory environment from the superphysical, supersensible world given to him. From it they wanted to receive light, and they did receive it; without it, the physical-sensory world was nothing but darkness and fear. And so they also perceived that which they felt as their innermost being, still completely permeated by the astral body, as having emerged from the spiritual worlds. He did not say to himself: I have grown out of earthly life — he said to himself: I have grown out of the divine-spiritual being, I have descended from divine-spiritual worlds, and the best thing I carry within me is the memory of these divine-spiritual worlds. Even Plato, the philosopher, speaks of how human beings have knowledge, memories from their pre-existing life, from the life they led before descending into the physical-sensory world. Human beings regarded their ego as a ray emanating from the light of the supersensible world. For them, it was the sensory world that was mysterious, not the supersensible world.
[ 3 ] This view then found its way into Greece. The Greeks felt themselves in their bodies, but they did not yet feel anything in their bodies that could explain these bodies in any way. They still had the traditions of the ancient Orient. In a certain sense, they regarded themselves as something that had descended from the spiritual worlds but had, in a certain sense, already lost consciousness of these spiritual worlds. It is indeed the last phase of Oriental wisdom that appeared in Greece. And it is from this world perception that the mystery of Golgotha should be understood. This mystery presented humanity with the great problem, the enormous problem of life: How could the supermundane, supersensible being, the cosmic being, Christ, find its place in the human body? The permeation of Jesus with Christ was the great problem, and we see it shining forth everywhere in the Gnostic endeavors. But human beings did not have any such understanding of the connection between the supersensible aspect of their own being and the sensory-physical aspect of this being, and because they did not have any knowledge of the connection between the spiritual-soul and the physical-corporeal, the mystery of Golgotha became an insoluble problem, especially for those who were under the influence of the Greek view of the world. but a problem with which Greek culture struggled and to which it devoted its best powers of wisdom. History has handed down far too little of what actually took place in these spiritual struggles.
[ 4 ] I have pointed out that Gnostic literature has been eradicated. If this Gnostic literature were still available, one would see in it this tragic struggle to understand the coexistence of the supersensible Christ with the sensory Jesus; one would see this extraordinarily profound problem in its development. But this struggle has been wiped out. This struggle was brought to an end by the sober, abstract nature that originated in Romanism, which, I would say, only manages to bring inwardness into abstractions by whipping up emotions. Gnosis was buried, and dogma and council decrees took its place. The deep insights of the East, which had nothing to do with legalism, were saturated with a form that Christianity took on in the more Western world, the Western world of that time, the Roman world.
[ 5 ] Christianity emerged from this Romanism by being, so to speak, legalized, by legal concepts being introduced everywhere, by Roman concepts of the state spreading over Christianity. Christianity took on the form of the Roman state, and we see emerging from what was once the capital of the world, Rome, the Christian capital Rome. We see how this Christian Rome takes from ancient Rome the particular views on how to govern people, how to extend one's rule over people. We see how a kind of ecclesiastical imperialism spreads, pouring what Christianity is into the Roman state form. What had been poured into spiritual forms of knowledge entered into a legal-human form of government. For the first time, Christianity and external state wisdom were forged together in a certain way, and in this form Christianity then spread. There are such deep forces in Christianity, such powerful impulses, that they could naturally be active and continue to have an effect, even though they were poured into the form of the Roman state. And when this Roman state form took hold of the Western world, the simple narratives, the actual events that took place in Palestine, were able to continue to exist alongside it.
[ 6 ] But in this Western world, people were prepared for Christianity in a very special way, and they were so prepared that human beings understood themselves out of their physical nature; their ego felt out of their physical nature. The difference became apparent when Christianity passed through the Greek world and this Greek world melted away, so to speak. The enormous difference between this Greek Christianity and the Christianity that then became the actual state Christianity, the Christianity of the Roman Empire, became apparent. And then, more from the north, there emerged the Christianity that was poured into the northern peoples, who had been called barbarians by the Greeks and Romans, into those northern peoples who, out of their nature, I would say, felt their own being summarized in their ego and understood themselves from the whole human being in the physical-sensory sense, from the human-physical-sensory embodiment of the ego, and now also wanted to understand what had been passed down to them as a simple narrative about the events in Palestine. And so, in this barbaric world, the simple narrative of the events in Palestine collided with what was the sense of self, I would say the sense of blood self, especially in the Middle European world and in the Nordic European world. These things collided. And people wanted to understand, out of this human sense of self, they wanted to understand the simple narrative about the events in Palestine. They did not want to grasp its deeper meaning. They did not want to penetrate it with wisdom. They just wanted to draw it into the physical, sensual, human realm.
[ 7 ] We see how, in the Heliand, these narratives about the events in Palestine appear completely humanized and drawn into the European human world, into this world of the ego. We see how everything is humanized, how there is no ability, as in Greece, to penetrate the mystery of Golgotha with wisdom. And the urge developed to portray the work of Christ Jesus in the world as simple human events, without looking to the supersensible, to humanize these stories more and more. And into this was pushed what had spread dogmatically from the Roman-Christian empire as council decrees; like two alien worlds, these two pushed into each other, the Christianity that, so to speak, Europeanized the Palestinian narrative, and the Christianity that was a legalized, Romanized form of Greek culture that had become abstract. This is what lived on through the centuries, and only individuals were able to enter into it in the way I described yesterday with regard to the wise men who developed the idea of the Grail and pointed out that the impulse of Christianity was once clothed in Eastern wisdom, but that the bearer of this Eastern conception, the Holy Grail, could only be brought to Europe by being held aloft above the earth by super-earthly spirits, and only then was a hidden castle built for it, the Grail Castle on Montsalvatsch. But at the same time, there was also the idea that only by traversing impassable terrain could human beings approach the wonders of the Holy Grail. Then these wise men did not say: Sixty miles is the impassable distance that must be covered if one wants to come to the wonders of the Grail — but then they said in a much more esoteric way what this path to the Holy Grail actually is, then they said: Oh, these people of Europe, they will not come to the Holy Grail, for the path they must take to reach the Holy Grail is as long as the path from birth to death, and only when people arrive at death, having gone through the impassable path for Europe that stretches from birth to death, only then do they arrive at the Grail Castle on Montsalvatsch. That was basically the esoteric secret that was communicated to the disciples. It was communicated to the disciples—because the time had not yet dawned when people could see with clear consciousness how the spiritual world could be found again—it was communicated to the disciples for this reason, that they could only enter the holy Grail castle in individual flashes of light. But it was impressed upon them particularly deeply that they had to ask whether the time had come in human evolution when, if people did not ask, that is, if they did not develop their inner lives, if they did not seek the impulse of truth from within themselves, if they remained passive, they would not be able to experience their own selves. For human beings must find their ego out of their physical organization. And this I, which finds itself out of the physical organization, must in turn swing itself upward through its own power in order to see itself where even in the older Greek civilization this self was seen, in supersensible worlds. The I must first lift itself up again in order to recognize itself as something supersensible. |
[ 8 ] In the ancient Orient, people saw what was happening in the astral body, and in the astral body they saw the consequences of previous earthly lives. That is why they spoke of karma. In Greece, this idea had already been obscured. People only perceived world events in a vague astral way. That is why they spoke vaguely of fate and destiny. This view of fate and destiny is only a weakening, a paralysis of the full concrete idea of the ancient Orient of the passage of human beings through repeated earthly lives, the consequences of which are announced, even if only instinctively, in the experience within the astral body, albeit only instinctively, so that one could speak of karma that developed in repeated earthly lives, and whose consequences were precisely there in the astral experience.
[ 9 ] Now one advanced toward the West in the experience of the I. But this ego experience was initially bound to the physical body. This ego experience was selfishly closed in on itself. This ego experience initially lived in dullness; even if there was a strong impulse toward supersensible worlds within it, it lived in dullness; and Parzival, who goes on a pilgrimage to find the Holy Grail, is described to us as a person in dullness. It must be understood that when the cult of Mithras spread from the East to the West, it was rejected by the West and not understood. For the one who sat on the bull, who was to become the conqueror of the lower forces, found himself to be emerging from lower forces. When Western man saw Mithras riding on the bull, he did not understand this being, for this being could not be what the ego feels and experiences from its physical organization. The understanding of this riding Mithras faded away.
[ 10 ] One can say: All this had to happen, because the ego had to experience its impulse in the physical organization. The ego had to bind itself firmly to the physical organization, but it must not become rigid in this feeling of being fixed in the physical organization. — It was a powerful reaction to the wisdom of the East when the West increasingly pressed for development out of the purely physical. This reaction had to be there. Everything possible came together in Europe to make this reaction a very strong one. But it could not extend into this spiritual striving for more than a few centuries. A new spirituality then arose, but it was an abstract spirituality, a sublimated spirituality, a filtered spirituality since the first third of the 15th century.
[ 11 ] People grasped physical astronomy, as well as physical medicine, and initially had to draw this inspiration from this physically felt ego impulse. But this must not become rigid in European civilization if this European civilization does not want to decline. And there are already enough forces of decline, remnants that should only be remnants, that should be recognized as remnants. Just consider how modern theology, as I have often emphasized, has lost the ability to understand Christ, how it has increasingly come to earthen and humanize Christ Jesus, how it has placed the “simple man from Nazareth” in the place of Christ Jesus, how, in a materialistically structured relationship of domination based on Romanism, the living spirituality through which the mystery of Golgotha can truly be brought close to human beings has been lost more and more. And one sees how a science has developed in recent times that wants to understand everything that is external, but does not want to approach the human being. And one sees how, in the wake of this science, impulses arise in social life that seek only to bring about human physical order and do not seek to permeate human physical orders with that which is the divine-spiritual, the supersensible-spiritual principle.
[ 12 ] It is always as if a single ray of light remains in the souls of some human beings. 'When a ray of what still lives in them from this astral realm mixes with this ego, they receive such rays of light, and it is one of the most impressive phenomena of modern Europe when we see how a powerful warning shines over from the East in religious philosophy, in what I would call in Soloviev's religious philosophy, which is immersed in Eastern sultriness, as if something is shining over from there: that something supernatural and spiritual must permeate the earthly social order. We see, as it were, how this Soloviev dreams of a kind of Christ state. He can dream of this Christ state because there are still remnants of an astral subjective experience radiating through the ego within him.
[ 13 ] Let us compare these dreams of a Christian state with what has now been established in the East with the rejection of everything spiritual, which harbors only forces of decline — what an enormous, colossal contrast! The world should take notice of such a colossal contrast. And if we had enough distance today to see these things, we would place on one side the advocate of the Christian state, of the Christian social structure, Soloviev, and we would regard him as someone who was still inspired by an Eastern spirit and who, in a sense, threw a last spark into this stagnating Europe in order to revive it from this point of view. One could then calmly place Tsar Nicholas or his predecessors and Tsar Lenin on the other side, because the fact that they talk differently about the development of humanity does not fundamentally make them different. What makes the difference is what lives in them in terms of world-shaping forces, and the same lives in Lenin as in the Russian Tsar; there is basically no particular difference. It is, of course, difficult to find one's way within these turbulent forces that have emerged from the past and are now protruding into European civilization. At first, it is a turmoil, and one must seek a firm direction. This firm direction can be found in nothing else than in the elevation of the ego to a spiritual understanding of the world. The Christian impulse must be reborn in a spiritual understanding of the world. What has been strived for in the external world since the first third of the 15th century must be strived for in human beings; the whole human being must be understood out of the world. We must view our understanding of the world and our understanding of humanity in harmony. We must understand the development of the earth in phases, in metamorphoses. We must see earlier incarnations of our earth, but we must not look at a primordial nebula devoid of human beings. We must look at Saturn, the Sun, and the Moon, which were already permeated by human beings, and we must look at how the present form of human beings arose from the form of the earlier metamorphoses of the Earth, how the human form was already active in an earlier phase. We must recognize human beings in the world, and from this recognition of human beings in the world, an understanding of the mystery of Golgotha will also be able to spring forth. Human beings must learn to understand why there is an impassable region around the Grail Castle, why the path between birth and death is impassable. And when they understand why it is impassable, when they understand that the I now feels its way out of the physical organization, when they feel how impossible a mere physical astronomy is, when they feel how impossible a mere physical medicine is, then they will pave the way for themselves, then they will bring into this hitherto impassable life between birth and death something that arises through the soul's own work. From the material of the soul, of the spirit itself, the tools must be created through which the first strokes are made in that field which must be a spiritual one, which leads to the Grail Castle, to the mystery of the bread and the blood, to the fulfillment of the words: “Do this in remembrance of me.” For this remembrance has been forgotten, and what lives in the words “Do this in remembrance of me” has become unconscious. For one does this in remembrance of the great moment at Golgotha when one understands the symbolism of the bread, that is, that which develops out of the earth through the synthesis of cosmic forces, and when one understands the world in a cosmology and astronomy that has been spiritualized, and when one learns to understand the human being from that which is his essence, which is that in which the spiritual immediately intervenes, when one understands the mystery of the blood. The path to the Holy Grail must be found through work on the inner life of human souls. This is a task of knowledge, it is a social task. But it is also a task that is hated to the utmost in the present day.
[ 14 ] For what people develop within themselves through their participation in the ego education of Western civilization is, above all, a longing to remain passive in their inner souls, not to allow themselves to be drawn out of their worldly existence by what should advance their souls. The active grasping of the soul forces, the inner experience, which does not need to be occult development, but rather the experience of the soul in general, is what humanity in Europe does not want. It wants to continue what was taken for granted in the age that immediately preceded us: the development of the ego, which, however, leads to the crassest egoism, to the blindest rage of the instincts, when it is extended beyond its time. This sense of ego, extending beyond its proper time, has first found its way into national chauvinism; it appears in national chauvinism, and from national chauvinism come the spirits who want to keep the path to the Holy Grail impassable. But the obligation is to do everything that can be done to call human souls to activity, both in the realm of knowledge and in the social realm. But against such a call arise all those forces that are filled with hatred for this activity of the soul. Have people not been educated long enough to say to themselves: We must regard the work of our own souls as heretical in order to be free of guilt; we must develop a proper sense of sin and guilt, for we must not advance through ourselves; we must also be redeemed through Christ in passivity?
[ 15 ] Christ is misunderstood if he is not recognized as the world force that unites itself completely with us when we work our way through to him through questions and inner activity. And everywhere today we see these forces rising up out of confessions, out of theology, out of those who have always been connected with theology, out of soldiering, out of science; everywhere we see these forces rising up today that want to block the path of activity.
[ 16 ] I have had to point out for a long time that this is the case, and for a long time I have had to say again and again: What is rising as opposing forces will become more and more violent; and this has certainly come to pass today. And it is not possible to say today that this opposition has reached its peak. This opposition is far from reaching its peak. This opposition has a strong organizing force in bringing together everything that is in reality doomed to destruction, but which in its destruction can certainly delay for a time that which is working with the forces of ascent. In contrast, the forces working toward the activity of souls are weak today. Those forces are weak which, out of their grasp of the spiritual world, want to make the forces of ascent the forces of their own souls. The world has taken on an Ahrimanic character. For it had to happen that the I, in grasping itself in the physical, would then, if it did not lift itself up at the right time to spiritual self-grasping as a spiritual being, would then, if it remained in the physical, be seized by the Ahrimanic powers. And we can see this being seized by the Ahrimanic forces; we see it in the fact that, however little the sleepy souls want to admit it, there is a definite inclination toward evil asserting itself everywhere today. A tendency toward evil can be clearly perceived, for example, in the way in which anthroposophical spiritual science and everything connected with it are being attacked. Those who fight against anthroposophical spiritual science, even though they enjoy scientific or theological respect in the world, draw from the murkiest puddles. No one asks for the truth, but only looks to see which slander these personalities like best, which slander is most appealing to them; humanity is strongly possessed by the forces of evil, by the love of evil. And anyone today who cannot reckon with this love of evil, with this ever-growing love of evil in the fight against anthroposophical spiritual science, will not be able to develop a feeling, a recognition within themselves of what is still to come in terms of opposing forces and opposing powers. For years I have been speaking about this ever-growing power. And if at first nothing else can be achieved than a clear feeling of it, then at least this clear feeling, which is after all also a power, must be maintained. We must look into the world that surrounds us today and see with a sober eye what is actually happening, such as the filth that is now emerging among our opponents and which makes all the more impression the murkier the puddles it comes from.
[ 17 ] It is necessary to familiarize oneself with this particular characteristic, which will become more and more apparent, with this love of evil, and not to indulge in sleepy excuses over and over again that our opponents are convinced of these things. Do you really believe that in a person such as the one who has emerged as the latest opponent of anthroposophical spiritual science, do you really believe that there is any possibility of inner conviction? There is no possibility of conviction in him whatsoever. He acts out of completely different motives. And it is, I would say, a clever move to look precisely in this direction, to look for the kind of way of looking at things that is based precisely on deceiving one's opponent. When is one a better general? When one is better at deceiving one's opponent! But when this principle is transferred to the struggle for truth, then this struggle is a struggle of lies, of personified lies against truth. And we must be aware that this battle of personified lies against truth is capable of anything, that it will want to take away from us everything we have tried and are trying to gain, namely external support, in order to find bearers of truth in civilization. It is no exaggeration to say that everything that exists as the “Waldorf School” and so on, as this building, is opposed by the deepest, most thorough longing in the world to take this away from us! And if we are not aware of this, if we do not even develop a feeling for the whole nature of this struggle within ourselves, then we remain sleeping souls, and we do not grasp with inner vigilance that which wants to spring forth through anthroposophical spiritual science.
[ 18 ] Basically, the time should not have come when we are surprised that our opponents have become what they are, for this could have been known long ago. And we are certainly under the impression today that we have too few personalities who are willing to become active bearers of our spiritual movement. In general, it is still easier for people today to exert influence through violence, power, and injustice than through freedom. The truth that is to be proclaimed through anthroposophical spiritual science can only count on the freedom of human beings. It must find those who ask questions. And one must not say: Why does this truth not have the power within itself, through divine spiritual power, to compel souls? It does not want to, it cannot. Rather, because whatever it does, it will regard inner freedom, the freedom of human beings in general, as the most inviolable thing. If human beings are to come to anthroposophical spiritual science with their own judgment, they must become questioners; they must convince themselves in the innermost freedom of their judgment. The word of spiritual truth must be spoken to him; he must convince himself. If he is to participate in social life, he must do so out of the innermost impulse of his heart. Those who belong to anthroposophical spiritual science in the true sense of the word must become questioners.
[ 19 ] What do we see on the opposing side? — Do not believe that it is only those who are somehow one-sided in some creed who are organizing themselves there. No, in Stuttgart, a Catholic church preaches: Go to the lecture of Mr. Gleich, for thereby you can strengthen your Catholic souls, you can overcome the enemies of your Catholic souls! And the Catholic souls go in, the Catholic General von Gleich gives a lecture and concludes with a Luther song! What a beautiful union on both sides, enemies organizing themselves together! — It does not matter that they are somehow united in their beliefs, in their opinions.
[ 20 ] For us, however, what matters is the strength to stand firm on the ground we recognize as right. Yes, nothing will be left untried to undermine this ground, you can be sure of that. I had to say this again, especially in light of the reflections on the course of European civilization, because it is necessary that at least the intention arise to stand firm on the ground that we must recognize as the right one. And it is necessary that we do not succumb to the illusions about the opposition that are so popular. The aim is to undermine our ground. It is up to us to work as hard as we can, and if the ground is undermined and we fall into the gap, then our work must still have been such that it finds its spiritual way through the world. For what is happening is the last convulsion of a world that is passing away; but even if it is its last convulsion, it can still lash out like a madman; one can lose one's life in this mad lashing about. Therefore, it is necessary at least to recognize the impulses that cause this mad lashing about. Nothing can be achieved with small means; we must appeal to the great. Let us try to be equal to such an appeal!
[ 21 ] I had to include this so that it may be felt that we are at an important, significant, and decisive moment and that we must consider how we are to find the strength to get through it.