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The Universal Human
GA 165

9 January 1916, Bern

4. The Unification of Humanity through the Christ Impulse

Basically Spiritual Science aims at understanding humanity in its essence, tasks, and strivings in the course of evolution. We have often talked about how the outside world misunderstands our spiritual science. This is largely because people nowadays have a hard time getting used to certain fundamental truths—truths that simply must be perceived and acknowledged if we are to understand the life and nature of humanity at all.

Let us begin today by asking what modern scientific thinking, whose great and significant triumphs over the last four centuries we must fully acknowledge and appreciate, is based on. It is based on what it can perceive, on what is manifest, in physical existence. Now, of course, it goes without saying that first we trust in what we perceive as so-called reality in our environment, and then we try to explain this reality on the basis of all that we find within its domain. It is naturally difficult for us to be aware at the outset that this reality itself may well contain an element of semblance or illusion, that it may well be deceiving us. Those who truly want to understand spiritual science must first overcome this stumbling block. They must realize that the reality around us can indeed deceive us—it can mislead us into interpreting it falsely. Much of what we have learned in spiritual science over the years has convinced us that immediate reality, as it surrounds us, may indeed be deceptive.

Today we will start from a particular point that can only be reached through spiritual science. In spiritual science we must first understand things; then, when we have understood them, we can find them confirmed in reality. Some of the most important things in spiritual science must first be understood before they can be seen. It would be easy to show that this same method is frequently applied in the outer world, notably in the sciences, but we will not go into that today. It is not always possible to develop everything from the beginning.

Now one aspect of the outer appearance or physiognomy of reality that is most apt to deceive us about this reality is the differences, the diversities among human beings. When we look at the human beings inhabiting the earth, we realize that no two of them are alike on the physical plane. Here in the physical realm all human beings are different from one another. Once we have accepted this diversity of human beings as a fact—I mean the diversity of their physical bodies—it is quite natural that people then try to find out, on the basis of the facts of earthly life, why human beings are different, why they look so different.

However, from the point of view of spiritual science we see something very different. According to spiritual science, if we consider only the forms the physical body can take through the forces of the earth, we find that human beings could not be different but rather would all have to be alike and have the same outer form. Indeed, the forces that exist on earth to give us our physical shape are such that if only these formative forces were to work on us, we would all have the same outer, physical form. This is because the physical human body has undergone a long preparation. We know it was prepared through the epochs of Saturn, Sun, and Moon.1These names do not refer to present-day planets but to ancient evolutionary stages and are therefore capitalized. It was prepared by forces that worked during these three epochs in such a way that the forces of the earth itself could influence our physical body in no other way than to give it a uniform shape if they had indeed been the only forces at work. I might put it this way: Through all the forces that have been incorporated into our physical body during the Saturn, Sun, and Moon epochs, we human beings are so fortified against any diversities coming from earthly forces that if we were left to the earthly forces alone, we would be alike everywhere on earth. Spiritual science, therefore, must start from the fact that a single and uniform shape is predestined for humanity so far as the terrestrial forces are concerned.

Even if we consider just the difference between male and female what I have just said is true. This difference is not caused by the work of earthly forces; it is the result of quite other forces, which we will speak of presently. Thus, we can assume a certain totality of earth forces that works formatively upon human beings and wants to produce absolutely identical human forms everywhere on earth.

Of course, we must now ask why human beings are so different after all. We know we must consider not only our physical body, but also the etheric body that stands behind it. Spiritual science shows us that while we should all be alike in our physical body, in regard to our etheric body we must be different because earthly forces are not the only ones that work on our etheric body. Forces coming out of the cosmos work on our etheric body, forming and shaping it.

We must therefore distinguish between the uniform earthly forces working all over the earth that would make all human forms the same and the forces working out of the universe on the earth, making each etheric body different. We can see the differences between etheric bodies through spiritual scientific research. At the one extreme are those etheric bodies that have strong forces and are tough, retaining their form almost as much as we do our physical form. This is one kind of etheric body. There is a second kind that is mobile, like something that is fluttering and always in movement, flowing and moving. But these two kinds of etheric bodies still reveal themselves in such a way that we can describe their inner tone and shading as being more or less alike. There is another kind of etheric body that is inwardly tinted, inwardly shimmering, not uniform in color but having various tones and colors. There is a fourth kind of etheric body that has one primary color throughout its whole substance, but this color changes over time though we cannot pinpoint other than purely inward causes for this. These etheric bodies are not shimmering in different colors or shaded in many tones; they have only one color, but they change it in the course of time. We may call them chameleon-like etheric bodies.

Then there are those etheric bodies that have a strong tendency to light up inwardly, growing at times brighter and brighter. Other etheric bodies have a powerful faculty to reproduce the harmonies of the spheres. Finally, there are those etheric bodies that appear especially in inventive people and persons of genius—etheric bodies that, if I may say so, reveal forces within them that are rare and strange in this earthly world. Whereas the above-mentioned six kinds of etheric bodies are found among ordinary, even average, human beings, the last kind of etheric body produces the type of human being with powerfully developed faculties, those we often say are “not of this earth”—poets, artists, and the like.

It is not by arbitrarily picking the number seven that we distinguish these seven forms of etheric bodies. We simply have to count, and we find no others besides those I have just described as typical. For this simple reason, there are seven kinds of etheric bodies. There are seven different kinds of human etheric bodies, and in the etheric bodies we have forces that are not earthly, but come in from the cosmos.

Our etheric body forms and molds the physical body. If only earthly forces worked on us, we would all be alike in our physical body. However, the influence of the etheric body makes us different. The astral body brings about further differences, such as those between male and female bodies, through forces it develops between death and a new birth, during the time when we prepare ourselves for the gender that karma requires us to have in the next incarnation.

But for the moment, let us just look at the etheric body. If we take only earthly forces into account, we can say that our physical bodies would have to be alike. However, because our etheric bodies differ in their constitution, composition, and structure in the cosmos, there would have to be seven groups of human beings. This is the fact we gradually arrive at when we investigate the relationship between our etheric body and our physical body with the methods of spiritual science. Now this difference is connected with the racial diversities on the earth. Basically, because of this difference in etheric bodies, the several races can always be reduced to the number seven. Even though certain typical forms atrophy, and though natural science may distinguish fewer than seven basic races, there are really seven basic racial distinctions in the human species. These diversities are brought about by the etheric body; they do not result from the earthly forces that work during our evolution, but originate in cosmic forces.

Now, when we trace the evolution of the earth back into the Atlantean or even into the Lemurian epochs, we find that initially impulses and tendencies existed that would have prevented our physical body from developing the physiognomy it now has through the power of the etheric body—that is, the diversities. Instead, if everything had gone a certain way (we shall see directly in what way), the seven-colored etheric body would have brought about diversities in our physical form, but successively, one after the other. Thus, the etheric body would have created one form of human being in the fifth period of Atlantis, a second in the sixth period of Atlantis, a third in the seventh, a fourth in the first post-Atlantean period, a fifth in the second post-Atlantean period, a sixth in the third, and a seventh in the fourth post-Atlantean period, that is, in the Greco-Roman time.

That is what would have happened; various types of human beings would have appeared one after the other. Thus, in the fifth Atlantean period we would have had human beings in whose physical formation one type of etheric body would have predominated. In the sixth Atlantean period, the second of the etheric bodies just described would have been at work, and so on right until the fourth post-Atlantean period. That was the original conception. However, Lucifer and Ahriman opposed this; they did not want it to happen that way. They fought against this harmonious tendency of development in the evolution of humanity, and they managed to change the whole process so that various developments were shifted and displaced. While there should have been basically only one form of human being in the fifth Atlantean period that was to develop gradually into another type, Lucifer and Ahriman preserved the form of the fifth Atlantean period into the sixth, and again that of the sixth Atlantean period into the seventh, and even into the time after the Atlantean flood.

Thus, forms that should have disappeared remained. Instead of racial diversities developing consecutively, older racial forms remained unchanged and newer ones began to evolve at the same time. Instead of the intended consecutive development of races, there was a coexistence of races. That is how it came about that physically different races inhabited the earth and are still there in our time although evolution should really have proceeded as I have described it. Even when we consider only what resulted from the development of the etheric body, we see everywhere that Lucifer and Ahriman play their part in the earthly evolution of humanity.

Now we must ask what the intended consecutive development of humanity up until the Greco-Roman epoch meant in the larger cosmic context. As we know, around the Atlantean time, human souls gradually came down from the planets to which they had ascended. You may remember that I described in my An Outline of Occult Science that the souls had ascended and then came down again and that the life of earthly incarnations, properly speaking, begins with their descent.2Rudolf Steiner, An Outline of Occult Science, vol. 13 in the Collected Works, repr. (Spring Valley, NY: Anthroposophic Press, 1989). Thus, the I of human beings, their individualities, would have gone through the various human forms mentioned above in consecutive periods. In the fifth Atlantean period, the I would have had one human form, in the sixth another, in the seventh again another; in the first post-Atlantean epoch it would have had yet another form, and so on. We would all have lived through these types of humanity, one after the other.

Indeed, it was planned that human beings would thus complete the necessary schooling of human individuality by passing through various etheric formations that had different effects on their physical body. In fact, according to the original plan, there could have been a type of human being on the earth who would have been the result, as it were, of seven successive periods of development, each of which would have contributed to the perfection of that human type. In the fifth post-Atlantean period, then, there would have been one united type of human being spread over the whole face of the earth.

However, Lucifer and Ahriman interfered and thwarted the original design. As a result, the ancient Greeks could only dream of an ideal, superhuman type, which they tried to represent in various ways, for example, in the form of Apollo, Zeus, or Athena. They could not fully encompass this type simply because it did not really exist. But if we have a sense for Greek sculpture, we can feel how the ancient Greeks dreamed of a uniform, perfect, beautiful type of human being that should have developed. This development did not occur because Lucifer and Ahriman preserved older racial forms that had developed, so that there was a coexistence of races rather than a succession.

In the fourth post-Atlantean period, in the Greco-Roman era, human evolution was faced with the fact that what the gods guiding the evolution of the earth had intended for the outer forms on this earth had not been realized because of the luciferic-ahrimanic influence. The spirits of the hierarchy of form had intended that the harmonious working of the various hierarchies of form should really lead to a human type with perfect physical development. As it turned out, the ancient Greeks could only dream of this perfect type and express it in their art.

It is a deeply moving experience to realize in the course of spiritual research why the Greeks created such perfection in their plastic art. They did it because through a soul-spiritual instrument they perceived that Lucifer and Ahriman had disappointed the good divine-spiritual beings, whose plans for humanity were different from the development that actually occurred. What should have developed through the work of these good divine-spiritual beings weighed on the ancient Greeks' minds, and so they wanted to at least represent it even though it did not exist in outer reality. It is great and wonderful and also deeply moving to behold these inner forces of human evolution that appear there in artistic forms, striving to express what could not be achieved in outer reality. Such insights shed new light on Greek art as it was developed so uniquely and unrepeatably at that time.

The Greek era was also the time when humanity faced a crisis because of the luciferic-ahrimanic influence. Lucifer and Ahriman had caused races to live side by side instead of one after the other. At the same time, however, all the forces the spirits of form were pouring into human evolution on the earth were immobilized. Now they could do no more than stimulate and inspire the creative imagination of the Greeks so that it developed as I have described it. The spirits of form had to decide whether the human race should continue to develop so that human beings would never again be united in earthly evolution. For this indeed is what would have happened. If earthly evolution had continued beyond the fourth, the Greco-Roman period, in the same way it was prior to that, then humanity would have become separated into seven groups due to luciferic and ahrimanic forces. These seven groups would have been as different from each other as the various species of animals. Animal species do not understand each other, but regard each other as foreign. Similarly, toward the end of the fourth post-Atlantean period and in the fifth one, in which we live, people would have had to develop more and more the view that there are seven groups of human beings on earth that see each other as completely different species. This view would still have prevailed in our time; in fact, the separation between the seven groups would not yet have reached its culmination or completion, but would still be developing and widening. The term “human being” for all people on earth would have seemed wrong; we would have had seven different terms, one for each of the seven groups.

Therefore, in the fourth post-Atlantean age, in the Greco-Roman period, something had to be done in the universe to forestall the development that threatened to result in the future, at the end of earth evolution, namely, the evolution of seven groups of human beings, each called by a different name, just as each animal species has a different name. These groups would not have regarded each other as belonging to the same species, and at most there would have been handed down to them some copy of the Greek forms, such as the statues of Zeus or Apollo. They would have regarded these statues as something alien to them—something that could never have existed on earth. Precautions had to be taken to prevent such a development. Physical evolution had already gone too far and could not be changed anymore. Therefore, precautions had to be taken for our etheric body; an impulse had to enter our etheric body that would counteract the separating of earthly humanity into seven groups. This impulse that was to counteract the growing fragmentation of humanity and that was to make it possible for the term “human being” to retain—and, in fact, increase—its true meaning over the whole face of the earth was the Mystery of Golgotha, which we can now see in a new light.

The first attempt that had been made with earthly humanity before the luciferic and ahrimanic impulses interfered in evolution was to create unity among human beings everywhere through the forming of the physical body. This attempt by the spirits of form failed because of luciferic-ahrimanic interference. But it could not be allowed to fail altogether; precautions had to be taken to prevent complete failure and to immobilize and offset the work of Lucifer and Ahriman. The physical body could no longer be worked on as was originally intended; therefore, the etheric body had to be worked on. This was done by the divine-spiritual being we have so often spoken of—the Christ Being—taking on human form at the time in human evolution when the possibility to express the archetype of humanity was the greatest.

At what period in human evolution was this? All the forces that counteract the original, identical design of our physical body are at work in us mostly in the first seven years of life, when the physical body is still soft and pliant. They do not allow our physical body to become the same everywhere, but from within the body they immobilize the forces for the original identical design.3Editor's note: The transcript seems to be faulty here. The original reads: “They [the opposing forces] let it [the physical body] become the same; they make it identical from within.” This obviously contradicts not only the statements directly preceding this passage, but also the lecture as a whole. These opposing forces can still go on working in the second seven years until puberty; indeed, they can even continue to work in the third and fourth seven-year periods during the development of the astral body and the sentient soul. However, in the middle of the development of the intellectual or mind soul, which evolved above all in the fourth post-Atlantean or Greco-Roman time, the extra-earthly forces are less and less able to reach us. And in the very midst of this development, that is, in the period between our twenty-eighth and thirty-fifth years, they have least access to us. If we add two years at the beginning of this period and subtract two years at the end, the time in question is that between the thirtieth and the thirty-third year. In the time following those years, extra-earthly forces once more have the greatest influence. The period from the thirtieth to the thirty-third year, however, is the time of the greatest influence of earthly forces on the human being. And if in this period of three years there remained only the degree of diversity that existed in younger years and only what is to appear in later years would be added—in short, if only what works on human beings between the thirtieth and the thirty-third year remained effective, then people would indeed be much more alike.

Christ had to use these three years—very special and unique years—to unite with those earthly forces in human beings that had retained most of the earthly element in the human being. To this end, as we have discussed, the body for Christ was prepared through the two Jesus bodies up to the thirtieth year. Then, from the thirtieth to the thirty-third year, Christ took possession of this body. Where the earth forces were most active and where deformations could have set in, there no further development was possible, and physical death occurred. Thus, the sun-being, Christ, really entered into the earth sphere and united with the whole etheric body of the earth, as I have often explained. He then entered into the earth aura and now continues to work there. This sun-being must work for us in such a way that we realize more and more that in Christ the divine spirit was sent to us who was to counterbalance and redeem from within the separation and diversification in humanity created by Lucifer and Ahriman's opposition to the original impulses.

In outer human nature, the good spiritual beings work together with Lucifer and Ahriman. But what human beings originally, at the beginning of earth evolution, were intended to have on the outside, namely, uniformity and the applicability of the term “human being” everywhere on earth, was now to be brought forth out of the innermost essence of the human being through the Christ-Spirit. It is one of the many meanings of the Mystery of Golgotha that with the Christ-Spirit something was given to the earth that, when rightly understood, makes the name “human being” again applicable to all earthly humanity. The real substance of Christianity, which has already been partially revealed through its teachings, will be explored by those who, in regard to Christ, seek in the spiritual world what Christ is continually revealing in accordance with his words: “I am with you always, to the close of the age.” When what can be conveyed to human beings in the name of Christ from within thus gradually becomes known, then, as a result, what Lucifer and Ahriman did in earthly humanity can more and more be made up for and redeemed.

We may, of course, ask now if there is any meaning in this detour. This is really a childish question, and it is often raised by people who think themselves cleverer than the cosmic wisdom—and indeed there are many who aspire to such superior cleverness. Such people say, “If there are mighty divine beings, could they not have eliminated the luciferic-ahrimanic influence at the beginning of earthly evolution in order to protect their work?” This may be human wisdom, but in St. Paul's sense it is “folly with God.” It is nothing more than mere human wisdom.

In our lectures, we must look at things as we are now doing, and then what has developed through the opposition of Lucifer and Ahriman does not seem absolutely evil to us, but only relatively evil. For let us now consider the other side of the matter. Let us assume the original, divine cosmic plan for the earth had been fulfilled. Imagine that in the regular course of evolution the Greco-Roman era would have arrived, as I have pointed out, and that beautiful, harmonious type of human being the Greeks dreamed of would not only have been created by their sculptors, but would have lived among them and would gradually have spread over the whole earth. All other human forms would gradually have disappeared, and only what lives in the Apollo type, the Zeus type, the Diana type, and the Athena type would have spread over the earth. Since such beings would have recognized each other as belonging to the same species, they would have given themselves the name “human being.” Then the term “human being” would indeed have been applicable, and at the same time there would have been a sense of the equality of all people.

In that case, a human race of Grecian beauty would have spread over the earth, and in our age we would already see humanity approaching more and more this beautiful Grecian type, which would reach its perfection when the earth arrives at its goal in the seventh post-Atlantean epoch, after which it will pass over into other stages of existence. However, human beings would have advanced to this common humanity in unfreedom—that is what we must bear in mind. We would have been compelled to see all human beings everywhere as the same beings. It is only because such an identical form did not develop that all the other things could happen that allow us to see others as different, so that each sees the other as unlike himself and does not love his neighbor as himself. You will probably understand that if human beings had really become outwardly as alike as the original divine-spiritual forces had intended if Lucifer and Ahriman had not interfered, the feeling that one must love one's neighbor as oneself would necessarily have developed. There would not have been any choice; for anything else would have seemed to be nonsense, both in terms of feeling and of perception.

However, this development was not supposed to come from the outside because then it would have made us into beings who love automatically—that is, we would have loved others because they are our own kind, but without knowing the force that urges us to this love. Thus, what would otherwise have come to us in unfreedom was prepared for freedom through Lucifer and Ahriman's opposition. This sanction of the opposition is therefore inherent in the original plan of divine wisdom. Indeed, we may say that in still earlier periods of earthly evolution, the opposition against the harmonious progressive divine-spiritual powers was created precisely so that it could later bring about freedom.

At this point, we must realize that our concepts must change when we leave the sphere of physical observation and ascend to a higher order of perception. Many of you probably know that philosophy speaks of antinomies, and that Kant has even gone so far as to claim that it can be proven with equal conclusiveness that the two statements “the world is infinite in terms of space” and “the world is finite in terms of space” are correct. Similarly, both “the world has had a beginning” and “the world has had no beginning” can be proven conclusively. Why is this? It is because logic does not apply when we come into a sphere that can no longer be comprehended by physical means. We finally have to realize that our physical logic works neither in the realm of philosophy nor anywhere else where we concern ourselves with other than physical forms of existence. We must not make the mistake of looking at the opposition of Lucifer and Ahriman as we would at the antagonism between a good and an evil person on earth. This kind of mistake occurs when we continue to carry over the earthly into the super-earthly realm.

Most people picture Ahriman and Lucifer as evil beings—albeit much more intensely evil than human beings. But this is not true; we must keep in mind that certain earthly feelings we associate with our concepts lose their meaning when we go beyond the earthly realm. Thus we cannot say that there are good gods on the one hand and the evil gods Ahriman and Lucifer on the other. We must not assume that a trial should be held in the universe where a highly qualified cosmic judge would sit on the cosmic judgment seat and sentence Lucifer and Ahriman to be locked up once and for all, so that only the good gods can get to work. True, locking somebody up can at times make sense in earthly life; in the cosmos it would not make any sense because there such ideas and concepts have no meaning. The opposing forces were created by the good gods themselves in an earlier period so that they would be able to bring to bear their full force for the development I have described.

For freedom to enter in so that human beings did not develop an unfree love through their outer shape or form, the luciferic and ahrimanic elements had to be part of our evolution. Only in this way can we arrive from within ourselves at the unity indicated by the term “humanity.” Thus, the gods allowed humanity to be fragmented by the opposing forces, so that later, after their bodily nature had been thus separated, human beings could again be brought into a unity in their spiritual nature through Christ.

This is one of the meanings of the Mystery of Golgotha: the attainment of the unity of humanity from within. Externally human beings are becoming more and more different. The result will be not sameness but difference over the earth, and human beings must exert all the more force from within to attain unity. There will always be setbacks in this process of achieving unity—we can see them coming if we look for them. What was actually intended only for an earlier epoch is preserved into a later epoch, and what was to create differences in consecutive periods coexists. Human beings form different groups, and while they are struggling for unity all over the world in the name of Christ, through the Christ impulse, differences remain as aftereffects and setbacks. Such differences will always exist because human beings will only gradually be able to attain unity. At the same time, different groups will fight each other tooth and nail about everything concerning their outer life. There are setbacks from earlier epochs that run counter to the Christ impulse, rather than in harmony with it.

Indeed, here we see a very profound meaning of this Christ impulse. Based on true knowledge, we can say Christ is our savior who keeps humankind from being fragmented into groups. This is not yet fully understood by all people because the old still exists alongside the new. Today, people hardly understand the community of life in the Christ impulse, and this is connected with the fact that this understanding must proceed from our innermost being. We must realize that the Christ impulse has worked in the earth aura for the last two thousand years, but has not been understood. As we have often emphasized, this Christ impulse can only be fully understood through what spiritual science gives us. It is only when a growing number of people can more and more grasp, think, and feel what actually entered our earthly evolution in the fourth post-Atlantean period that understanding for that event will increase. To expect modern humanity to understand the Christ impulse is really asking too much. After all, just think how unwilling people are to acknowledge that this fourth post-Atlantean period of evolution, the Greco-Roman epoch, is of such paramount, such mighty significance in human evolution. Just think how unwilling people are to recognize any such post-Atlantean age at all with the Greco-Latin epoch as its pivotal point. To accept such truths, people need to take in the ideas of spiritual science. Without them one cannot understand these things at all—that is, one cannot understand the evolution of humanity if one has not taken in these concepts.

We have to understand the significance of the spirits of form, who had intended to develop a homogeneous human race in seven successive stages. This homogeneous human race was fragmented by Lucifer and Ahriman, but the force that wants to spread the one name “human being” over all the earth and unto the end of time—in spite of the outer differences between people—was revived from within by the Christ impulse. One of the chief tasks of the immediate future is to understand that Christ stands between Lucifer and Ahriman and to grasp his significance in relation to them. Therefore, we must always call Lucifer and Ahriman by their true names—we must call a spade a spade, so to speak—and look to the Christ impulse as the one combating them and saving the earth from this one-sided luciferic-ahrimanic impulse. This is what must be presented more and more often.

In our Dornach building we have therefore placed the statue The Representative of Humanity in the most prominent place; it presents the archetype of humanity that is to be recreated by Christ from within, surrounded by the luciferic-ahrimanic elements.4The statue is Rudolf Steiner's wood sculpture The Representative of Humanity. It survived the burning of the first Goetheanum and stands now in the second Goetheanum. That is the meaning of this central statue in our building. Looking at this central figure, people will realize that this is indeed what the good gods had intended. The human race was fragmented, Lucifer and Ahriman made their appearance, but the Christ impulse triumphs and recreates from within, from within us, what was originally intended for the outside. In the process, our freedom is created. Our building and what will be in it are to place before humanity what must be accomplished in terms of understanding human evolution. What is most needed for humanity in the immediate future is to be revealed in our building; we want people to understand human evolution showing and telling them what is most important for the near future.

Steiner in his Studio

Of course, many objections can be raised, and some of them have already been brought to our attention. After seeing the paintings and sculptures in the Goetheanum, some people have said that a true work of art must be understandable immediately to everyone without requiring an explanation. Here, on the other hand, people need theoretical explanations to understand our art works. Well, if people would only think a little! Imagine a Turk, for example, understanding nothing at all except what is contained in the Koran, a Turk who has heard nothing about Christ except that he must fight against Christianity. Suppose you took this Turk to see the Sistine Madonna and showed it to him without any explanations. Naturally, a work of art can only be understood by those who live in the same spiritual stream out of which the work was created. Thus, our ideal figure surrounded by Lucifer and Ahriman will only be understood by those who live in our spiritual stream.

This is true for all works of art in all ages: they are comprehensible only to those who live in the same spiritual stream. Only within that stream are they true works of art. The spiritual orientation must be inherent in them. Those who understand Raphael's Sistine Madonna or, let us say, his Transfiguration must know something of the spiritual stream in which the pictures were created. Similarly, to understand what they have seen in our building, people must have some element belonging to our spiritual stream in their souls and hearts. If they have this element within them, then the work of art must speak for itself, and no labels, identifying names, or other comments will be needed to explain or interpret it.

For example, when people look at one of our glass windows, they see in the bottom part a kind of coffin with a dead man in it; above that, they see an old man, a youth, a young woman, and a child standing on a winding path. If people have taken in our spiritual stream, they will realize that this is the review of life. Immediately after we have passed through the gate of death, we will see the course of our earthly life in reverse. Of course, you have to know this fact to make sense of the picture in the window. But if you know this, then the picture works by virtue of what it contains, just as the Sistine Madonna works upon those who know the Christian history behind it, but it has no such effect on the Turk. By the same token, what is presented in our building cannot work upon those who have not taken in our spiritual stream. These things just have to be seen in the right way.

Today, I wanted above all to explain that Christ was that spirit from the cosmos who, in the course of earthly evolution, brought spiritually what was originally intended for our outer form but could not develop externally, because we would then have become automatons of love and equality. On the physical plane there prevails the fundamental law that everything must operate through antitheses, through polarities. The gods could not simply have sent down Christ at the very beginning of earth evolution, as our naive wisdom might suggest they should have done. For then the antithesis of external fragmentation and inner concentration could never have developed. Humanity, however, must live in this antithesis and polarity. We have the right feelings for Christ only when we see in him the savior, rescuing humanity from dispersion and separateness; only then can Christ fill our own innermost I. Christianity lives wherever people are able to understand this union of all humanity through Christ. In the future, it will not matter much whether what Christ is will still be called by that name. However, a lot will depend on our finding in Christ the spiritual uniter of humanity and accepting that external diversity will increase more and more.

We will also have to accept that there will still be many setbacks for this spiritual understanding of the Christ impulse. What developed at the same time instead of consecutively will for a long time continue to evoke forces that fight against a spiritual understanding of global human equality. There will be many and terrible onslaughts, and, for the most part, their purpose will be to continue the luciferic-ahrimanic war against the Christ impulse. And it will be one of the greatest, most beautiful and significant achievements of our age if we can be among the few who understand this thought of the unifying of all human beings, who understand how remnants of the luciferic-ahrimanic elements strive to bring to the fore what is unique in various groups of human beings so as to exclude all others. It is very difficult to say anything at this time about the final outcome of these matters. As human hearts are now, to speak about that outcome would only be upsetting and bewildering; it may lead to opposition, perhaps even to hatred and abuse rather than to working in accordance with the Christ impulse. However, what can be said about this principle in the Christ impulse, namely, the salvation of humanity out of bodily fragmentation into spiritual unity, must be told, for it must become more and more effective in human evolution.

We have to be able to face calmly and courageously the increasing diversity in human nature because we know that we can carry a word into all these diversities that is not merely a word of speech but one of power. Though there may be groups that fight against each other and though we may even belong to one of them, we know that we can bring something that will express: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” into every group. We know that this “Christ who lives in me” will not lead to the forming of groups; rather, it will bring about the spreading of the glory of the name “human being” over the whole earth.

The understanding of spiritual science brings to life the realization that we can carry the power that comes from the words “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” into the groups that are fighting each other—no matter into which group we bring our I. This is one of the practical and moral-ethical aspects of our strivings in spiritual science. With the force of these words we bring something into the group that does not belong exclusively to one or the other group but to all humanity. It is only through this that we can arrive at a true spiritual understanding of Christianity.

It is the hallmark of mighty spiritual paths that they are finally expressed in simple words. Think of the simple words that can express the whole of Christianity, which has permeated the world for nearly two thousand years. But these simple words can only be found on the basis of big, long-term developments. These simple words that express Christianity were not just there all at once; they had to be worked for. We must be aware that we are among those people working to make it possible that someday simple words may be found to express, in a basic, elementary way, the truths we have to spread and develop today. Without such development the simple could never come about. We may not yet be able to put our spiritual science into simple words in any language—words that would condense it on a quarter of a page—so that all striving people would understand it, as was done for Christianity when it originated two thousand years ago. Yet, we can be sure that those simple words will contain something of what I said today, something that will direct our attention to the Greco-Roman age, especially to the Mystery of Golgotha during that time, as well as to the contrast or polarity between Christ and Lucifer-Ahriman.

What can be seen everywhere will be concentrated in a few simple words that can then be handed down to future humanity in the same way as the commandment, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” Just as this commandment expresses something that had to be attained as a result of a long development, so, in the future, the findings of spiritual science will be put into simple words, and then all people will understand them.

This requires our spiritual work, for the simple can only arise in the spiritual evolution of humanity when people have been willing to spend long periods of time learning about the details. You are called upon to help in this development, which will lead to something appearing to people in bright clarity, something we cannot yet express because we do not have the words for it in our languages, yet something spiritual science works toward. When you feel you belong to such a spiritual stream, and feel at home in it, because you see that it is necessary for human evolution, then you have the right understanding of our spiritual movement—you belong to it in such a way that you rightly understand the greatest of its goals based on your increasing understanding of the contrast between Christ and Lucifer-Ahriman. You understand that this contrast is vital and had to exist.

This is what I wanted to bring before your souls today. It is all connected with the question of the meaning of our whole earthly evolution. For when spirits from other planets look down upon the earth and ask what the meaning of this earthly evolution is, they will understand it when they learn about the Mystery of Golgotha. Everything that happens in the course of earthly evolution has its meaning only through the Mystery of Golgotha. The Mystery of Golgotha radiates out into the cosmos and imparts to everything else that radiates out from the earth its meaning, its central meaning.

Die Geistige Vereinigung Der Menschheit Durch Den Christus-Impuls

Im Grunde genommen zielt doch alle Geisteswissenschaft zuletzt darauf hin, den Menschen in seiner Wesenheit, in seinen Aufgaben und Bestrebungen, seinen notwendigen Bestrebungen im Laufe der Entwikkelung kennenzulernen. Die Mißverständnisse, von denen wir oftmals sprechen müssen, die von außen der Geisteswissenschaft entgegengebracht werden, rühren zum größten Teil davon her, daß sich die gegenwärtige Menschheit noch wenig an gewisseGrundwahrheiten gewöhnen kann, welche einfach anerkannt sein müssen, durchschaut sein müssen, wenn man ein irgendwie geartetes Verständnis des Lebens und des Wesens des Menschen gewinnen will.

Wovon geht eigentlich — lassen Sie uns heute diese Frage zunächst berühren —, wovon geht eigentlich diejenige Wissenschaftlichkeit aus, deren große, bedeutsame Triumphe in den letzten vier Jahrhunderten voll anerkannt, gerade von der Geisteswissenschaft voll anerkannt werden sollten? — Sie geht aus von demjenigen, was sie im Umkreis des physischen Daseins wahrnimmt, was sich im Umkreise des physischen Daseins zeigt. Nun ist es wirklich eine Selbstverständlichkeit, daß man zunächst Vertrauen hat zu demjenigen, was man als die sogenannte Wirklichkeit in seiner Umgebung wahrnimmt, und daß man versucht, diese Wirklichkeit aus allem zu erklären, was selbst in dieser Wirklichkeit da ist. Es ist natürlich schwierig, sich von vornherein klarzumachen, daß diese Wirklichkeit selber Schein in sich enthalten könnte, daß diese Wirklichkeit selber täuschen könnte. Über diese Klippe muß derjenige zunächst hinwegkommen, der Geisteswissenschaft wirklich verstehen will. Er muß einsehen lernen, daß die Wirklichkeit, so wie sie uns umgibt, täuschen kann, daß sie geradezu verführen kann, in einer falschen Weise ausgelegt zu werden. Und vieles, was wir im Laufe der Jahre auf dem Gebiet der Geisteswissenschaft kennengelernt haben, hat uns die Überzeugung beibringen können, daß diese uns unmittelbar umgebende Wirklichkeit täuschen könne. Wir wollen heute von einem ganz bestimmten Punkt ausgehen, von einem Punkt, der allerdings erst innerhalb der Geisteswissenschaft gewonnen werden kann. In der Geisteswissenschaft ist es so, daß man die Dinge erst verstehen muß, und dann, wenn man sie verstanden hat, kann man das Verstandene an der Wirklichkeit bewahrheitet finden. Gerade wichtigste Dinge muß man in der Geisteswissenschaft zuerst verstehen, bevor man sie anschauen kann. Es könnte leicht auseinandergesetzt werden, daß dies eine Methode ist, die auch in der äußeren Welt, und namentlich in der äußeren wissenschaftlichen Welt, vielfach Anwendung findet. Allein das wollen wir uns heute ersparen. Man kann nicht immer alle Dinge von Grund auf entwickeln.

Eine solche Tatsache, die im eminentesten Sinne geeignet ist, über die äußere Wirklichkeit durch das Aussehen, durch die Physiognomie dieser Wirklichkeit selber zu täuschen, das ist die über den Unterschied, über die Verschiedenheiten der Menschen auf Erden. Wenn wir einen Blick wenden auf die Menschen, wie sie die Erde bewohnen, so sagen wir uns: Es gibt im Grunde genommen nicht zwei gleiche Menschen auf dem physischen Felde. Die Menschen sind alle auf dem physischen Felde voneinander verschieden. — Und dann ist es ganz natürlich, daß man diese Verschiedenheit der Menschen auf Erden als eine Tatsache annimmt — ich meine jetzt die Verschiedenheit des physischen Leibes - und daß man nun davon ausgeht, zu erfahren irgendwie aus den Tatsachen des Erdenlebens, warum die Menschen verschieden sind, warum sie verschieden aussehen.

Nun zeigt die geisteswissenschaftliche Betrachtung aber etwas ganz anderes. Sie zeigt uns, daß, wenn wir nur Rücksicht nehmen auf die Betrachtung desjenigen, was aus dem physischen Leib der Erde an Formen werden kann durch die Erdenkräfte, die Menschen gar nicht verschieden sein könnten auf der Erde, sondern sie würden alle gleich sein, alle gleiche Formen haben! Die Kräfte, die auf der Erde vorhanden sind, um dem Menschen die physische Gestalt zu geben, sind tatsächlich so geartet, daß alle Menschen, wenn nur die formenden Kräfte unserer Erde auf sie wirken würden, die gleiche äußere physische Gestalt haben müßten. Dies wird dadurch bewirkt, daß dieser physische Menschenleib genügend vorbereitet ist. Wir wissen, daß er vorbereitet worden ist durch die Saturn-, durch die Sonnen-, durch die Mondenzeit. Da ist alles so vorbereitet durch Kräfte, die eben gewirkt haben während dieser drei Epochen, daß von den Kräften der Erde selber auf den menschlichen Leib gar nichts anderes wirken kann, als was ihn in einheitlichen Formen über die ganze Erde hin gestalten würde, wenn eben bloß diese Erde in Betracht kommen würde. Ich möchte sagen: Der Mensch ist durch dasjenige, was an Kräften seinem physischen Leibe während der Saturn-, Sonnen- und Mondenzeit einverleibt worden ist, so gepanzert gegen alle Verschiedenheiten der Erdenkräfte, daß er über die ganze Erde hin, wenn er nur den Erdenkräften überlassen wäre, gleich sein müßte. Geisteswissenschaft muß also ausgehen davon, daß eine gleiche Form durch die Erdenkräfte dem Menschen vorbestimmt worden ist.

Wenn wir nun selbst die Verschiedenheit des Männlichen und Weiblichen ins Auge fassen, so gilt auch in bezug auf diese Verschiedenheit des Männlichen und Weiblichen das, was eben gesagt worden ist. Denn auch diese Verschiedenheit ist nicht hervorgerufen durch dasjenige, was von Erdenkräften an dem Menschen geformt ist, sondern durch ganz andere Kräfte, von denen wir gleich sprechen werden, so daß wir eine gewisse Summe von Erdenkräften annehmen können, die formend auf den Menschen wirken und die über die ganze Erde hin nur absolut gleiche Menschengestalten hervorzubringen suchen. Nun können wir uns selbstverständlich fragen: Woher rührt es denn nun, daß die Menschen dennoch so verschieden sind?

Wir wissen ja, daß wir es nicht nur zu tun haben mit dem physischen Erdenleib des Menschen, sondern daß hinter dem physischen Erdenleib des Menschen ätherischer Leib steht. Nun zeigt uns die geisteswissenschaftliche Betrachtung, daß, wenn auch in bezug auf den physischen Erdenleib eigentlich alle Menschen gleich sein müßten, sie in bezug auf den Ätherleib verschieden sein müssen, und zwar aus dem Grunde, weil auf den Ätherleib eben nicht bloß Erdenkräfte wirken. Es ist ein völliger Irrtum, wenn man glaubt, daß auf den Ätherleib des Menschen nur Erdenkräfte wirken. Auf den Ätherleib des Menschen wirken aus dem Kosmos, aus dem Universum herein Kräfte, die formen ihn, die gestalten ihn. So daß wir also unterscheiden müssen die gleichförmigen, über die Erde hin wirkenden Erdenkräfte, die alle Menschenformen gleich machen würden, und die aus dem Universum auf die Erde hereinwirkenden Kräfte, die die Ätherleiber der Menschen verschieden machen. Man kann durch die geisteswissenschaftliche Beobachtung die Verschiedenheit der menschlichen Ätherleiber verfolgen. Da gibt es menschliche Ätherleiber, welche, ich möchte sagen, an einer äußersten Grenze stehen, die starke Kräfte haben, Ätherleiber, bei denen man beobachten kann, daß sie außerordentlich zäh sind, so daß, wenn man sie beobachtet, sie ihre Form fast so beibehalten, wie eine physische Form bleibt. Das ist eine Art der Ätherleiber.

Eine zweite Art der Ätherleiber ist die, wo der Ätherleib so beweglich ist, ich möchte sagen, wie ein vollständig Bewegtes, mehr Flatterndes beweglich ist, im Gegensatz zu der festen Form flutend und beweglich ist. Die Ätherleiber dieser beiden Formen zeigen sich namentlich so, daß man sie bezeichnen kann als innerlich ziemlich gleich schattiert. Eine weitere Art von Ätherleibern ist diejenige, die innerlich schattiert sind, innerlich schillernd schattiert sind, die also nicht gleichförmig in ihrer Farbe sind, sondern innerlich schattiert, innerlich tingiert sind. Eine vierte Art von Ätherleibern sind diejenigen, welche zwar durch ihre ganze Substanz hindurch eine Grundfarbe, wenn wir so sagen wollen, zeigen, die sie aber in den aufeinanderfolgenden Zeiten ändern, ohne daß man angeben kann, daß sie von etwas anderem als von innen her geändert wird. Diese sind also nicht schillernd tingiert, nicht mit verschiedenen Farben schattiert, sondern sie sind so, daß sie gleichmäßig sind, aber im Laufe der Zeit immer andere Färbungen zeigen, chamäleonartige Ätherleiber. Dann gibt es solche Ätherleiber, die sehr stark die Neigung haben, sich innerlich aufzuhellen, zu klären, die in gewissen Momenten heller und heller werden. Andere Ätherleiber haben eine sehr starke Fähigkeit, die Sphärenharmonie wiederzugeben. Und dann sind solche Ätherleiber zu beobachten, welche insbesondere auftreten bei erfinderischen, genialischen Menschen, solche Ätherleiber, welche schon Kräfte in sich zeigen, die erdenfremd und erdenseltsam sind. Während die sechs vorherigen Arten des Ätherleibes immerhin zeigen, daß sie so geartet sind, daß man sie bei Menschen, auch wenn sie Durchschnittsmenschen sind, findet, gibt die letztere Art von Ätherleibern diejenige Art von Menschen, welche starke Fähigkeiten haben, die, von denen man sagt, daß sie nicht «erdgeboren» sind — Dichter, Künstler und dergleichen.

Es ist nicht aus einer beliebigen Annahme der Zahl Sieben, daß man solche sieben Formen des Ätherleibes bei den Menschen unterscheidet. Man muß eben abzählen. Man findet keine andern als diejenigen, die ich jetzt als typisch dargestellt habe, und deshalb sind es sieben, aus keinem andern Grunde, sieben Arten des Ätherleibes. Es sind wirklich sieben verschiedene Arten der Ätherleiber der Menschen. In den Ätherleibern haben wir Kräfte, die gewissermaßen nicht irdisch sind, die aus dem Kosmos hereinkommen. Nun wirkt der Ätherleib aber gestaltend auf den physischen Leib, und so kommt es, daß, während in bezug auf den physischen Leib durch die Erdenkräfte die Menschen alle gleich sein würden, schon durch den Ätherleib sie verschieden geformt werden, während die Verschiedenheit zum Beispiel in männliche und weibliche Leiber sogar erst durch den Astralleib bewirkt wird, durch die Kräfte, die der Astralleib erst entwickelt, namentlich im Durchgang zwischen dem Tod und einer neuen Geburt, wo der Mensch sich vorbereitet zu dem Geschlecht, das er nach dem Karma in der nächsten Inkarnation haben muß.

Bleiben wir zunächst bei der Betrachtung des Ätherleibes. Also wir können sagen: Während der physische Leib eigentlich, wenn wir bloß auf die Erdenkräfte Bezug nehmen, veranlagt ist zur Gleichheit über die ganze Erde hin, würden die Menschen in sieben Gruppen zerfallen über die Erde hin dadurch, daß ihre Ätherleiber vom Kosmos aus, von außerhalb der Erde in verschiedener Weise veranlagt sind, in verschiedener Weise durchgestaltet sind, durchsubstanziert sind. Das ist der Tatbestand, das ist dasjenige, wozu man nach und nach kommt, wenn man versucht, das gegenseitige Verhältnis des Ätherleibes des Menschen zu seinem physischen Leib geisteswissenschaftlich zu untersuchen. Nun hängt diese Verschiedenheit, die da auftritt, mit den Anlagen, mit den Verschiedenheiten der Rassen über die Erde hin zusammen. Im Grunde genommen können die Rassen immer wegen dieser Verschiedenheit der Ätherleiber auf die Siebenzahl zurückgeführt werden. Wenn auch manche typischen Formen verkümmern und man vielleicht in der äußeren Wissenschaft weniger als sieben Grundrassen unterscheidet, es sind doch eigentlich in Wirklichkeit sieben Grundrassenverschiedenheiten im ganzen Menschengeschlecht vorhanden. Aber die sind eigentlich durch die Ätherleiber bewirkt und haben ihren Ursprung nicht in den Erdenkräften während unserer Entwickelung, sondern sie haben ihren Ursprung in kosmischen Kräften.

Wenn wir nun die Entwickelung der Erde selber rückwärts verfolgen bis in die atlantische, bis in die lemurische Zeit hinein, dann zeigt sich uns, daß ursprünglich Anlagen, Impulse vorhanden waren, durch welche die Physiognomie, die der physische Leib des Menschen durch die Gewalt des Ätherleibes bekommen hat-also die Verschiedenheit, die da ausgeprägt worden ist -, sich eigentlich nicht so auf der Erde hätte vollziehen sollen nach den ursprünglichen Anlagen, wie sie sich vollzogen hat. Es hätte nicht so kommen sollen, sondern wenn alles in einer gewissen Weise — wir werden gleich nachher sehen, in welcher Weise — gegangen wäre, so würde der siebenfarbige Ätherleib in der Ausgestaltung des Menschen Verschiedenheiten bewirkt haben, aber nacheinander, so nacheinander, daß eine gewisse Form von Menschen dagewesen wäre, durch den Ätherleib bewirkt, in der fünften atlantischen Periode, eine zweite in der sechsten atlantischen Periode, eine dritte in der siebenten atlantischen Periode, eine vierte in der ersten nachatlantischen Periode, eine fünfte in der zweiten nachatlantischen Periode, eine sechste in der dritten nachatlantischen Periode, eine siebente in der griechisch-lateinischen Zeit, der vierten nachatlantischen Periode. Also so wäre es gekommen: nacheinander hätten sich verschiedene Menschentypen gezeigt, nacheinander. Gewissermaßen hätten sich die Menschen so entwickelt, daß man in der fünften atlantischen Periode Menschen gehabt hätte, bei deren physischer Leibesgestaltung eine Form des Ätherleibes besonders stark gewirkt hätte, in der sechsten atlantischen Periode die zweite der charakterisierten Formen und so weiter bis herein in die vierte nachatlantische Periode. Das war eigentlich veranlagt.

Dagegen haben sich Luzifer und Ahriman gesträubt, das sollte nicht so kommen. Das war die im regelmäßigen Gang der Menschheitsentwickelung fortgehende Entwickelungstendenz. Dagegen haben sich Luzifer und Ahriman gesträubt. Sie haben die ganze Sache so eingeleitet, daß die Entwickelungen sich verschoben haben, so daß,während eigentlich die Entwickelung so veranlagt war, daß im wesentlichen eine Form von Menschen hätte erscheinen sollen in der fünften atlantischen Periode, und diese dann sich hätte nach und nach umwandeln sollen in eine andere Form von Menschen, erhielten Luzifer und Ahriman die Form der fünften atlantischen Periode in die sechste hinein, und wiederum von der sechsten atlantischen Periode in die siebente hinein, und wiederum herüber über die atlantische Überflutung. So daß eigentlich dasjenige, was hätte vergehen sollen in der Form, geblieben ist, und statt daß die Rassenunterschiede sich nacheinander entwickelt hätten, wie es hätte geschehen sollen, sind die alten Rassenformen geblieben, stationär geblieben, und die neueren haben sich gleichsam hineingeschoben, so daß sich ein Nebeneinander entwickelt hat, statt eines Nacheinander, das eigentlich bestimmt war. Und so entstand das, daß nun überhaupt solche physisch verschiedenen Rassen die Erde bevölkerten und bis in unsere Zeit herein bevölkern, während also diese Entwickelung hätte so ablaufen sollen, wie ich es geschildert habe. Wir sehen eben überall, schon wenn wir dasjenige, was von der Entwickelung des Ätherleibes herkommt, betrachten, wir sehen überall, daß Luzifer und Ahriman ihre Rolle in der irdischen Menschheitsentwickelung spielen.

Nun müssen wir uns einmal fragen: Wie war denn das eigentlich im Weltzusammenhang gemeint, daß die Menschen nacheinander bis in die griechisch-lateinische Zeit hinein sich so herausentwickeln sollten? Wir wissen ja wiederum, daß ungefähr um die Zeit, die ich bezeichnet habe als die atlantische Zeit, die Seelen nach und nach - also von der fünften atlantischen Periode angefangen — heruntergekommen waren von den Planeten, auf die sie hinaufgestiegen waren. Erinnern Sie sich aus meiner «Geheimwissenschaft im Umriß», wie dort dargestellt ist, daß die Seelen hinaufgestiegen und wiederum heruntergekommen sind, daß von dem Zeitpunkte an, da sie hinuntergestiegen sind, so richtig auf der Erde beginnt das Inkarnationsleben! Wir sehen also, daß die Iche der Menschen, die eigentlichen Individualitäten dann durchgegangen wären in den aufeinanderfolgenden Zeiten durch diese verschiedenen Gestaltungen. Unsere Iche wären in der fünften atlantischen Periode durch eine Menschenform gegangen, in der sechsten durch eine Menschenform gegangen, in der siebenten durch eine andere, in der ersten nachatlantischen Periode wieder durch eine andere und so weiter. Man würde diese aufeinanderfolgenden Menschentypen, Menschengestaltungen nach und nach absolviert haben. Und so war es eigentlich veranlagt, daß die Menschen auf diese Weise dasjenige absolviert hätten, was notwendig war zur Schulung der menschlichen Individualität, was notwendig war an Durchgang durch verschiedene Äthergestaltungen, die dann auf die physische Gestaltung unterscheidend gewirkt hätten, daß das alles durchgemacht worden wäre. In der Tat hätte auftreten können ein Menschentypus auf der Erde - das war ursprünglich veranlagt —, welcher das Ergebnis sieben hintereinander folgender Entwickelungsperioden gewesen wäre, die je etwas zugelegt hätten zur Vollkommenheit. Und die fünfte nachatlantische Periode wäre schon so gewesen, daß ein harmonischer Menschentypus über die ganze Erde hin bestimmt war.

Das haben Luzifer und Ahriman vereitelt. Nichts anderes war möglich, als daß die Griechen träumten von einem idealen, außermenschlichen Formtypus, den sie auf die verschiedene Weise - auf die Apolloweise, auf die Zeusweise, auf die Atheneweise und so weiter — zu formen trachteten. Sie haben ihn nicht vollständig umfaßt, weil er nicht in der Wirklichkeit da war. Aber man kann, wenn man ein Empfinden für die griechische Plastik hat, fühlen, wie das Griechentum träumt von dem, was an einheitlichem, vollkommenem, schönem Menschentypus hätte entstehen sollen. Daß das nicht so gekommen ist, das haben Luzifer und Ahriman dadurch verhindert, daß sie die einmal entstandenen Rassenformen immer bewahrt haben, so daß aus dem Nacheinander ein Nebeneinander entstanden ist.

So stand die Menschenentwickelung in der vierten nachatlantischen Periode, der griechisch-lateinischen Zeit, vor der Tatsache, daß durch den luziferisch-ahrimanischen Einfluß nicht hat erreicht werden können, wozu die die Erde impulsierenden Götter diese Erde in bezug auf die äußeren Formen eigentlich bestimmt haben. Die Geister aus der Hierarchie der Form haben bewirken wollen, daß aus dem Zusammenwirken der verschiedenen Hierarchien der Form dieser vollkommene Menschentypus an physischer Ausgestaltung hätte wirklich entstehen können. So konnten die Griechen nur von ihm träumen, konnten ihn nur in der Kunst ausleben.

Es hat etwas tief Ergreifendes, wenn man im Verlauf der geisteswissenschaftlichen Forschung darauf kommt, sich zu sagen: Warum haben denn diese Griechen eigentlich in der Plastik ein so Vollkommenes geschaffen? — Weil sie, ich möchte sagen, wie durch ein geistig-seelisches Werkzeug aufgefangen haben die Enttäuschungen, welche Luzifer und Ahriman den guten göttlich-geistigen Wesenheiten bereitet haben, die mit der Menschheit etwas anderes gewollt haben, als es dann hat entstehen können. Was durch die guten göttlich-geistigen Wesenheiten hätte entstehen sollen, das lag den Griechen auf der Seele, und das wollten sie wenigstens formen, nachdem es in dem Äußeren, Wirklichen nicht hat entstehen können. Groß und gewaltig und erschütternd wirkt die Anschauung dieser inneren Kräfte der Menschheitsentwickelung, die da in so etwas auftreten wie in künstlerischen Formen, die festhalten will dasjenige, was in der äußeren Wirklichkeit nicht hat erreicht werden können. Da blickt man noch mit einem ganz andern Sinn hin auf diese griechische Kunst, die gerade in jenem griechischen Zeitalter eine so eigenartige, sich nimmermehr wiederholenkönnende Ausgestaltung erfahren hat.

Aber damit war auch die Zeit gekommen, wo durch den luziferisch-ahrimanischen Einfluß gewissermaßen die Menschheit an eine Krisis gekommen ist. Luzifer und Ahriman haben einmal bewirkt, daß die Rassen, statt hintereinander lebend, nebeneinander lebend lebendig wurden. Aber zu gleicher Zeit waren auch herabgelähmt alle diejenigen Kräfte, die ursprünglich die formenden Geister, die Geister der Form in die Menschheitsentwickelung der Erde hineingegossen haben. Nichts mehr konnten sie machen, als die griechische Phantasie so zu befruchten, daß sie das ist, was ich auseinandergesetzt habe. Es standen gewissermaßen die Geister der Form vor der Notwendigkeit, sich zu sagen: Soll jetzt das Menschengeschlecht sich so weiterentwickeln, daß nimmermehr die Menschen sich zusammenfinden in der Erdenentwickelung? — Denn so hätte es kommen müssen. Wäre die Erdenentwickelung nun von der vierten Periode, der griechisch-lateinischen Zeit an einfach weitergegangen, so wäre sie auseinandergefallen in eine Siebenheit, bewirkt durch luziferische und ahrimanische Kräfte, in sieben Menschengruppen auf der Erde, die auseinandergefallen wären, so verschieden, wie die einzelnen Tiergruppen auseinanderfallen. Wie sich die einzelnen Tiergruppen gegenseitig nicht verstehen, sondern sich untereinander als andere Wesen ansehen, so hätte sich gegen das Ende der vierten Kulturperiode, der griechisch-lateinischen Zeit, und vom fünften Zeitalter an, in dem wir leben, immer mehr und mehr die Anschauung entwickeln müssen - man würde jetzt noch drinnenstehen, es wäre noch nicht bis zur äußersten Vollkommenheit gekommen, was hier die äußerste Unvollkommenheit eigentlich bedeutet, aber es hätte auf der Erde dazu kommen müssen nach und nach -, daß sich auf der Erde sieben Menschengruppen allmählich gebildet hätten, die sich gegenseitig als ganz andere Wesen angeschaut hätten. Der Name «Mensch» für alle Menschen auf der Erde hätte sich gar nicht als der rechte erwiesen, sondern man hätte Bezeichnungen gehabt, sieben Bezeichnungen für sieben verschiedene Wesensgruppen auf der Erde, nicht eine einheitliche Bezeichnung für den Menschen über die Erde hin.

Es handelte sich darum, daß gerade in dieser vierten nachatlantischen Periode, dieser griechisch-lateinischen Zeit, gewissermaßen eine Vorkehrung getroffen wurde im Weltenall, damit das so, wie es drohte, sich dennoch im weiteren Verlauf der Erdenentwickelung nicht vollziehen könne, damit nicht kommen könne einstmals der Moment wenn die Erde am Zielpunkt ihrer Entwickelung angekommen ist —, wo sieben Gruppen von Wesen die Erde bewohnen, die verschieden benannt werden, wie verschiedene 'Tiergattungen verschieden benannt werden, die sich nicht als gleich betrachten, und auf die höchstens übergegangen wäre irgendeine Nachbildung griechischer Formen, wie die der Zeusgestalt, der Apollogestalt, die als etwas Fremdes angesehen worden wären, als etwas, was es niemals auf der Erde hätte geben können. Gegen diese Entwickelung mußte eine Vorkehrung getroffen werden. Aber die physische Entwickelung war schon zu weit vorgeschritten, an der konnte man nichts mehr ändern. So mußte mit Bezug auf den Ätherleib des Menschen eine Vorkehrung getroffen werden. In den Ätherleib des Menschen mußte ein Impuls hineinkommen, welcher entgegenwirkt dieser Zersplitterung der Erdenmenschheit in eine Siebenheit. Und dieser Impuls, der bestimmt war im Weltenplan, dieser Zersplitterung der Erdenmenschheit entgegenzuwirken, dieser Impuls, der bestimmt war, möglich zu machen, daß der Menschenname über die ganze Erde hin eine reale Bedeutung behalte und wohl auch noch immer mehr und mehr annehmen wird, dieser Impuls ist - und da kommen wir auf einen neuen Gesichtspunkt dieser Tatsache - das Mysterium von Golgatha. Der erste Versuch gewissermaßen, der mit der Erdenmenschheit gemacht worden war, bevor der luziferisch-ahrimanische Impuls in die Erdenentwickelung eingegriffen hat, der war der, durch die Gestaltung des physischen Leibes Einheit zu schaffen über die ganze Erde hin in der Menschheit. Dieser Versuch der Geister der Form ist mißlungen. Er ist mißlungen durch den luziferisch-ahrimanischen Einfluß. Aber er durfte nicht in seiner Totalität mißlingen, es mußte etwas vorgekehrt werden, wodurch dasjenige, was Ahriman und Luzifer bewirkt haben, wiederum paralysiert werden kann, ausgeglichen werden kann. Auf den physischen Leib konnte man nicht mehr so wirken, wie es ursprünglich beabsichtigt war. Aber auf den Ätherleib sollte so gewirkt werden. Und das geschah dadurch, daß jenes geistig-göttliche Wesen, von dem wir so oftmals gesprochen haben, das Christus-Wesen, sich mit der menschheitlichen Gestalt in derjenigen Zeit der menschheitlichen Entwickelung vereinte, in der noch am meisten die Möglichkeit vorhanden war, den Urtypus der Menschheit festzuhalten.

Welche Zeit ist das in der menschlichen Entwickelung? — Alle die Kräfte, welche der ursprünglichen gleichen Anlage des physischen Leibes entgegenwirken, wirken im Menschen eigentlich so, daß sie in den ersten sieben Jahren wirken können, wo vorzugsweise der physische Leib in einer weichen Entwickelung ist. Da lassen sie ihn nicht gleich werden, da variieren sie ihn von innen heraus. Sie können es auch noch in den zweiten sieben Jahren, bis zur Geschlechtsreife heran. Sie können es auch noch in den dritten und vierten sieben Jahren während der Entwickelung des astralischen Leibes und der Empfindungsseele. Aber wenn es in die Mitte der Verstandes- oder Gemütsseele kommt, gerade desjenigen Gliedes in der menschlichen Entwickelung, das sich vorzugsweise in der vierten nachatlantischen, der griechisch-lateinischen Zeit entwickelt hat, da können die außerirdischen Kräfte am wenigsten an den Menschen heran, und in der Mitte am allerwenigsten, also in dem Zeitraum des Menschlichen, der zwischen dem achtundzwanzigsten und fünfunddreißigsten Lebensjahre liegt, und da wiederum in der Mitte. Wenn wir zwei Jahre vorher noch dazuzählen und zwei Jahre nachher weglassen, so ist das die Zeit vom dreißigsten bis dreiunddreißigsten Jahre. Nachher kommt die Zeit, wo wiederum außerirdische Kräfte auf den Menschen den größten Einfluß haben; in der Tat, da ist der Mensch so, daß außerirdische Kräfte auf ihn den allergrößten Einfluß haben. Jetzt aber - vom dreißigsten bis dreiunddreißigsten Jahre —, da ist noch am meisten von dem vorhanden, daß nur Erdenkräfte noch auf den Menschen wirken. Und in dieser Zeit, in diesen drei Jahren - auch wenn das bleiben würde an Entwickelungsverschiedenheit, was in den jüngeren Jahren wirkte, und das dazukommen würde, was durch die späteren Jahre auftritt —, wenn jetzt nur das wirken würde, was auf den Menschen in dieser Zeit vom dreißigsten bis dreiunddreißigsten Jahre wirkt, so würden die Menschen schon viel gleicher sein auf der Erde.

Diese drei Jahre hat nun der Christus ganz besonders benützen müssen — es sind drei ganz besonders ausgesonderte Jahre -, um nur mit den Erdenkräften in dem Menschen eine Gemeinschaft einzugehen, in denen sich das Irdische am Menschen noch am meisten bewahrt hat. Dazu wurde vorbereitet durch die beiden Jesus-Leiber, wie wir das auseinandergesetzt haben, bis zum dreißigsten Jahre hin der Christus-Leib, und dann, vom dreißigsten bis dreiunddreißigsten Jahre nahm der Christus Besitz von diesem Leib. Da, wo noch am meisten die Erdenkräfte wirken und wo Deformation eintreten konnte, da war die Entwickelung nicht mehr da, da trat eben der physische Tod ein. So ist wirklich in die Erdensphäre hereingekommen diese Christus-Sonnenwesenheit und hat sich dann auf die Art, wie ich ja öfters geschildert habe, mit dem ganzen Ätherleib der Erde vereinigt, ging über in die Erdenaura und wirkt nun in der Erdenaura weiter. Für den Menschen muß sie aber so wirken, daß der Mensch wirklich immer mehr begreift, daß ihm in dem Christus jener Gottesgeist auf die Erde geschickt worden ist, wodurch dasjenige, was durch den Widerpart Luzifer-Ahriman gegen die ursprünglichen Impulse in der Menschheit vereinzelt war, verschieden gemacht war,von innen heraus wiederum aufgehoben werde. In der äußeren Natur des Menschen wirken die guten geistigen Wesenheiten mit Luzifer und Ahriman zusammen. Dasjenige aber, was dem Menschen ursprünglich beim physischen Erdenanfang vorgesetzt war, von außen zu haben: Gleichheit über die ganze Erde hin, Möglichkeit des Menschennamens über die ganze Erde hin, das sollte durch den Christus-Geist nun von dem innersten Wesen des Menschen aus diesem Menschen gebracht werden. Das war eines aus der viel-, vielsinnigen Bedeutung des Mysteriums von Golgatha, daß mit dem Christus-Geiste der Erde etwas gegeben wurde, was, wenn es im richtigen Sinne verstanden wird, den Menschennamen wiederum möglich macht über die ganze Erdenmenschheit hin. Wenn dasjenige, was wirklich Inhalt des Christentums ist, was zum Teil schon geoffenbart ist durch das Christentum, was diejenigen erkunden werden, die mit Hinblick auf den Christus suchen werden in der geistigen Welt dasjenige, was der Christus fortwährend offenbart nach seinem Wort: «Ich bin bei euch alle Tage bis ans Ende der Erdenzeiten», wenn dasjenige nach und nach weiter herauskommt, was im Namen des Christus der Menschheit von innen heraus mitgeteilt werden kann, dann wird immer mehr dasjenige, was durch Luzifer und Ahriman in der Erdenmenschheit bewirkt worden ist, ausgeglichen werden können.

Man kann allerdings fragen: Hat es denn nun einen Sinn, daß dieser Umweg gemacht worden ist? — und diese, ich möchte sagen, kindliche Frage wird sehr häufig von den Menschen aufgeworfen, die gescheiter sein wollen als die Weltenweisheit - und das wollen ja viele Menschen sein. Gerade diejenigen Menschen, die gescheiter sein wollen als die Weltenweisheit, sagen: Wenn man an mächtige göttliche Wesen glauben soll, hätten denn diese am Anfange der Erdenentwickelung den luziferisch-ahrimanischen Einfluß nicht ausschalten können, damit ihnen ihr Werk nicht verdorben wäre? — Gewiß, Menschenweisheit ist das, aber im Sinne des Paulus «Torheit vor der göttlichen Weisheit». Menschenweisheit ist das schon.

Wir müssen nun in unseren Anschauungen die Dinge so betrachten, wie wir sie eben betrachten. Da erscheint uns selbstverständlich dasjenige, was durch Widerpart entsteht, was von der andern Seite her durch die Gegnerschaft von Luzifer und Ahriman entsteht, nicht wie etwas absolut Böses, nur wie ein relativ Böses. Nehmen wir nämlich auch die andere Seite der Sache in Betracht. Denken wir uns, der ursprüngliche göttliche Weltenplan mit der Erde wäre erfüllt worden; es wäre wirklich in regelmäßiger Weise, wie ich es angedeutet habe, der griechisch-lateinische Zeitraum herangekommen, und jener schöne, harmonische Menschentypus, von dem die Griechen geträumt haben, wäre nicht nur von den griechischen Bildhauern geformt worden, sondern wäre unter den Menschen umhergegangen und hätte immer mehr und mehr Platz gegriffen über die ganze Erde hin. Es wären nach und nach alle andern Menschenformen verschwunden, und nur dasjenige, was in der Veranlagung des Apollo-, des Zeustypus, des Dianatypus, des Athenetypus lebte, wäre über die Erde gewandelt und hätte, weil es sich erkannt hätte in der äußeren Anschauung, sich den Menschennamen gegeben. Es wäre der Menschenname möglich geworden, es wäre auch die Empfindung möglich geworden von der Gleichheit aller Menschen. Man möchte sagen, ein Menschentum in griechischer Schönheit hätte sich allmählich über die Erde ausgebreitet, und in unserer Zeit würde man schon sehen, wie die Menschheit hintendierte zu immer gleicherem Annähern an diesen griechischen schönen Menschentypus, der in seiner Fülle erreicht worden wäre, wenn die Erde an ihrem Ziel in der siebenten nachatlantischen Periode angekommen und zu anderer Daseinsstufe weitergeschritten wäre. Aber die Menschen würden in Unfreiheit — das müssen wir festhalten — zu dieser menschlichen Gemeinsamkeit gekommen sein. Der Mensch würde gezwungen worden sein, sich über die ganze Erde hin als ein gleiches Wesen anzusehen. All das, was unter die Menschen gekommen ist, sich als ungleich anzusehen, so daß der eine den andern nicht wie sich selber ansieht, der eine den andern nicht liebt wie sich selber, all das ist dadurch möglich geworden, daß eben nicht eine solche gleiche Gestalt gekommen ist. Sie können vielleicht fühlen, wenn wirklich das gekommen wäre, daß im Äußeren sich die Menschen so gleich geworden wären, wie sie hätten durch die ursprünglich göttlich-geistigen Kräfte werden sollen ohne den luziferisch-ahrimanischen Einschlag, dann hätte sich damit auch die Empfindung ausgebildet, daß man den Nächsten lieben muß wie sich selber; man hätte gar nicht anders gekonnt. Es wäre jedes andere ein Unsinn gewesen, ein Unsinn des Gefühls, ein Unsinn des Empfindens. Dasjenige aber, was nicht von außen kommen durfte, weil es den Menschen wie zu einem automatisch Liebenden gemacht hätte, zu einem solchen, der zwar in dem andern Menschen seinesgleichen geliebt hätte, aber nicht gewußt hätte, welche Kraft ihn zu diesem Lieben antreibt, dasjenige, was also in Unfreiheit gekommen wäre, das wurde gerade zur Freiheit dadurch vorbereitet, daß zugelassen wurde die Gegnerschaft. Dieses Zulassen der Gegnerschaft liegt also im ursprünglichen Weisheitsplane. Man kann sogar sagen: Wenn man weiter zurückgeht in der Erdenentwickelung, so wird erst die Gegnerschaft gegen die gleichmäßig fortschreitenden göttlich-geistigen Kräfte geschaffen, damit dann diese Gegnerschaft da sein könne und die Freiheit bewirken könne.

Da sind wir an einem Punkt, wo man einsehen muß, daß die Begriffe etwas anders werden müssen, sobald man aus der physischen Betrachtung hinaufkommit in eine höhere Betrachtung. Es wird vielleicht manchem von Ihnen bekannt sein, daß man in der Philosophie von Antinomien spricht, daß Kant sogar nachgewiesen hat: Man kann mit demselben Recht beweisen «die Welt ist räumlich unendlich», und «die Welt ist räumlich begrenzt»; «die Welt hat einen Anfang genommen», und «die Welt hat nie einen Anfang genommen»; das eine wie das andere kann man in gleicher Weise streng notwendig beweisen. Warum? Weil die Logik aufhört, wenn man an dasjenige kommt, was man nicht mehr physisch erfassen kann. Man muß endlich einsehen lernen, daß nicht nur für dasjenige, worauf die Philosophen gekommen sind, diese menschliche physische Logik aufhört, sondern daß sie überhaupt aufhört, wenn man in andere als physische Daseinsformen einen Blick hineinwirft. Man darf sich nicht hinstellen und die Gegnerschaft von Luzifer und Ahriman so betrachten, wie man die Gegnerschaft eines guten und eines bösen Menschen auf Erden betrachtet. Die Fehler entstehen eben dadurch, daß man immerzu das Irdische auf das Außerirdische überträgt. Die meisten Menschen stellen sich unter Luzifer und Ahriman böse Wesenheiten vor, nur recht gesteigert, recht, recht gesteigert ins Unendliche hinaus. Aber so ist die Sache nicht, sondern man muß zugleich wissen, daß gewisse irdische Empfindungsnuancen, die wir mit den Begriffen verbinden, ihren Sinn verlieren, wenn man über das Irdische hinauskommt. So daß man nicht sagen kann: Da haben wir auf der einen Seite die guten Götter, auf der andern Seite die bösen Götter Luzifer und Ahriman -, und folgert dann, da müßte eigentlich im Weltenall Gericht gehalten werden; da müßte sich nun ein besonders hochgraduierter Weltenjurist auf den Weltengerichtsstuhl setzen und ein für allemal Luzifer und Ahriman einsperren; sie sollten eigentlich eingesperrt sein, damit die guten Götter nur hereinwirken können. — Gewiß, das kann im Erdenleben einen Sinn haben, daß man jemand einsperrt. Im Weltenall würde das keinen Sinn haben, denn da verlieren auch solche Begriffe ihre Bedeutung. Diese Gegnerschaften haben sich die guten Götter einst selber geschaffen, allerdings in einer vorigen Zeit, damit auf diese Weise sie ihre volle Kraft einsetzen können für diejenige Entwickelungsrichtung, die ich angedeutet habe. Damit da die Freiheit hineinkommen kann, damit der Mensch nicht durch äußere Anordnung der Formen zu einer unfreien Liebe kommen kann, haben sie das luziferische und ahrimanische Element aufgenommen, damit der Mensch von innen heraus zu einer Einheitlichkeit des Menschennamens über die ganze Erde hin kommen kann, von innen heraus. Sie haben erst die Menschen, ich möchte sagen, zersplittern lassen durch die Gegnerschaft, damit sie ihnen dann, nachdem die Leiblichkeit zersplittert war, in der Geistigkeit, in dem Christus, wiederum die Einheit geben konnten.

Und das ist auch mit der Sinn des Mysteriums von Golgatha, die Eroberung der Einheit der Menschen von innen heraus, Verschieden werden die Menschen immer mehr und mehr in bezug auf das Äußere, und das wird gerade bewirken, daß nicht Einförmigkeit, sondern Mannigfaltigkeit ist über die Erde hin. Das wird bewirken, daß die Menschen um so mehr Kraft anwenden müssen von innen heraus, um zur Einheit zu kommen. Rückschläge gegen diese Einheit des Menschen über die ganze Erde hin wird es immer geben. Wir sehen solche Rückschläge auftauchen. Dasjenige, was eigentlich für eine frühere Zeitepoche bestimmt war, erhält sich in eine spätere Zeitepoche hinein. Dasjenige, was bestimmt war, Verschiedenheit zu bewirken für einen bestimmten Zeitraum, stellt sich nebeneinander. Die Menschen bilden verschiedene Gruppen, und während sie sich ihre Einheit über die Erde erobern durch den Christus-Namen, durch den Christus-Impuls, bleibt die Verschiedenheit als Nachschläge vorhanden und wird immer vorhanden bleiben, indem die Menschen nur nach und nach sich ihre Einheit werden erobern können, und immer daneben die einzelnen Menschengruppen sich bis aufs Blut bekämpfen werden in bezug auf alles äußere Leben. Nachschläge sind da aus früheren Zeiten, die im Grunde genommen gegen den Christus-Impuls, nicht mit dem Christus-Impuls laufen.

Allerdings, eine tiefe, tiefe Bedeutung dieses Christus-Impulses geht uns da auf. Aus wirklicher Erkenntnis heraus können wir sagen: Der Christus ist der Erretter der Menschheit von der Zersplitterung in Gruppen. Daß das noch nicht vollständig eingesehen werden kann von der ganzen Menschheit, das rührt eben davon her, daß das Alte nebeneinander sich erhalten hat. Wenn wir heute sehen, wie wenig noch einer der Nerven, die Gemeinsamkeit des Lebens im Christus-Impuls, von der Menschheit verstanden wird, dann hängt dies damit zusammen, daß dieses Begreifen von dem innersten Wesen des Menschen heraus ausgehen muß. Man muß sich darüber klarwerden, wie eigentlich in den nahezu zwei Jahrtausenden, in denen der Christus-Impuls innerhalb der Erdenaura wirkt, dieser Christus-Impuls unverstanden gewirkt hat. Denn vollständig verstanden werden kann er, wie wir oftmals hervorgehoben haben, erst durch dasjenige, was uns die Geisteswissenschaft erobert. Erst wenn eine Anzahl von Menschen immer mehr und mehr begreifen, denken, fühlen werden, was eigentlich in die Erdenentwickelung der Menschheit in dieser vierten nachatlantischen Periode hereingezogen ist, dann wird immer mehr dafür Verständnis kommen. Man kann es von der heutigen Menschheit noch nicht voll fordern. Denn denken Sie, wie wenig Menschen heute geneigt sind, anzuerkennen, daß diese vierte nachatlantische Periode, die griechisch-lateinische Zeit, eine solche prinzipielle, eine solche große Bedeutung hat in der ganzen Menschheitsentwickelung! Denken Sie, wie wenig Menschen heute geneigt sind, überhaupt eine solche nachatlantische Zeit anzuerkennen und das Griechisch-Lateinische in die Mitte hineinzustellen! Dazu ist eben notwendig, daß man aufgenommen hat diese Vorstellungen der Geisteswissenschaft. Man kommt sonst gar nicht darauf, das heißt, man kann nicht verstehen, wie es sich mit der Entwickelung der Menschheit verhält, wenn man diese Begriffe nicht aufgenommen hat.

Dann ist es notwendig, daß man die ganze Bedeutung der Geister der Form aufnimmt, wie diese Geister der Form haben ausbilden wollen ein einheitliches Menschengeschlecht, das sie aber gleichsam versuchen wollten in sieben aufeinanderfolgenden Stufen auszubilden, und wie dieses einheitliche Menschengeschlecht zersplittert worden ist durch Luzifer-Ahriman, und wie durch den Christus-Impuls von innen heraus belebt worden ist diejenige Kraft, die trotz aller äußeren Verschiedenheit den einheitlichen Menschennamen sinnvoll über die ganze Erde hin ausbreiten will bis zum Ende der Erdenzeit.

Zu verstehen, wie der Christus mitten darinsteht zwischen Luzifer und Ahriman, was er bedeutet gegenüber Luzifer und Ahriman, das ist eine der Hauptaufgaben der nächsten Zukunft. Daher wird immer wieder und wiederum in der menschlichen Betrachtung das auftreten müssen, daß man Luzifer und Ahriman nennt und den Christus-Impuls als das sieBekämpfende, als das, was die Erde rettet von dem einseitigen luziferisch-ahrimanischen Impuls. Das wird in dieser Form immer mehr dargestellt werden müssen.

Deshalb ist es, daß in unserem Dornacher Bau an der hervorragendsten Stelle der Menschentypus hingestellt wird, wie er veranlagt war und durch den Christus von innen heraus wieder geschaffen werden soll, und das Luziferisch-Ahrimanische um ihn herum. Das wird die Bedeutung gerade dieser Mittelpunktsstatue unseres Dornacher Baues bilden. Man wird, wenn man diese Mittelfigur sich ansehen wird, sich sagen können: Ja, das haben die guten Götter gewollt. Es ist zunächst zersplittert worden, Luzifer und Ahriman erscheinen, aber sieghaft erscheint der Christus-Impuls, der das, was von außen ursprünglich veranlagt war, von innen heraus, vom Inneren des Menschen heraus wiederum herstellt, dadurch in dessen Freiheit herstellt.

Dasjenige, was geleistet werden soll an Verständnis der Menschenentwickelung, das ist es, was gerade durch unseren Bau und dasjenige, was darin sein wird, vor die Menschheit gestellt werden soll. Was in der nächsten Zukunft für die Menschheit am allernotwendigsten ist, das ist bezweckt mit diesem Bau, daß abgeschaut, abgelauscht wird der Menschheitsentwickelung das, was für die nächste Zukunft am aller notwendigsten ist, und daß das gerade hingestellt wird.

Gewiß, es gibt viele Einwände, die da gemacht werden können. Solche Einwände sind uns auch schon gemacht worden. Wenn man die Bildwerke, die Skulpturwerke in unserem Bau betrachtet hat, so haben manche Leute gesagt: Ein richtiges Kunstwerk ist doch nur dasjenige, welches jeder gleich versteht, der es anschaut, wozu man nicht erst eine Erklärung braucht; wenn die Menschen da hineingehen, müssen ihnen die Dinge erst theoretisch erklärt werden. — So sagen einem die Leute gewöhnlich. Wenn die Menschen nur ein klein wenig denken würden! Stellen Sie sich einmal einen Menschen vor, der ganz und gar ein Türke ist und nichts anderes versteht als dasjenige, was im Koran ist, der niemals etwas gehört hat von Christus als dasjenige, daß er das Christentum zu bekämpfen hat, stellen Sie sich so einen richtigen Türken vor; ich will gar nicht einmal sagen einen Chinesen, sondern einen Türken und führen Sie ihn vor die Sixtinische Madonna und präsentieren Sie sie einfach, ohne daß man ihm eine Erklärung gibt, stellen Sie sich das vor! Selbstverständlich kann nur der ein Kunstwerk verstehen, der in der ganzen geistigen Strömung lebt, aus der heraus das Kunstwerk entstanden ist. So werden unsere Idealgestalt mit Ahriman und Luzifer nur diejenigen verstehen können, die in dieser Strömung darin sind. Das aber haben die Kunstwerke in aller Zeit gemein, daß sie nur verständlich sind für diejenigen, die innerhalb dieser Geistesströmung darin sind. Sie können nur innerhalb dieser Geistesströmung echte Kunstwerke sein, aber die geistige Richtung, die muß in ihnen liegen. Gerade so, wie der, der die Sixtinische Madonna versteht oder, sagen wir, die Verklärung des Christus von Raffael, wie der irgend etwas aus dieser Geistesströmung wissen muß, aus der das Bild erwachsen ist, so muß selbstverständlich derjenige, der irgend etwas in unserem Bau angeschaut hat, dasjenige in seiner Seele, in seinem Herzen haben, was zu unserer Geistesströmung gehört. Dann aber, wenn man das in der Seele hat, muß das Kunstwerk selber sprechen, dann braucht niemand irgend etwas darauf zu schreiben als Erklärung, einen Namen oder so etwas.

Wenn also ein Mensch eines unserer Glasfenster anschaut und er sieht unten eine Art Sarg mit einem Toten darin und weiter hinauf sieht er an einem Windeweg, an etwas, das er als einen gewundenen Weg erkennt, zum Beispiel einen alten Mann, einen Jüngling, eine Jungfrau und ein Kind stehen. Wenn er unsere Geistesströmung aufgenommen hat, dann wird er sehen, daß das die Rückschau ist. Wenn man unmittelbar die Pforte des Todes durchschritten hat, sieht man das Erdenleben rückschauend. Man muß dies natürlich wissen. Dann aber wirkt das Bild durch das, was es enthält, geradeso wie die Sixtinische Madonna _ für denjenigen, der die christliche Geschichte kennt, durch das, was das Bild enthält, wirkt, aber nicht wirkt auf den Türken. Ebenso kann natürlich auch dasjenige, was in unserem Bau erscheint, nicht auf denjenigen wirken, der diese Geistesströmung nicht in sich aufgenommen hat. Man muß diese Dinge nur wirklich in der richtigen Weise ansehen.

Das wollte ich vorzugsweise klarmachen, daß der Christus im Laufe der Erdenentwickelung derjenige Geist aus dem Weltenall war, der auf geistige Weise dasjenige gebracht hat, was zwar auf äußere Formweise veranlagt werden mußte, was aber auf diese äußere Formweise nicht hat zu Ende kommen können, weil sonst der Mensch ein Automat der Liebe und der Menschengleichheit geworden wäre. Auf dem physischen Plan ist es einmal ein Grundgesetz, daß alles durch Gegensätzlichkeiten, alles durch Polaritäten wirken muß. Nicht hat einfach, wie eben eine kindliche Menschenweisheit sagen könnte, das göttliche Wirken heruntersenden können gleich im Anfange der Erdenentwickelung den Christus, denn dann wäre dieser Gegensatz des äußeren Zerstreuens und des inneren Sammelns nimmermehr entstanden. Unter diesem Gegensatz, unter dieser Polarität muß aber die Menschheit leben. Dann bringt man dem Christus die richtigen Empfindungen entgegen, so daß er immer mehr werden kann dasjenige Wesen, das unser eigenes Ich im Innersten ausfüllt, wenn man ihn ansieht als den Erretter der Erdenmenschheit aus der Zerstreuung heraus. Überall, wo man wirklich diese Vereinigung der ganzen Menschheit durch den Christus über die Erde hin aufzufassen in der Lage ist, da ist Christentum. Es wird in der Zukunft wenig davon abhängen, ob dasjenige, was der Christus ist, auch noch der Christus geheißen wird, aber davon wird viel abhängen, daß man in dem Christus den Vereinheitlicher der ganzen Menschheit auf einem geistigen Wege sucht und daß man sich abfindet mit dem Gedanken, daß äußere Mannigfaltigkeit immer größer und größer werden wird in der Welt.

Aber man wird sich auch damit abfinden müssen, daß noch viele Rückschläge gegen diese geistige Erfassung des Christus-Impulses kommen. Dasjenige, was statt nacheinander nebeneinander aufgetreten ist, wird noch lange, lange auf der Erde Kräfte entfachen, die gegen eine geistige Erfassung der Menschheitsgleichheit über die ganze Erde hin ankämpfen. Das wird noch viele, viele furchtbare Stürme geben, und zum großen Teil haben diese Stürme den Sinn, den luziferisch-ahrimanischen Kampf fortzusetzen gegen den Christus-Impuls. Und es wird eine der größten, eine der schönsten, der bedeutendsten Errungenschaften sein, wenn wir schon in unserer Zeit wenigstens ein kleines Häuflein von Menschen sein können, die Verständnis für diesen Vereinheitlichungsgedanken der ganzen Menschheit haben, Verständnis dafür, wie luziferisch-ahrimanische Zurückgebliebenheiten auf der Erde Spezielles erstreben in einzelnen Menschengruppen mit Ausschluß anderer Menschengruppen. Es ist wirklich schwierig, heute schon ein letztes Wort über diese Dinge zu sagen. Ein letztesWort über diese Dinge gesprochen, würde heute, so wie die Menschenherzen einmal sind, eher aufreizend, eher bestürzend wirken, eher Widerstand, vielleicht sogar Haß und Schmähung herausfordern, als daß es im Sinne des Christus-Impulses wirkte. Aber so viel eben gesagt werden kann über dieses Prinzip im Christus-Impuls, das die Errettung der Menschheit aus der leiblichen Zersplitterung in die geistige Vereinheitlichung hinein ist, das muß ausgesprochen werden, denn das muß wirksam und immer wirksamer werden innerhalb der Menschheitsentwickelung. Ruhig und mutig muß man entgegengehen können der Vermannigfaltigung der Menschennatur, weil man weiß, man kann in alle die menschlichen Verschiedenheiten hinein ein Wort tragen, das nicht nur ein Wort des Sprechens, sondern das ein Wort der Kraft ist. Mögen Gruppen, die sich gegenseitig bekämpfen, innerhalb des Erdendaseins auftreten, mögen wir der einen oder der andern dieser Gruppen angehören, wissen können wir, daß wir in jede der Gruppen etwas hineintragen können, was sprechen darf: «Nicht ich, sondern der Christus in mir», und das, was der «Christus in mir» ist, das bewirkt keine Gruppierungen, das bewirkt, daß die Glorie des Menschennamens über die ganze Erde hin sich wirk lich ausbreiten kann. Das ist eine der praktischen Seiten, eine der moralisch-ethischen Sei ten unserer geisteswissenschaftlichen Bestrebungen, daß lebendig werden kann durch das Verständnis unserer Geisteswissenschaft dies, daß — in welche der sich bekämpfenden Menschengruppen wir auch unser Ich hineintragen — wir in die sich bekämpfenden Menschengruppen die Kraft hineintragen, die da kommt von dem Wort «Nicht ich, sondern der Christus in mir». Damit tragen wir etwas hinein, was der ganzen Menschheit, nicht einer einzelnen Gruppe angehört, und das ist dasjenige, was erst zum wahren geistigen Verständnis des Christentums führen kann.

Große geistige Weltenwege, sie drücken sich immer darinnen aus, daß sie zuletzt auf einfache Worte gebracht werden. Versuchen wir nun einmal, in welch einfachen Worten im Grunde genommen die ganze Summe des fast zwei Jahrtausende in die Welt gedrungenen Christentums ausgesprochen werden kann. Nur werden diese einfachen Worte erst auf Grundlage von breiten Entwickelungen erreicht. Sie waren nicht gleich da, diese einfachen Worte, in die das Christentum gefaßt werden kann, sie mußten erst errungen werden. Nun, dessen dürfen wir uns ganz klar sein: Wir gehören zu denen, die erst daran arbeiten, daß einmal ganz, ganz einfache Worte werden gefunden werden müssen, die zusammenfassen, in einer ungemein primitiven Weise werden zusammenfassen die Wahrheiten, die wir heute ausbreiten und entwickeln müssen, Aber ohne diese Entwickelung würde das Einfache niemals kommen können. Dessen können wir sicher sein: Wenn wir auch heute noch nicht in der Lage sind, aus irgendeiner Sprache heraus die einfachen Worte formen zu können, die unsere geisteswissenschaftlichen Bestrebungen, ich möchte sagen, auf einer Viertelseite zusammenfassen, so daß sie einleuchten können allem menschlichen Geistesstreben, wie das beim Christentum wirklich geschehen kann, beim Christentum, wie es vor zwei Jahrtausenden entstanden ist, so wird in diesen einfachen Formulierungen doch etwas stecken von dem, was ich gerade heute versuchte, Ihnen anzudeuten, etwas, was den geistigen Blick hinwenden wird auf die Entwickelung der Menschheit, auf die Bedeutung der griechisch-lateinischen Zeit, auf das Hereinfallen des Mysteriums von Golgatha in diese Zeit, auf den Gegensatz, auf die Polarität von Christus und Luzifer-Ahriman. Das, was in allem erkannt werden kann, wird sich zusammendrängen in wenige Worte, die dann so auf die zukünftige Menschheit gehen werden, wie etwa, wenn wir heute aussprechen «Du sollst Gott über alles lieben und deinen Nächsten wie dich selbst». Wie darin etwas liegt, was in langer Entwickelung erst errungen werden mußte, so wird man in einfachen Worten die Dinge später zusammenfassen. Dann werden sie den Menschen einleuchten.

Aber unsere geistige Arbeit ist dazu notwendig, denn das Einfache in der geistigen Entwickelung der Menschheit entsteht erst dann, wenn Menschen sich entschlossen haben, durch längere Zeit hindurch die Einzelheiten kennenzulernen. Zu dem sind Sie aufgerufen, mitzutun an dieser Entwickelung, die dann dazu führt, daß etwas in einfacher, lichter Klarheit vor die Menschheit hintritt, was heute aus dem Grunde, weil wir noch nicht die Worte in den Sprachen dafür haben, noch nicht ausgesprochen werden kann, wohin aber unsere Geisteswissenschaft tendieren muß. Wenn Sie sich in einer solchen geistigen Strömung fühlen und gerne innerhalb dieser geistigen Strömung sind, weil Sie sie für eine Notwendigkeit innerhalb der Menschheitsentwickelung erkennen, dann sind Sie mit dem rechten Sinn in dieser geistigen Bewegung, sind so in dieser geistigen Bewegung, daß Sie das Größte, wohin diese geistige Bewegung tendiert, in der richtigen Weise anschauen aus immer besserem Verständnis der Gegensätzlichkeit des Christus und Luzifer-Ahrimans und der Notwendigkeit dieses Gegensatzes.

Das ist es, was ich gerade heute vor Ihre Seelen hinstellen wollte. Es hängt das ja zusammen mit der Frage nach dem Sinn unserer ganzen Erdenentwickelung. So ist es doch, daß, wenn Geister von andern Planeten auf die Erde hinabschauen und fragen: Welches ist der Sinn dieser Erdenentwickelung? — sie diesen Sinn erkennen werden, wenn sie etwas erfahren von dem Mysterium von Golgatha. Denn alles, was im Laufe der Erdenentwickelung geschieht, erlangt erst seinen Sinn durch das Mysterium von Golgatha. Das strahlt hinaus in den Weltenraum und gibt allem andern, was von der Erde hinausstrahlt, seinen Sinn, seinen Mittelpunktssinn!

The Spiritual Union of Humanity Through the Christ Impulse

Fundamentally, all spiritual science ultimately aims to understand human beings in their essence, in their tasks and aspirations, in their necessary striving throughout the course of their development. The misunderstandings we often have to talk about, which are directed at spiritual science from outside, stem largely from the fact that the present human race is still unable to accustom itself to certain fundamental truths which must simply be recognized and understood if we want to gain any kind of understanding of life and of the nature of the human being.

Let us first touch upon this question today: What is the basis of that scientific method whose great and significant triumphs over the last four centuries should be fully recognized, especially by spiritual science? It proceeds from what it perceives in the sphere of physical existence, from what manifests itself in the sphere of physical existence. Now it is really self-evident that one must first have confidence in what one perceives as the so-called reality in one's surroundings, and that one must try to explain this reality from everything that is itself present in this reality. It is naturally difficult to realize from the outset that this reality itself could contain illusion, that this reality itself could deceive. Anyone who really wants to understand spiritual science must first overcome this obstacle. They must learn to see that reality, as it surrounds us, can deceive, that it can actually seduce us into interpreting it in a false way. And much of what we have learned over the years in the field of spiritual science has convinced us that this reality immediately surrounding us can deceive us. Today we want to start from a very specific point, a point that can only be gained within spiritual science. In spiritual science, it is necessary to understand things first, and then, once they have been understood, one can find confirmation of what has been understood in reality. In spiritual science, it is precisely the most important things that must be understood first before they can be seen. It could easily be argued that this is a method that is also widely used in the external world, and particularly in the external scientific world. But we will spare ourselves that today. One cannot always develop everything from the ground up.

One such fact, which is eminently suited to deceiving us about external reality through its appearance, through the physiognomy of this reality itself, is the difference, the diversity of human beings on earth. When we look at the people who inhabit the earth, we say to ourselves: there are basically no two people who are the same in the physical realm. All human beings are different from one another in the physical realm. And so it is quite natural to accept this difference between human beings on earth as a fact — I am referring here to the difference in the physical body — and to assume that we can somehow learn from the facts of earthly life why human beings are different, why they look different.

However, spiritual scientific observation shows us something quite different. It shows us that if we only consider what forms can be created from the physical body of the earth through the forces of the earth, human beings could not possibly be different on earth, but would all be the same, all have the same forms! The forces present on Earth to give human beings their physical form are in fact such that all human beings would have the same external physical form if only the formative forces of our Earth were acting on them. This is brought about by the fact that the physical human body is sufficiently prepared. We know that it has been prepared by the Saturn, Sun, and Moon epochs. Everything has been so prepared by forces that have been at work during these three epochs that nothing else can act on the human body from the forces of the Earth itself except what would shape it into uniform forms all over the Earth if only this Earth were to be considered. I would like to say that through the forces that have been incorporated into the physical body during the Saturn, Sun, and Moon epochs, the human being is so armored against all the differences in the Earth's forces that, if left to the Earth's forces alone, he would have to be the same all over the Earth. Spiritual science must therefore start from the premise that a uniform form has been predetermined for human beings by the forces of the earth.

If we now consider the difference between male and female, what has just been said also applies to this difference between male and female. For this difference is not caused by what is formed in human beings by earthly forces, but by entirely different forces, which we will discuss shortly, so that we can assume a certain sum of earthly forces that have a formative effect on human beings and seek to produce absolutely identical human forms throughout the entire earth. Now we can naturally ask ourselves: Where does it come from that human beings are nevertheless so different?

We know that we are not only dealing with the physical earthly body of the human being, but that behind the physical earthly body there is an etheric body. Spiritual scientific observation shows us that, even though all human beings must actually be the same in terms of their physical earthly body, they must be different in terms of their etheric body, and this is because it is not only earthly forces that act upon the etheric body. It is a complete mistake to believe that only earthly forces act upon the etheric body of human beings. Forces from the cosmos, from the universe, act upon the etheric body of the human being, shaping and forming it. We must therefore distinguish between the uniform earthly forces acting upon the earth, which would make all human forms the same, and the forces acting upon the earth from the universe, which make the etheric bodies of human beings different. Through spiritual scientific observation, one can trace the diversity of human etheric bodies. There are human etheric bodies which, I would say, stand at an extreme limit and have strong forces, etheric bodies which one can observe to be extraordinarily tough, so that when one observes them, they retain their form almost as a physical form. This is one type of etheric body.

A second type of etheric body is one in which the etheric body is so mobile, I would say, like something completely in motion, more fluttering, mobile, in contrast to the fixed form, which is flowing and mobile. The etheric bodies of these two forms appear in such a way that they can be described as being internally shaded in a fairly uniform manner. A further type of etheric body is that which is internally shaded, internally iridescently shaded, which is therefore not uniform in color, but internally shaded, internally tinged. A fourth type of etheric bodies are those which, although they show a basic color, so to speak, throughout their entire substance, change this color in successive periods of time without it being possible to say that they are changed by anything other than from within. These are therefore not iridescently tinged, not shaded with different colors, but are such that they are uniform, yet display different colors over time, like chameleon-like etheric bodies. Then there are etheric bodies that have a very strong tendency to lighten and clarify internally, becoming brighter and brighter at certain moments. Other etheric bodies have a very strong ability to reflect the harmony of the spheres. And then there are etheric bodies that occur particularly in inventive, ingenious people, etheric bodies that already show forces within themselves that are unearthly and strange to the earth. While the six previous types of etheric bodies show that they are of such a nature that they can be found in people, even if they are average people, the latter type of etheric bodies gives rise to the type of people who have strong abilities that are said to be “not of this earth” — poets, artists, and the like.

It is not from some arbitrary assumption of the number seven that we distinguish these seven forms of the etheric body in humans. One must simply count them. We find no others than those I have now described as typical, and therefore there are seven, for no other reason than that there are seven types of etheric body. There are really seven different types of etheric bodies in humans. In the etheric bodies we have forces that are, in a sense, not earthly, that come from the cosmos. Now, however, the etheric body has a formative effect on the physical body, and so it comes about that, while in relation to the physical body all human beings would be the same through the earth forces, they are already differently formed through the etheric body, while the difference between male and female bodies, for example, is only brought about by the astral body, through the forces that the astral body develops, especially in the transition between death and a new birth, when the human being prepares for the gender that he must have in the next incarnation according to his karma.

Let us remain with the consideration of the etheric body for the moment. So we can say: While the physical body, if we refer solely to earthly forces, is actually predisposed to uniformity throughout the Earth, human beings would be divided into seven groups across the Earth because their etheric bodies are predisposed in different ways, are structured in different ways, and are substantiated in different ways by the cosmos, from outside the Earth. This is the fact, this is what one gradually arrives at when one tries to investigate the mutual relationship between the etheric body of the human being and its physical body from a spiritual scientific point of view. Now this difference that arises is connected with the predispositions, with the differences of the races across the earth. Basically, the races can always be traced back to the number seven because of this difference in etheric bodies. Even if some typical forms have become atrophied and we perhaps distinguish fewer than seven basic races in external science, there are actually seven basic racial differences present in the entire human race. But these are actually caused by the etheric bodies and do not originate in the forces of the earth during our development, but rather in cosmic forces.

If we now trace the development of the earth itself backwards to the Atlantean and Lemurian periods, we see that there were originally predispositions impulses existed through which the physiognomy that the physical body of the human being acquired through the power of the etheric body—that is, the diversity that has been expressed—should not actually have taken place on Earth according to the original predispositions, as it did. It should not have come about in this way, but if everything had proceeded in a certain way — we will see how in a moment — the seven-colored etheric body would have brought about differences in the formation of the human being, but one after the other, so that a certain form of human being would have existed, brought about by the etheric body, in the fifth Atlantean period, a second in the sixth Atlantean period, a third in the seventh Atlantean period, a fourth in the first post-Atlantean period, a fifth in the second post-Atlantean period, a sixth in the third post-Atlantean period, and a seventh in the Greek-Latin period, the fourth post-Atlantean period. So that is how it would have come about: different types of human beings would have appeared one after the other. In a sense, human beings would have developed in such a way that in the fifth Atlantic period there would have been people whose physical body structure was particularly strongly influenced by a form of the etheric body, in the sixth Atlantic period the second of the characterized forms, and so on until the fourth post-Atlantic period. That was actually the plan.

Lucifer and Ahriman resisted this, however; they did not want it to happen. This was the developmental tendency that continued in the regular course of human evolution. Lucifer and Ahriman resisted this. They set the whole thing in motion in such a way that the developments were shifted, so that, while the development was actually predisposed that essentially one form of human beings should have appeared in the fifth Atlantean period, and that this should then have gradually transformed into another form of human beings, Lucifer and Ahriman carried the form of the fifth Atlantean period into the sixth, and again from the sixth Atlantean period into the seventh, and again over the Atlantean flood. So that what should have passed away in form actually remained, and instead of the racial differences developing one after the other, as should have happened, the old racial forms remained, remained stationary, and the newer ones pushed their way in, so that a side-by-side development took place instead of the succession that was actually intended. And so it came about that such physically different races populated the earth and continue to populate it to this day, whereas this development should have taken place as I have described. We see everywhere, even when we consider what comes from the development of the etheric body, we see everywhere that Lucifer and Ahriman are playing their roles in the earthly development of humanity.

Now we must ask ourselves: What was the meaning in the world context of human beings developing in this way, one after the other, until the Greco-Latin period? We know, of all things, that around the time I have designated as the Atlantean epoch, souls gradually descended from the planets they had ascended to, beginning with the fifth Atlantean epoch. Do you remember from my Outline of Secret Science how it is described there that the souls ascended and then descended again, and that from the moment they descended, the incarnation life on earth really began? We see, then, that the I's of human beings, the actual individualities, would then have passed through these different forms in successive times. Our I's would have passed through a human form in the fifth Atlantean period, through a human form in the sixth, through another in the seventh, through another in the first post-Atlantean period, and so on. One would have gradually completed these successive human types, human forms. And so it was actually predetermined that human beings would have completed in this way what was necessary for the training of human individuality, what was necessary for passing through various etheric forms, which would then have had a distinguishing effect on the physical form, so that all this would have been gone through. In fact, a type of human being could have appeared on Earth — this was originally intended — which would have been the result of seven successive periods of development, each of which would have added something to perfection. And the fifth post-Atlantean period would already have been such that a harmonious type of human being would have been destined to exist throughout the whole Earth.

Lucifer and Ahriman thwarted this. Nothing else was possible but that the Greeks dreamed of an ideal, superhuman type of form, which they sought to shape in various ways — in the manner of Apollo, in the manner of Zeus, in the manner of Athena, and so on. They did not fully comprehend it because it did not exist in reality. But if you have a feeling for Greek sculpture, you can sense how Greek culture dreams of what should have emerged as a unified, perfect, beautiful human type. Lucifer and Ahriman prevented this from happening by preserving the racial forms that had once emerged, so that succession became juxtaposition.

Thus, in the fourth post-Atlantean period, the Greek-Latin era, human evolution was faced with the fact that, due to the influence of Lucifer and Ahriman, it had not been possible to achieve what the gods who had given the Earth its impulses had actually intended for it in terms of its outer forms. The spirits from the hierarchy of form wanted to bring about the perfect human type in physical form through the interaction of the various hierarchies of form. Thus, the Greeks could only dream of it, could only live it out in art.

It is deeply moving when, in the course of spiritual scientific research, one comes to say: Why did these Greeks actually create such perfection in sculpture? — Because, I would say, they caught up, as if through a spiritual-soul tool, the disappointments that Lucifer and Ahriman caused the good divine-spiritual beings who wanted something different for humanity than what was then able to come into being. What should have come into being through the good divine-spiritual beings lay on the Greeks' souls, and they wanted at least to shape it after it could not come into being in the outer, real world. The view of these inner forces of human development, which appear in something like artistic forms that seek to hold fast to what could not be achieved in external reality, is great, powerful, and shocking. One looks at Greek art with a completely different meaning, art that experienced such a unique and unrepeatable development precisely in that Greek era.

But with this, the time had also come when, through the Luciferic-Ahrimanic influence, humanity had, in a sense, reached a crisis. Lucifer and Ahriman once caused the races to come to life side by side instead of living one after the other. But at the same time, all those forces that had originally poured the formative spirits, the spirits of form, into the development of humanity on Earth were paralyzed. They could do nothing more than fertilize the Greek imagination to such an extent that it became what I have described. The spirits of form were, so to speak, faced with the necessity of asking themselves: Should the human race now continue to develop in such a way that human beings will never again come together in the evolution of the earth? For that is what would have had to happen. If the Earth's development had simply continued from the fourth period, the Greek-Latin era, it would have fallen apart into seven parts, caused by Luciferic and Ahrimanic forces, into seven groups of humans on Earth, which would have fallen apart as differently as the individual animal groups fall apart. Just as the individual animal groups do not understand each other but regard each other as different beings, so, toward the end of the fourth cultural period, the Greek-Latin period, and from the fifth age in which we live, the view would have had to develop more and more — one would still be inside, it would not yet have reached its utmost perfection — that what is meant here by the utmost imperfection actually means that on Earth, seven human groups would have had to gradually form, which would have been completely different from each other. what extreme imperfection actually means here, but it would have had to come about gradually on Earth — that seven groups of human beings would have gradually formed on Earth, viewing each other as completely different beings. The name “human being” for all people on Earth would not have proved to be the right one, but there would have been seven names for seven different groups of beings on Earth, not one uniform name for human beings across the Earth.

The point was that, precisely in this fourth post-Atlantean period, this Greek-Latin era, a kind of precaution was taken in the universe so that what was threatening would not be able to come to pass in the further course of Earth's development, so that the moment would not come when the Earth reached the goal of its development — when seven groups of beings would inhabit the earth, which would be named differently, just as different 'animal species' are named differently, which would not consider themselves equal, and which would at most have adopted some imitation of Greek forms, such as the figure of Zeus or Apollo, which would have been regarded as something foreign, as something that could never have existed on earth. A precaution had to be taken against this development. But physical development had already progressed too far; nothing could be changed there. So a precaution had to be taken with regard to the etheric body of the human being. An impulse had to enter the etheric body of the human being that would counteract this fragmentation of the human race into seven parts. And this impulse, which was determined in the world plan to counteract this fragmentation of the human race on Earth, this impulse, which was determined to make it possible for the human name to retain a real meaning throughout the whole Earth and indeed to take on more and more meaning, this impulse is — and here we come to a new aspect of this fact — the mystery of Golgotha. The first attempt, so to speak, that was made with humanity on Earth before the Luciferic-Ahrimanic impulse intervened in Earth's development, was to create unity throughout humanity on Earth through the formation of the physical body. This attempt by the spirits of form failed. It failed because of the Luciferic-Ahrimanic influence. But it could not fail in its entirety; something had to be done to paralyze and counterbalance what Ahriman and Lucifer had wrought. It was no longer possible to work on the physical body as originally intended. But it was possible to work on the etheric body. And this happened through the spiritual-divine being of whom we have spoken so often, the Christ being, uniting with the human form at that time in human evolution when the possibility of preserving the archetype of humanity was still greatest.

What period is that in human development? — All the forces that counteract the original equal disposition of the physical body actually work in the human being in such a way that they can work during the first seven years, when the physical body is primarily in a soft state of development. They do not allow it to become uniform, but vary it from within. They can continue to do so during the second seven years, until sexual maturity. They can also do so during the third and fourth seven years, during the development of the astral body and the sentient soul. But when it reaches the middle of the intellectual or emotional soul, precisely that stage of human development which developed primarily in the fourth post-Atlantean, Greek-Latin period, the extraterrestrial forces can least influence human beings, and least of all in the middle, that is, in the period of human life between the ages of twenty-eight and thirty-five, and there again in the middle. If we add two years before and subtract two years after, this is the period from the thirtieth to the thirty-third year. After that comes the time when extraterrestrial forces again have the greatest influence on human beings; in fact, human beings are then in such a state that extraterrestrial forces have the greatest influence on them. But now—from the thirtieth to the thirty-third year—there is still most of what remains of the earthly forces acting on human beings. And during this time, during these three years — even if the differences in development that were at work in the younger years remained, and what comes in later years were to be added — if only what is at work on people during this time from the thirtieth to the thirty-third year were to be at work, people would already be much more alike on Earth.

Christ had to make particularly good use of these three years — they are three very special years — in order to enter into communion with the earthly forces in human beings, in which the earthly aspect of human beings is still most preserved. This was prepared by the two bodies of Jesus, as we have explained, up to the age of thirty, the body of Christ, and then, from the age of thirty to thirty-three, Christ took possession of this body. Where the earthly forces were still most active and where deformation could occur, there was no longer any development, and physical death occurred. Thus, this Christ-Sun being really entered the earthly sphere and then, in the way I have often described, united itself with the entire etheric body of the earth, passed into the earth's aura, and now continues to work in the earth's aura. For human beings, however, it must work in such a way that they truly understand more and more that the Christ was sent to Earth in order to restore from within what had been separated by the adversary Lucifer-Ahriman from the original impulses in humanity. In the outer nature of man, the good spiritual beings work together with Lucifer and Ahriman. But what was originally given to man at the beginning of the physical earth to have from outside: equality throughout the earth, the possibility of the human name throughout the earth, this was now to be brought out of man from his innermost being through the Christ Spirit. This was one of the many, many meanings of the mystery of Golgotha, that with the Christ spirit something was given to the earth which, when understood in the right sense, makes it possible for the name of man to be given again to all of humanity on earth. When what is really the content of Christianity, what has already been revealed in part through Christianity, what those who seek with regard to Christ will discover in the spiritual world, what Christ continually reveals according to his word: “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world,” when what can be communicated from within in the name of Christ to humanity gradually comes forth, then more and more of what has been wrought in the human race by Lucifer and Ahriman will be balanced out.

One may well ask: Does it make sense to take this detour? — And this, I would say, childish question is very often raised by people who want to be smarter than worldly wisdom — and many people want to be that. It is precisely those people who want to be smarter than worldly wisdom who say: If one is to believe in powerful divine beings, could they not have eliminated the Luciferic-Ahrimanic influence at the beginning of Earth's development so that their work would not have been spoiled? — Certainly, this is human wisdom, but in the sense of Paul, it is “foolishness before divine wisdom.” That is human wisdom.

We must now look at things in our views as we see them. Then what arises through opposition, what arises from the other side through the antagonism of Lucifer and Ahriman, appears to us not as something absolutely evil, but only as something relatively evil. Let us also consider the other side of the matter. Let us imagine that the original divine world plan with the earth had been fulfilled; it would really have come about in a regular way, as I have indicated, and that beautiful, harmonious type of human being of which the Greeks dreamed would not only have been formed by Greek sculptors, but would have walked among human beings and gradually spread throughout the whole earth. Gradually, all other human forms would have disappeared, and only that which lived in the predisposition of the Apollo type, the Zeus type, the Diana type, and the Athena type would have walked the earth and, because it would have recognized itself in its external appearance, would have given itself the name of human being. The name “human being” would have become possible, and so would the feeling that all humans are equal. One might say that a humanity of Greek beauty would have gradually spread across the earth, and in our time we would already see humanity tending toward ever greater approximation to this beautiful Greek type of human being, which would have been achieved in its fullness if the earth had reached its goal in the seventh post-Atlantean period and had advanced to another stage of existence. But we must emphasize that humans would have arrived at this human commonality in a state of bondage. Human beings would have been compelled to regard themselves as equal beings throughout the whole earth. Everything that has come among human beings, to regard themselves as unequal, so that one does not see the other as himself, one does not love the other as himself, all this has become possible precisely because such an equal form has not come about. You can perhaps feel that if this had really happened, if people had become as equal in their outward appearance as they should have been through the original divine-spiritual forces without the Luciferic-Ahrimanic influence, then the feeling would also have developed that one must love one's neighbor as oneself; one could not have done otherwise. Anything else would have been nonsense, nonsense of feeling, nonsense of perception. But that which could not come from outside, because it would have made human beings automatically loving, loving their fellow human beings but not knowing what force drove them to this love, that which would thus have come into bondage, was prepared for freedom precisely by allowing opposition. This allowing of opposition is therefore part of the original plan of wisdom. One can even say that if one goes further back in the evolution of the earth, opposition to the uniformly progressing divine-spiritual forces is first created so that this opposition can then exist and bring about freedom.

Here we are at a point where we must realize that concepts must become somewhat different as soon as we rise from physical observation to a higher level of observation. Some of you may be familiar with the concept of antinomies in philosophy, which Kant even proved: one can prove with equal validity that “the world is spatially infinite” and “the world is spatially limited”; “the world had a beginning” and “the world never had a beginning”; one can prove both statements to be strictly necessary in the same way. Why? Because logic ceases when one comes to that which can no longer be grasped physically. One must finally learn to understand that this human physical logic does not only cease for that which philosophers have arrived at, but that it ceases altogether when one looks into forms of existence other than physical ones. One must not stand there and view the opposition between Lucifer and Ahriman as one views the opposition between a good and an evil person on earth. The mistakes arise precisely from the fact that one constantly transfers the earthly to the extraterrestrial. Most people imagine Lucifer and Ahriman to be evil beings, only greatly intensified, greatly, greatly intensified to infinity. But that is not how it is. One must also know that certain earthly nuances of feeling that we associate with these concepts lose their meaning when we go beyond the earthly realm. So one cannot say: On the one hand we have the good gods, and on the other hand the evil gods Lucifer and Ahriman — and then conclude that there must actually be a court in the universe; that a particularly high-ranking world judge must sit on the world judgment seat and imprison Lucifer and Ahriman once and for all; they should actually be imprisoned so that the good gods can only work through them. Certainly, it can make sense in earthly life to imprison someone. But in the universe it would make no sense, because there such concepts lose their meaning. The good gods themselves created these opposites, albeit in a previous time, so that in this way they could use their full power for the direction of development I have indicated. In order that freedom might enter, so that human beings might not be led to unfree love by external arrangements of forms, they took in the Luciferic and Ahrimanic elements, so that human beings might come from within to a unity of the human name throughout the whole earth, from within. They first allowed human beings to become fragmented through opposition, so that after their physical bodies had been fragmented, they could give them unity again in the spiritual realm, in Christ.

And that is also the meaning of the mystery of Golgotha, the conquest of human unity from within. People are becoming more and more different in terms of their outward appearance, and this will result in diversity rather than uniformity across the Earth. This will mean that people will have to draw even more strength from within in order to achieve unity. There will always be setbacks to this unity of humanity across the whole earth. We see such setbacks emerging. That which was actually intended for an earlier epoch is preserved into a later epoch. That which was intended to bring about diversity for a certain period of time stands side by side. People form different groups, and while they conquer their unity across the Earth through the name of Christ, through the Christ impulse, diversity remains as a residue and will always remain, because people can only conquer their unity little by little, and alongside this, individual groups of people will always fight each other to the death in relation to all external life. These references are from earlier times, which are basically opposed to the Christ impulse, not in harmony with the Christ impulse.

However, a deep, profound meaning of this Christ impulse dawns upon us. Out of genuine insight, we can say: Christ is the savior of humanity from fragmentation into groups. The fact that this cannot yet be fully understood by all of humanity stems precisely from the fact that the old has been preserved alongside the new. When we see today how little one of the nerves, the commonality of life in the Christ impulse, is understood by humanity, this is connected with the fact that this understanding must come from the innermost being of the human being. We must realize how, in the nearly two millennia in which the Christ impulse has been working within the Earth's aura, this Christ impulse has worked without being understood. For, as we have often emphasized, it can only be fully understood through what spiritual science has conquered for us. Only when a number of people increasingly understand, think, and feel what has actually been brought into the earthly evolution of humanity in this fourth post-Atlantean period will there be more and more understanding of it. We cannot yet demand this fully of humanity today. Just think how few people today are inclined to acknowledge that this fourth post-Atlantean period, the Greek-Latin era, has such fundamental, such great significance in the entire development of humanity! Think how few people today are inclined to acknowledge such a post-Atlantean period at all, and to place the Greek-Latin period in the middle of it! To do so, it is necessary to have absorbed these ideas of spiritual science. Otherwise, one cannot even conceive of it; that is, one cannot understand how the development of humanity has taken place if one has not absorbed these concepts.

Then it is necessary to take in the whole meaning of the spirits of form, how these spirits of form wanted to develop a unified human race, but wanted to try to develop it in seven successive stages, and how this unified human race was fragmented by Lucifer-Ahriman, and how, through the Christ impulse, the power that wants to spread the unified human name meaningfully throughout the whole earth until the end of the earth's time, despite all external differences, has been enlivened from within.

To understand how Christ stands in the middle between Lucifer and Ahriman, what he means in relation to Lucifer and Ahriman, is one of the main tasks of the near future. Therefore, it will have to appear again and again in human observation that Lucifer and Ahriman are named and the Christ impulse is named as that which fights against them, as that which saves the earth from the one-sided Luciferic-Ahrimanic impulse. This will have to be presented more and more in this form.

That is why, in our building in Dornach, the human type is placed in the most prominent position, as he was originally constituted and as he is to be recreated from within by Christ, with the Luciferic and Ahrimanic forces surrounding him. This will be the significance of the central statue in our building in Dornach. When you look at this central figure, you will be able to say: Yes, this is what the good gods wanted. It was first fragmented, Lucifer and Ahriman appeared, but the Christ impulse appears victorious, restoring from within, from the inner being of the human being, what was originally predisposed from outside, thereby restoring it to freedom.

What needs to be achieved in terms of understanding human development is precisely what our building and what will be in it are intended to present to humanity. What is most necessary for humanity in the near future is the purpose of this building: that what is most necessary for the near future be observed and listened to in human evolution, and that this be placed before us.

Certainly, there are many objections that can be made. Such objections have already been made to us. When people have looked at the paintings and sculptures in our building, some have said: A true work of art is only that which everyone who looks at it understands immediately, without needing an explanation; when people enter, the things must first be explained to them theoretically. — That is what people usually say. If only people would think just a little! Imagine a person who is completely Turkish and understands nothing other than what is in the Koran, who has never heard of Christ except that he must fight Christianity. Imagine a real Turk like that; I don't even want to say a Chinese person. but a Turk, and take him before the Sistine Madonna and simply present it to him without giving him any explanation. Imagine that! Of course, only those who live in the entire spiritual current from which the work of art arose can understand it. Thus, only those who are in this current will be able to understand our ideal figures with Ahriman and Lucifer. But this is what works of art have in common throughout all time: they can only be understood by those who are within this spiritual current. They can only be genuine works of art within this spiritual current, but the spiritual direction must lie within them. Just as someone who understands Raphael's Sistine Madonna or, say, the Transfiguration of Christ must know something about the spiritual current from which the painting arose, so too must someone who has seen something in our building have in their soul, in their heart, something that belongs to our spiritual current. But then, when you have that in your soul, the work of art must speak for itself; then no one needs to write anything on it as an explanation, a name, or anything like that.

So when someone looks at one of our stained glass windows and sees a kind of coffin with a dead person in it at the bottom, and further up they see a winding path, something they recognize as a winding path, with, for example, an old man, a young man, a maiden, and a child standing on it, if they have absorbed our spiritual current, they will see that this is a retrospective view. When you have just passed through the gate of death, you look back on your life on earth. Of course, you have to know this. But then the image has the same effect as the Sistine Madonna — for those who know Christian history, through what the image contains, but it has no effect on the Turk. In the same way, of course, what appears in our building cannot have an effect on those who have not taken in this spiritual current. One must simply look at these things in the right way.

I wanted to make it clear that, in the course of Earth's development, Christ was the spirit from the universe who brought about in a spiritual way that which had to be laid down in an outer form but could not be completed in this outer form, because otherwise human beings would have become automatons of love and human equality. On the physical plane, it is a fundamental law that everything must work through opposites, through polarities. It was not simply a matter of divine action sending down Christ at the beginning of Earth's development, as a childish human wisdom might say, for then this opposition between outer dispersion and inner gathering would never have arisen. But humanity must live under this opposition, under this polarity. Then one can meet Christ with the right feelings, so that he can increasingly become the being who fills our own innermost self when we look upon him as the savior of the human race from dispersion. Wherever one is truly able to understand this union of the whole human race through Christ across the earth, there is Christianity. In the future, it will depend little on whether what Christ is will still be called Christ, but it will depend much on whether people seek in Christ the unifier of all humanity on a spiritual path and whether they come to terms with the idea that outer diversity will become greater and greater in the world.

But one will also have to come to terms with the fact that there will be many setbacks against this spiritual understanding of the Christ impulse. That which has occurred side by side instead of one after the other will for a long, long time still unleash forces on earth that will fight against a spiritual understanding of the equality of humanity throughout the world. There will still be many, many terrible storms, and to a large extent these storms have the purpose of continuing the Luciferic-Ahrimanic battle against the Christ impulse. And it will be one of the greatest, one of the most beautiful, one of the most significant achievements if we can already be, in our time, at least a small group of people who have an understanding of this idea of the unification of all humanity, an understanding of how Luciferic-Ahrimanic backwardness on Earth strives for something special in individual groups of people to the exclusion of other groups of people. It is truly difficult to say a final word about these things today. A final word about these things, given the state of human hearts today, would be more likely to provoke, to shock, to provoke resistance, perhaps even hatred and abuse, than to have an effect in the spirit of the Christ impulse. But as much as can be said about this principle in the Christ impulse, which is the salvation of humanity from physical fragmentation into spiritual unification, must be said, because it must become effective and increasingly effective within human evolution. We must be able to face the diversification of human nature calmly and courageously, because we know that we can carry a word into all human differences, a word that is not only a word of speech, but a word of power. Groups may arise within earthly existence that fight each other, and we may belong to one or the other of these groups, but we can know that we can bring something into each of the groups that can say: “Not I, but Christ in me,” and what ‘Christ in me’ is does not cause groupings, but causes the glory of the human name to spread throughout the whole earth. This is one of the practical aspects, one of the moral and ethical aspects of our spiritual scientific endeavors, that through the understanding of our spiritual science, this can become alive: that no matter into which of the opposing groups of people we carry our I, we carry into the opposing groups of people the power that comes from the words “Not I, but Christ in me.” In this way, we bring something that belongs to the whole of humanity, not to a single group, and that is what can lead to a true spiritual understanding of Christianity.

Great spiritual paths of the world always express themselves in that they can ultimately be reduced to simple words. Let us now try to express in simple words the whole sum of Christianity, which has penetrated the world for almost two millennia. However, these simple words can only be achieved on the basis of broad developments. These simple words, in which Christianity can be expressed, were not immediately available; they had to be achieved first. Now, we must be quite clear about this: we belong to those who are only just beginning to work on finding very, very simple words that will summarize, in an extremely primitive way, the truths that we must spread and develop today. But without this development, simplicity would never be possible. We can be sure of this: even if we are not yet able to form simple words from any language that summarize our spiritual scientific endeavors, I would say, on a quarter page, so that they can be understood by all human intellectual striving, as this is truly possible in Christianity, in Christianity as it arose two millennia ago, then these simple formulations will contain something of what I have just tried to indicate to you today, something that will turn the spiritual gaze toward the development of humanity, toward the significance of the Greek-Latin period, toward the falling of the mystery of Golgotha into this period, toward the opposition, toward the polarity of Christ and Lucifer-Ahriman. What can be recognized in everything will be condensed into a few words, which will then go down to future humanity, as when we say today, “You shall love God above all things and your neighbor as yourself.” Just as there is something in this that had to be achieved through long development, so will things later be summarized in simple words. Then they will be clear to people.

But our spiritual work is necessary for this, because simplicity in the spiritual development of humanity only arises when people have decided to spend a long time getting to know the details. You are called upon to participate in this development, which will then lead to something appearing before humanity in simple, clear light. Today, this cannot yet be expressed because we do not yet have the words for it in our languages, but it is what our spiritual science must strive toward. If you feel yourself in such a spiritual current and are happy to be within it, because you recognize it as a necessity within human development, then you are in the right sense in this spiritual movement, you are in this spiritual movement in such a way that you see the greatest thing toward which this spiritual movement tends in the right way, from an ever better understanding of the opposition between Christ and Lucifer-Ahriman and the necessity of this opposition.

That is what I wanted to present to your souls today. It is connected with the question of the meaning of our entire earthly evolution. For when spirits from other planets look down upon the earth and ask, “What is the meaning of this earthly evolution?”, they will recognize this meaning when they learn something of the mystery of Golgotha. For everything that happens in the course of Earth's evolution only acquires its meaning through the mystery of Golgotha. This radiates out into the world space and gives everything else that radiates out from the Earth its meaning, its central meaning!