Download the article: The Founding Intentions: Spiritual Leadership, Current Work, and the Goals of the Medical Section

The tasks of the School of Spiritual Science are rooted in what Rudolf Steiner perceived as a "spiritual influx" into the rising tides of materialism during the last third of the nineteenth century: "A revelation of the spirit was opened up for mankind. Not from any arbitrary earthly consideration but in obedience to a call resounding from the spiritual world; not from any arbitrary earthly consideration but through a vision of the sublime pictures given out of the spiritual world as a modern revelation for the spiritual life of mankind—from this flowed the impulse for the anthroposophical movement. This anthroposophical movement is not an act of service to the earth. This anthroposophical movement in its totality and in all its details is a service to divine beings a service to God. We create the right mood for it when we see it in all its wholeness as a service to God. _¹

These words state clearly that the founding of the Goetheanum as an independent school for anthroposophy was an initiative that Rudolf Steiner intended to facilitate practical divine service in daily life. Not only those who practice the vocation of priest but every member of a profession can learn to feel responsible in his or her actions towards a real divine-spiritual world. Spirituality is not just a matter for religion but also for science art and for how people lead their daily lives.

With such an endeavor Steiner harkens back to the most ancient mystery traditions The word mysterium which can be translated as "secret " denotes the search for a spiritual path and a temple that remained secret until one had found what one sought or strove for Steiner and his colleagues conceived of the Goetheanum as a place to facilitate such seeking and finding in contemporary times so that each interested person could find an inner path of development fitting for his profession fruits of work and study within the specialist Sections of the School would address contemporary issues and foster further cultural development of individuals and support could be given to collegiate collaboration and community building.

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