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The Rudolf Steiner Archive

a project of Steiner Online Library, a public charity

Deeper Secrets of Human Development in the Light of the Gospels
GA 117

The lectures presented here deal primarily with the “prehistory of the great Christ event” and thus continue the theme of the previous lecture cycle on The Gospel of Luke”(Basel, September 15-26, 1909).

The words “theosophy” and “theosophical”, which Steiner used in the sense of his anthroposophically oriented spiritual science, have been replaced [in the original German text published by the Rudolf Steiner Verlag in Dornach] by the terms “anthroposophy”, “anthroposophical”, “spiritual science” and “knowledge of the spirit” in the relevant passages.

The first two lectures (October 11 and 18, 1909) are highly abbreviated summary transcriptions, the first of which was printed from notes taken by Jakob Mühletaler, and the second from notes probably taken by Alice Kinkel. The lectures of November 2, 9, and 23, 1909 were transcribed by Mrs. Berta Reebstein. The transcripts of the lectures on November 13, 14, and 19 are in an unknown handwriting. The lectures on December 4 and 7, 1909, were printed from transcripts by Camille Wandrey, and the Christmas lectures on December 21 and 26, 1909, from transcripts by Walter Vegelahn. An original stenographic record only exists for the lectures of November 2, 9, and 23, 1909.

I.Buddha and the Two Child JesusesOctober 11, 1909
II.The Gospels, Buddha and the Two Jesus ChildrenOctober 18, 1909
III.The GospelsNovember 14, 1909
IV.The Gospel of Matthew and the Christ-ProblemNovember 19, 1909