Christian Community

File:Johanneskirche Dresden.jpg

The Christian Community altar in Dresden (Germany).

The Christian Community - Movement for Religious Renewal is an independent Christian renewal movement founded in 1922 on the impulses of several (at that time predominantly Protestant) theologians, but completely independent of the Anthroposophical Society, which focuses on the communal celebration of ritual acts. In the foundation of the cultus, Rudolf Steiner as a private person (outside the anthroposophical movement) stood by to help.

„It is a movement which has arisen out of itself, and which has received the advice from me for the reason that if anyone asks for justified advice in any field, it is human duty, if one can give the advice, really to give it.“ (Lit.:GA 219, p. 170)

Her own is a lively community life. It does not see itself as the only church that can bring about salvation. The Christian Community refers to Christ as the Creator of the earth, who became man in Jesus of Nazareth. In him, believers find vitality and continuity. Unfortunately, the Christian Community is still classified as a sect by some churches - but not by the state.

Freedom of Teaching

The priests of the Christian Community have freedom of teaching and are not bound to any dogmatic doctrine. The only exception is teaching against the given cultus. Rudolf Steiner says about this:

„It is very important that you are clear about the fact that there is complete freedom with regard to teaching when there is communal cohesion in the cultus. This is precisely what ensures the freedom of preaching and teaching, that cohesion does not depend on agreement, which has its limits. Of course, this freedom has its limits in that what is taught does not contradict the spirit and meaning of the cult in any easily comprehensible way. That would be an absurdity in itself. So if someone were to perform the Sacrifice of the Mass and at the same time teach that it is nonsense, he would not be able to remain within the community, or at least he would not be able to teach. Not so, in as broad a sense as is possible, the freedom of teaching is recognised. And, my dear friends, without freedom of doctrine we really cannot get anywhere today, especially in a Christian Community. Only the cultus must be regarded in the right sense, and then, I would say, freedom of teaching results precisely from the existence of the cultus.“ (Lit.:GA 344, p. 132)

Sacraments

→ Main article: Sacrament

The Christian Community is a cultic community.

• The Act of Consecration of Man, the central sacrament of which is the Lord's Supper (Eucharist) and the Communion associated with it, is the most important cultic celebration. The sacramental wine used in communion is non-fermented grape juice rather than alcoholic wine.

Six other sacraments can accompany the course of life and have a helping effect in it:

• Baptism
• Confirmation
• Marriage
• The Last Anointing
• Sacramental Consultation (replacing Confession)
• Ordination to Priesthood

Rudolf Steiner's specifications on the liturgical vestments of the Christian Community (plate 12 from GA 343)

The sacraments are performed by the priest in a prescribed manner and in liturgical vestments with seasonal or traditional colours:

• BAPTISM: dark purple
• MARRIAGE: red
• CONFESSION: black
• SEASONS (colour of the forms on the casula in brackets):
  • Advent: blue (dark blue)
  • CHRISTMAS: white (light purple)
  • Epiphany: red-violet (dark red-violet)
  • Passiontide: black (deep black)
  • Easter: red (green)
  • Ascension: red (gold)
  • Pentecost: white (light yellow)
  • Johanni: white (light yellow)
  • Michaelmas: hedge rose colour (sea green)
  • Primary colour in the interims: light purple (orange)

Any adult who feels the need for a religious life can take part in the Act of Consecration of Man (with the transformation of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ and communion). Introductory writings on the Christian Community's cult are available in the congregation.

History

The foundation of the cultus took place through the private help of Rudolf Steiner, outside the anthroposophical movement, who expressed himself about the relationship to anthroposophy in the following way:

„What I have given to these personalities has nothing to do with the anthroposophical movement. I gave it to them as a private person, and I gave it in such a way that I emphasised with necessary firmness that the anthroposophical movement must have nothing to do with this movement for religious renewal; but that above all I am not the founder of this movement for religious renewal; that I am counting on this being made perfectly clear to the world, and that I have given the necessary advice to individual personalities who wanted to found this movement for religious renewal of their own accord, advice which was, however, suitable for practising a valid and spiritually vigorous cultus, spiritually filled with being, to be celebrated in a lawful manner with the forces from the spiritual world.“ (Lit.:GA 219, p. 169)

The Christian Community was founded in Dornach in 1922 by a circle of 45 mostly very young theologians around the Protestant pastor Friedrich Rittelmeyer (1872-1938) and Emil Bock (1895-1959). In "My Life Encounter with Rudolf Steiner" Rittelmeyer writes:

„Is it not necessary for the vast majority of people to have a celebration in which they come to this experience in their own way, to be led to the reality that is there in Christ?

From here the relationship between the anthroposophical movement and the Christian community becomes clear. If a cultus had been given for the Anthroposophical Society, it could be based to a much greater extent on the details of the new world-view which is emerging in Anthroposophy. But this new world-view must first fight its way through, in all fields, and still has difficult conflicts to pass through. Humanity as a whole cannot wait for this. There are also many people who have no direct interest in this struggle for a new world-view. For all of them there can be a cultus which, although it is in full agreement with the spiritual knowledge that exists in Anthroposophy and is possible from it alone, does not teach or presuppose this spiritual knowledge, but gives people directly what connects them with the highest reality.

What the Christian community has to impart to people is the highest. It is the living Christ in all reality and vitality. There is nothing higher. But it is this highest in a certain age and for a certain human need.

If the Christian Community were composed only of anthroposophists, Steiner would have considered the task of the Christian Community to be mistaken. The Anthroposophical Society has its own great tasks as a cultural movement, which is above all necessary today in the intellectualistic-materialistic present and has to struggle hard enough to assert itself. That is why it could not support such a new community at all, also financially. But apart from this, Steiner also wished to educate a kind of human being that will gradually multiply in the future. It seeks communion in the spirit and can in its own way, through what Rudolf Steiner has given it, come to the same Most High that the Christian Community brings in its own way. For the goal of the anthroposophical movement is also full communion with Christ into body and blood. It can be experienced, even if it remains unconscious, just as much in meditation as in worship.“ (Lit.: Rittelmeyer)

In 1941, the Christian Community was banned in Germany under Hitler, but re-founded in 1945.

Since 1933 there has been a seminary in Stuttgart, since 2001 one in Hamburg, since 2003 also in Chicago. The priesthood of women has been realised in it from the beginning.

Today there are congregations in all five continents. Worship is conducted in the respective national language.

The Protestant Church refuses the Christian Community a seat in the World Council of Churches. The baptism of the Christian Community (with water, salt and ashes) is not recognised in the Catholic and Protestant churches.

The 45 founders of The Christian Community

Founding day (16.9.1922) of the Christian Community - Movement for Religious Renewal.

Friedrich Rittelmeyer Emil Bock Johannes Werner Klein Gertrud Spörri Johannes Perthel Friedrich Doldinger Alfred Heidenreich Rudolf von Koschützki August Pauli Hermann Beckh Heinrich Rittelmeyer Fritz Blattmann

Hermann Fackler Wilhelm Ruhtenberg Claus von der Decken Wilhelm Salewski Otto Becher Heinrich Ogilvie Kurt Philippi Martin Borchart Hermann Groh Wolfgang Schickler Adolf Müller

Marta Heimeran Richard Gitzke Carl Stegmann Erwin Lang Eberhard Kurras Arnold Goebel Otto Franke Walter Gradenwitz Joachim Sydow Ludwig Köhler Waldemar Mickisch

Gottfried Husemann Rudolf Köhler Jutta Frentzel Rudolf Frieling Thomas Kandier Kurt von Wistinghausen Wilhelm Kelber Eduard Lenz Gerhard Klein Kurt Willmann Harald Schilling

(Lit.: GA 344, p. 277)

Rudolf Meyer, who was actively involved in all the preparations that led to the founding of the Christian Community, could not be present at the ordination of the first 45 priests in Dornach; he was ordained five weeks later by Johannes Werner Klein.

Literature

• Friedrich Rittelmeyer: Meine Lebensbegegnung mit Rudolf Steiner., 12. Auflage, Urachhaus Verlag, Stuttgart 2007, ISBN 978-3-87838-277-5.
• Hans-Werner Schroeder: Die Christengemeinschaft. Entstehung - Entwicklung - Zielsetzung, Urachhaus, 2. Auflage (2001), ISBN 3-87838-649-4
• Michael Debus: Auferstehungskräfte im Schicksal. Die Sakramente der Christengemeinschaft; Stuttgart: Urachhaus, 2006, ISBN 3-8251-7526-X
• Rudolf Frieling: Christentum und Wiederverkörperung, Fischer TB Vlg., Frankfurt a.M. 1982
• Rudolf F. Gädeke: Die Gründer der Christengemeinschaft. Ein Schicksalsnetz. 48 kurze Biographien mit Abbildungen und Dokumenten; Pioniere der Anthroposophie, 10; Dornach: Verlag am Goetheanum, 1992, ISBN 3-7235-0639-9
• Flensburger Hefte Nr. 22: Erkenntnis und Religion. Zum Verhältnis von Anthroposophischer Gesellschaft und Christengemeinschaft, Flensburger Hefte Vlg., Flensburg 1988, ISBN 3-926841-13-3
• Wolfgang Gädeke: Anthroposophie und die Fortbildung der Religion, Flensburger Hefte Vlg., Flensburg 1990, ISBN 3-926841-24-9
• Edelgard Vietor: Schuld und Sünde. Erkennen - verwandeln - verzeihen, Urachhaus Vlg., Stuttgart 2002, ISBN 3-8251-7375-5
• Evangelischer Oberkirchenrat Stuttgart (Hrsg.): Zur Frage der Christlichkeit der Christengemeinschaft. Beiträge zur Diskussion, (2004), ISBN 3-935129-14-9
• Hat die Christengemeinschaft eine Zukunft? Gespräche mit einem Geistwesen, Flensburger Hefte, Sonderheft 32, (2012), ISBN 978-3-935679-77-0
• Ilse Wellershoff-Schuur: Erneuerung. Versuche zum Thema: Wer braucht die Christengemeinschaft, Urachhaus Vlg., Stuttgart 2012, ISBN 978-3-8251-7844-4
• Tom Ravetz: Vom Dogma befreit. Gesichtspunkte zur Theologie der Christengemeinschaft, Urachhaus Vlg., Stuttgart 2010
• Georg Blattmann, Christus heute ins Leben rufen - Ursprung und Ziel der Christengemeinschaft
• Ulrich Meier (Hg.): Christentum in Entwicklung. Anstöße zum Dialog über eine permanente Reformation, Urachhaus Vlg., Stuttgart 2013
• Rudolf Steiner: Das Verhältnis der Sternenwelt zum Menschen und des Menschen zur Sternenwelt. Die geistige Kommunion der Menschheit., GA 219 (1994), ISBN 3-7274-2190-8 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
• Rudolf Steiner: Vorträge und Kurse über christlich-religiöses Wirken, I, GA 342 (1993), ISBN 3-7274-3420-1 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
• Rudolf Steiner: Vorträge und Kurse über christlich-religiöses Wirken, II, GA 343a (1993), ISBN 3-7274-3430-9 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
• Rudolf Steiner: Vorträge und Kurse über christlich-religiöses Wirken, II. Dokumentarische Ergänzungen GA 343b English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
• Rudolf Steiner: Vorträge und Kurse über christlich-religiöses Wirken, III, GA 344 (1994), ISBN 3-7274-3440-6 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
• Rudolf Steiner: Vorträge und Kurse über christlich-religiöses Wirken, IV, GA 345 (1994), ISBN 3-7274-3450-3 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
• Rudolf Steiner: Vorträge und Kurse über christlich-religiöses Wirken, V, GA 346 (2001), ISBN 3-7274-3460-0 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org

References to the work of Rudolf Steiner follow Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works (CW or GA), Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach/Switzerland, unless otherwise stated. Email: verlag@steinerverlag.com URL: www.steinerverlag.com. Index to the Complete Works of Rudolf Steiner - Aelzina Books A complete list by Volume Number and a full list of known English translations you may also find at Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works Rudolf Steiner Archive - The largest online collection of Rudolf Steiner's books, lectures and articles in English. Rudolf Steiner Audio - Recorded and Read by Dale Brunsvold steinerbooks.org - Anthroposophic Press Inc. (USA) Rudolf Steiner Handbook - Christian Karl's proven standard work for orientation in Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works for free download as PDF.

Weblinks

• The Christian Community in North America with extensive introductory articles
• The Christian Community in the UK and Ireland also with introductory articles
• The Christian Community in Ireland Based in the Republic of Ireland with services mainly in County Clare.
• Die Christengemeinschaft German site of The Christian Community
• The Christian Community in Austria
• The Christian Community in Switzerland
• The Christian Community in Australia and New Zealand with full programmes for all congregations in the region
• Priest seminaries of the Christian Community in Spring Valley, NY, Stuttgart (Germany) and Hamburg (Germany)
• The Christian Community – An Introduction by Michael Tapp, retired priest in The Christian Community, former national coordinator for the UK and then Australia/New Zealand
• The Journal for the renewal of religion and theology An online peer-reviewed open access journal inspired by the theology of The Christian Community (access via archive.org)