GA 8

Christianity as Mystical Fact and the Mysteries of Antiquity

Das Christentum als mystische Tatsache und die Mysterien des Altertums

In this early writing Rudolf Steiner presents the essence of Christianity and its spiritual-historical position in the development of humanity. With Christ's life, death and resurrection, the fulfilment and at the same time the overcoming of the ancient mysteries is given. The book was written on the basis of 24 lectures which Steiner gave in Berlin from 19 October 1901 to 26 April 1902 within the framework of the Theosophical Society. These lectures have not yet been published in Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works, but there are transcripts available online [1], [2], [3].

The quotations used by Steiner are mainly taken from: Otto Willmann: Geschichte des Idealismus, insbesondere Band I Vorgeschichte und Geschichte des antiken Idealismus [4], Braunschweig 1894, and Band II Der Idealismus der Kirchenväter und der Idealismus der Scholastiker [5], Braunschweig 1896. Steiner's working copy is preserved in his bequeathed library.

Contents

• Opening Quotes by Rudolf Steiner
• Contents
• Bibliographical Note
• Foreword
• Introduction: Rudolf Steiner — A Biographical Sketch
• Author's Preface to the Second Edition
• Points of View
• Mysteries and Mystery Wisdom
• Greek Sages Before Plato In the Light of Mystery Wisdom
• Plato as a Mystic
• Mystery Wisdom and Myth
• Egyptian Mystery Wisdom
• The Gospels
• The Miracle of the Raising of Lazarus
• The Apocalypse of John
• Jesus and His Historical Background
• The Essence of Christianity
• Christianity and Pagan Wisdom
• Augustine and the Church
• Comments By the Author
• Translator's Notes
• Reference Guide to Principal Themes in Christianity As Mystical Fact, Based on Other Works by Rudolf Steiner

Literature

• Rudolf Steiner: Christianity As Mystical Fact. Translation from the German and with Notes by E. A. Frommer, Gabrielle Hess and Peter Kändler. Introduction by The Rev. Alfred Heidenreich, Ph.D., Rudolf Steiner Publishing Company, London 1961

German

• Rudolf Steiner: Das Christentum als mystische Tatsache und die Mysterien des Altertums, GA 8 (1989), ISBN 3-7274-0080-3 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
• Rudolf Steiner: Schriften. Kritische Ausgabe (SKA). Band 5: Schriften über Mystik, Mysterienwesen und Religionsgeschichte
  Die Mystik im Aufgange des neuzeitlichen Geisteslebens und ihr Verhältnis zur modernen Weltanschauung – Das Christentum als mystische Tatsache und die Mysterien des Altertums. Herausgegeben und kommentiert von Christian Clement. Frommann-Holzboog Verlag, Stuttgart 2013, ISBN 978-3-7728-2635-1

Original editions

• Edition 1902
• Edition 1910
• Edition 1925

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

• http://www.anthroweb.info/ga08_christentum.html - The entire German text online.
• http://anthroposophie.byu.edu/schriften/008.pdf - The entire German text online (pdf).
• Das Christentum als mystische Tatsache - Postscript of the lectures given by Rudolf Steiner in Berlin from 19 October 1901 - 26 April 1902 (German).