Esoteric Christianity

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Esoteric Christianity - and the Mission of Christian Rosenkreutz - 23 lectures by Rudolf Steiner. Published by Rudolf Steiner Press. 

Well produced book, covering lecture material from 1911 - 1912 conferences, with topics on Christ, Buddha, Rosicrucian Christianity, the story of the blood, virtues of faith, hope and love, the human ego, the occult, karma theory, deity death, the year of 1250, planetary influences. 

Christian Rosenkreutz is a mystery figure, said to have been born in Germany in 12th or 13th century, he spent his childhood in a monastery, travelled widely picking up religious beliefs, many based on Catharism, and he created a brotherhood based on his ideas. 

Rudolf Steiner followed brotherhood ideas presented by Rozencreutz and developed his own ideas from Theosophy and other theories around at the time, and called it Anthroposophy. Steiner wrote books which he promoted at talks and conferences, and many seekers supported him. There is a lot in this book to believe, one belief depending on another. Reincarnation, etheric bodies, Akashic Records, and association with other planets.

I think these days, we expect a great deal of efficiency, not long wordy pages of multiple extraordinary and heady claims  - when we spend time, we want results. We like evidence based thinking though religious belief is not based on evidence! I ploughed through a lot of ideas in every sentence. A book of ideas that Rudolf Steiner developed. I couldn’t read it and was glad to put it down. I kept thinking he made it up! 

Review by Wendy Stokes https://wendystokes.co.uk