Sophia Institute online Waldorf Certificate Program
Sophia Institute online Foundation Studies Program

Introductory Courses
Course 1: What is Anthroposophy? An Introduction.
Lesson WAI1

Study Material for Lesson WAI1

To begin with we will look at a number of statements, some of which are by Steiner himself, which give an idea of what the basic design of Anthroposophy is all about.

Anthroposophy as a word is constructed of "Anthropos" and "Sophia." "Anthropos" is a word in the old Greek language meaning "the human being," a word we do not find very much being used in modern languages other than in the scientific term of Anthropology which depicts the science of research into the development of the human species. The second part of the word Anthroposophy is related to "Sophia" which is also taken from the old Greek language and means "wisdom." This was also the name of an early saint (St. Sophia) who died of grief after her three daughters were martyred. Hagia Sophia "Holy Wisdom" is the name of a large basilica in Constantinople (today: Istanbul, Turkey). If we connect these two words and the ideas behind them, Anthroposophy can be translated simply as "Wisdom of the Human Being."

Interestingly Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Anthroposophy defines Anthroposophy primarily as a path, and at the same time Anthroposophist as people who experience certain questions. Steiner states this as follows:

"Anthroposophy is a path of knowledge, to guide the spiritual in the human being to the spiritual in the universe. It arises in people as a need of the heart and feeling life. Anthroposophy can be justified only to the degree that it satisfies this inner need. It may be acknowledged only by those who find within it what they themselves feel the need to seek. Therefore, Anthroposophists are those who experience, as an essential need of life, certain questions on the nature of the human being and the universe, just as one experiences hunger and thirst." (Rudolf Steiner, Anthroposophical Leading Thoughts, 1924)

Looking at a statement like this we might be drawn to several aspects and made aware of ideas and insights we to begin with might not have associated with Anthroposophy, for instance the "spiritual in the universe," or the idea that Anthroposophy is a matter of the "heart and the feeling life," or that we might indeed experience certain questions "just as one experiences hunger and thirst."

Stepping away from this most interesting approach to a more detached definition as the one given in Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, we find the following:

"Anthroposophy, a philosophy founded by Rudolf Steiner, postulates the existence of an objective, intellectually comprehensible spiritual world accessible to direct experience through inner development. More specifically, it aims to develop faculties of perceptive imagination, inspiration and intuition through cultivating a form of thinking independent of sensory experience, and to present the results thus derived in a manner subject to rational verification. In its investigations of the spiritual world, anthroposophy aims to attain the precision and clarity attained by the natural sciences in their investigations of the physical world." (Wikipedia)

Here also we are confronted with the term and the idea of a spiritual world. Now - the negation of the existence of a spiritual world is of course one if not the cornerstone of modern science with its belief that no such spiritual world exists (and it is important to note that this is a belief and not a fact as modern science postulates), and that all reference to a spiritual world belongs to the realm of superstition, fairy tales and - I might add - other new age nonsense!

It is unlikely that you, the student of this course, having signed up for the course likely out of interest in spiritual questions, do not believe in a spiritual world, but it is nevertheless one of the key questions that we need to ask when seeking to understand the basic ideas of Anthroposophy, as Anthroposophy clearly states that there is such a spiritual world. Anthroposophy is sometimes also called spiritual science or science of the spirit.

In the Islamic tradition there is this nice little story that sheds light on this basic question:

A secular physicist may say, “An apple will always fall to the ground”. A spiritual person will say, “An apple will fall to the ground, Inshallah (God willing)”. A secular botanist may say: “Plant your seeds, give them water and the sun and nature will give you a bountiful crop.” A spiritual person will say, “Plant the seeds, give them water and the sun and there will be a bountiful crop, Inshallah (God willing)”.

My own definition of Anthroposophy is twofold. Firstly there is the world-view of Anthroposophy that brings to us knowledge and understanding of three worlds, the world of matter (the physical world), the soul world, and the spiritual world. Secondly, Anthroposophy teaches a path of self development which allows the student of Anthroposophy to undergo a schooling that leads to direct experience of the soul and spiritual world in addition to a deeper understanding of the physical world.

​- Conrad Rehbach, M.A.

What is Anthroposophy? An Introduction.

Course Outline

Lesson 1: Definition and expression of Anthroposophy in our modern world.
Lesson 2: Rudolf Steiner's life and work (Part 1).
Lesson 3: Rudolf Steiner's life and work (Part 2).
Lesson 4: Rudolf Steiner's life and work (Part 3).
Lesson 5: Thinking, feeling and willing. The threefold human being.
Lesson 6: Physical body, etheric body, astral body, and ego.
Lesson 7: The seven life processes and the seven soul types.
Lesson 8: The twelve senses.
Lesson 9: Anthroposophy at work in our modern times. The impulses of Anthroposophy in education, the arts, medicine, agriculture, and social issues.
Lesson 10: The structure of the Anthroposophical Society and the School of Spiritual Science.

Tasks and Assignments for Lesson WAI1

Please study the provided study material. Then please turn to the tasks and assignments for this lesson that are listed below (in the submission form).

Please send your completed assignment via the online form or via email.

    Submission Form for online courses WAI1

* A debate is a verbal argument that is conducted within a set framework. Debates are common in both political and educational environments. People can disagree with opposing views in a structured setting that gives all participants a chance to present and defend their arguments as well as reach conclusions about the arguments of their opponents. There are many different formats possible for a debate, but debates also have many features in common. The topic of a debate can be virtually anything. However, most debates with a public audience center around a controversial issue that has interest for the audience such as the topic of whether there is a spiritual world or not, for example. Some debates have audience participation with some questions posed by the audience to the debaters. Debates may involve one participant against another or they may be in a team format. Basic debate formats vary widely in terms of time limits for speeches, the order of speeches and how arguments are presented.