General Anthroposophical Society Annual Report 2002 Annual Report 2002 Contents General Anthroposophical Society Theme of the Year for 2003/04: Metamorphosis of Intelligence and Co-responsibility for Current Affairs ................. 3 General Anthroposophical Society: The Impulse of the 1923/24 Christmas Conference in the Year 2002 ................... 4 School of Spiritual Science The Sections General Anthroposophical Section ..................................................................................................................................................... 5 Section for Mathematics and Astronomy .......................................................................................................................................... 7 Medical Section ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 7 Natural Science Section and Agriculture Department .................................................................................................................... 9 Pedagogical Section ............................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Art Section .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 12 Section for the Spiritual Striving of Young People ........................................................................................................................ 13 Section for the Arts of Eurythmy, Speech, Drama and Music ................................................................................................... 14 Section for the Literary Arts and Humanities ................................................................................................................................ 15 Section for the Social Sciences ............................................................................................................................................................ 15 Goetheanum Behind the Scenes at the Goetheanum Stage .............................................................................................................................. 17 Finances, Accounts and the Budget Treasurer‘s Report 2002: A Mosaic of Challenges and Opportunities ........................................................................................ 18 General Information and Contact Addresses General Anthroposophical Society ................................................................................................................................................... 22 School of Spiritual Science .................................................................................................................................................................. 23 Departments and Facilities at the Goetheanum ............................................................................................................................. 26 The Society Worldwide ....................................................................................................................................................................... 29 Conferences and Work Program of the Sections 2003/04 The Sections of the School of Spiritual Science hold regular conferences, colloquia, seminars and study days. In addition, the School offers public lectures and workshops. All conferences and the work program are listed in a separate leaflet, which can be obtained from the Membership Office at the Goetheanum (only in German). This Annual Report 2002 is available on the Internet: www.goetheanum.ch/society/ar2002.pdf Impressum Theme of the Year for 2003/04: Heinz Zimmermann, Bodo von Plato General Anthroposophical Society: Paul Mackay General Anthroposophical Section: Virginia Sease, Heinz Zimmermann, Bodo von Plato Section Reports: Section leaders; edited by Isabell von Heymann Goetheanum Stage: Thomas Didden, Isabell von Heymann Treasurer‘s Report, incl. graphics: Cornelius Pietzner, Hans Hasler Address overview: Sections and Departments at the Goetheanum Overview of Conferences and Work Program: Doris Bianchi, Hans-Christian Zehnter Title page design: Marion Ehrsam/Atelier für Gestaltung English Translation : Peter Luborsky Layout: Urs Schuhmacher Production: Henning Schulze-Schilddorf Printing: Kooperative Dürnau Production oversight/editing: Isabell von Heymann © 2003 General Anthroposophical Society, Dornach, Switzerland 2 Annual Report 2002 Theme of the Year Theme of the Year for 2003/04 Metamorphosis of Intelligence and Co-responsibility for Current Affairs Last year the focus of our anthroposophical work was this path fruitful and culturally effective in response to the the question of the human being between good and evil. needs of various practical fields. In view of our current Continuing from this we would like to suggest working times, this necessary task of the School of Spiritual Science with an aspect of this theme which is highly topical today: in its connection with the Anthroposophical Society must the Metamorphosis of Intelligence and Co-responsibility be strengthened in two directions: inwardly, in committed for Current Affairs. practice - outwardly, in connecting with questions of our time and in working within public life. Each is dependent Capacity for Self-Determination on the other and opens up our sense of co-responsibility The battle between good and evil does not take place out- for what is happening in our time. These two aspects are side the human being but primarily within the field of hu- a question of how we handle intelligence. man consciousness. Both individually and collectively we are currently faced with the burning question of whether Metamorphosis of Intelligence we want to be responsible for what we do or - without re- Rudolf Steiner’s letters on Michael, published for the alizing it - abandon ourselves to anonymous powers who members of the Anthroposophical Society in a series manipulatively suspend our individual decision-making after the Christmas Conference, describe the metamor- power. The outcome of this battle within the field of hu- phosis of intelligence within a large historical and cosmic man consciousness depends substantially on the kind of context. Studying them can become a source of strength. thinking with which we connect, on the kind of intelligence They are written in a style which can ignite and enliven we allow to determine our conduct. When no individual the thinking of anyone who seriously engages with these choice is made, thinking in its current stage of develop- texts. As a further recommendation for our Theme of the ment reflects a tendency in intelligence that is mechaniz- Year we would like to suggest three lectures which cover ing and destructive. Everything which invades our current the same questions from the point of view of the precon- world with forces of destruction - wars, poverty, ecocide, ditions for the development of the Anthroposophical So- violence, terror - all of this ultimately arises from a certain ciety. This is also an opportunity to remember Alanus ab kind of thinking. Yet the behavior of people like Viktor Insulis, who died 800 years ago. Frankl or Imre Kertész, who mastered their destinies in concentration camps in an exemplary way, or perhaps ‘dis- Our main activity for this year and next at the Goethea- covered’ their destinies in spite of the camps, express a kind num is also connected with this theme. Goethe’s Faust is of thinking through which we become conscious of our a drama about modern human striving towards individual capacity for self-determination. self-determination, where we seek, through existential confrontation with evil, to gain our humanity. Ideas - Ideals - Actions Intelligence research since the 1990s shows, that intelligent behavior does not merely consist in understanding logi- Recommended Reading cal, computer-compatible processes. Rather, as Howard Gardner and others have shown, it includes such things Anthroposophical Leading Thoughts, Rudolf Steiner Press 1937: as the capacity for dealing with fellow human beings and with the immediate present in a meaningful and responsi- At the Dawn of the Michael Age, p. 51 ble way. The question of self-determination - or freedom and responsibility - is directly related to the possibility of The Condition of the Human Soul before the Dawn of discovering something spiritual in oneself, in developing the Michael Age, p. 56 oneself out of this, and in forming ideas into ideals and then acting on them. The Way of Michael and What Preceded It, p. 66 Knowledge and Morality Michael’s Task in the Sphere of Ahriman, p. 71 Rudolf Steiner encouraged such spiritualization of thinking in his Intuitive Thinking as a Spiritual Path. The Experiences of Michael in the Course of his Cosmic However, the spiritualization of thinking underlies all Mission, p. 76 of anthroposophy as a science of spirit. It culminates in his letters on Michael, which are like a legacy. Michael, The Activity of Michael and the Future of Mankind, p. 81 as the present Spirit of our Time, is the spirit being who (It is especially fruitful to include the accompanying lead- encourages human freedom and thus can only be found ing thoughts in one’s studies.) in the region where will-guided thinking is able to take hold