The School of Spiritual Science: An Introduction

Thoroughly revised and updated, this important volume describes the character, intentions, and working methods of the pioneering School of Spiritual Science, as established by Rudolf Steiner within the framework of the reestablished Anthroposophical Society in 1924. It explains the School’s prerequisites for membership and examines the role of the First Class and its representatives’ responsibilities.

The main body of the book features descriptions of the sections within the School of Spiritual Science, contributed by individuals responsible for leadership of those sections. They indicate how the School connects with daily work in various aspects of life―including medicine, agriculture, education, science and the arts―and how they relate to contemporary society. Also included are significant articles and lectures by Steiner regarding his original intentions for the School, and practical information on the process of becoming a member.

In keeping with the transparency that Steiner called for, The School of Spiritual Science is available to anyone who wants to explore the work of this invaluable cultural institution.

Christiane Haid, PhD, was born in 1965 and studied German literature, history, art, and educational science in Freiburg and Hamburg. She was a research assistant at Friedrich von Hardenberg for cultural studies, working on the history of anthroposophy in the 20th century. She was also a research associate in the Section for the Fine Arts and cultural scientist at the Albert Steffen Foundation Dornach. In 2009, she was head of the publishing house at the Goetheanum. Christiane Haid holds a doctorate in Literary Studies: Myth, Dream, and Imagination. She has been head of the Section for Fine Arts at the Goetheanum since 2012, and in 2019 became program director of the publishing house at the Goetheanum.

Constanza Kaliks was born in Chile. Studied mathematics and Waldorf education, doctorate in education with dissertation on Nicolaus Cusanus. Worked for 19 years as a Waldorf teacher and lecturer in teacher training in São Paulo, Brazil. She is a member of the Executive Board of the General Anthroposophical Society and part of the leadership of the General Anthroposophical Section of the School of Spiritual Science. Since the beginning of 2022 she has been leading the Pedagogical Section at the Goetheanum with Philipp Reubke.

Johannes Kühl, physicist and leader of the Science Section at the Goetheanum, was born in 1953 in Hamburg, Germany. He studied physics in Hamburg and Göttingen, finishing with research in fluid dynamics at the Max Plank Institute. After a year of research at the Science Section at the Goetheanum, he taught physics, chemistry and mathematics at the original Waldorf School in Stuttgart Uhlandshöhe. Since 1996, he has been the leader of the Science Section at the Goetheanum and a member of the collegium for the School of Spiritual Science. Since high school, core areas of interest for him have been modern physics and optics, as well as Goethean science. He has given numerous lectures and seminars on these themes and finally put some of his thoughts into his book, Rainbows, Halos, Dawn and Dusk.

Claus-Peter Röh, after finishing his studies in Pedagogy, worked since 1983 as class, music and religion teacher at the Waldorf School in Flensburg, Germany. In addition to teaching, he worked at the Pedagogical University in Flensburg and gave courses at various teacher training seminars in Germany. Since 1998, he has been a member of the initiative group of the Pedagogical Section in Germany. In September 2010, he joined the Pedagogical Section at the Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland. Since January 2011, in cooperation with Florian Osswald, he has been leading that section. Since Easter 2020, along with Constanza Kaliks and Peter Selg, he has been a leader of the General Anthroposophical Section.

Margot M. Saar has a university degree in Applied Linguistics and Translating. She also studied Waldorf Education in Germany and Philosophy of Mind in the UK. She taught in Steiner Schools in Britain for 20 years and is an experienced translator and interpreter in specialty fields (education, medicine, philosophy, anthroposophy, homeopathy, anthroposophic medicine, general science). Margot has translated numerous books for SteinerBooks, including Peter Selg's 7-volume biography of Rudolf Steiner.