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The Rudolf Steiner Archive

a project of Steiner Online Library, a public charity

Self-Knowledge and God-Knowledge I
Theosophy, Christology and Mythology
GA 90a

The present volume contains lectures given by Rudolf Steiner to members in Berlin in 1903 and 1904. Two discussions (December 1, 1903 and January 26, 1904) and a handwritten lecture manuscript by Rudolf Steiner for November 7, 1904 have also been included. Members' lectures from 1905 in Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Düsseldorf and Lugano (1906) are printed in GA 90b.

It is often no longer possible to tell whether the notes were taken at branch lectures, at Rudolf Steiner's talks in smaller groups, or even at private lessons for individuals. Presumably, the boundaries were fluid in these early days of Rudolf Steiner's theosophical work.

Rudolf Steiner developed the majority of the topics covered in this volume simultaneously or later for his written work. Particular reference is made here to:

  • Mysticism in the Dawn of Modern Spiritual Life and its Relationship to the Modern World Picture (1901, GA 7)
  • Christianity as Mystical Fact and the Mysteries of Antiquity (1902, CW 8)
  • Theosophy: An Introduction to Supersensible World Knowledge and Human Destiny (1904, CW 9)
  • How to Know Higher Worlds (1904-1905, GA10)
  • From the Akasha Chronicle (1904-1908, GA 11)
  • The Stages of Higher Knowledge (1905-1908, GA 12)
  • Lucifer - Gnosis, fundamental essays on anthroposophy (1903-1908, GA 35)

I.World Wisdom and Human WisdomSeptember 28, 1903
II.Does Everything in the World Have a Useful Purpose?October 30, 1903
III.Cosmic Epochs and Conditions and their Correspondence in Human Development. The Eighth SphereNovember 10, 1903
IV.Where Does Diversity Come From?November 16, 1903
V.About Sinnet's “Esoteric Buddhism”November 17, 1903
VI.On the Process of Becoming of the Human RacesDecember 1, 1903
VII.On the Origin of Planetary SystemsDecember 15, 1903
VIII.Cosmology and PlanetsDecember 22, 1903
IX.PitrisEarly January, 1904
X.Description of the RoundsJanuary 5, 1904
XI.The Formation of the Aura IJanuary 12, 1904
XII.The Formation of the Aura IIJanuary 19, 1904
XIII.The Formation of the Cosmos According to Annie Besant's “Ancient Wisdom”January 26, 1904
XIV.The Second LogosFebruary 2, 1904
XV.On the Formation of the CosmosFebruary 9, 1904
XVI.The Development of BeingsFebruary 16, 1904
XVII.On DevachanFebruary 18, 1904
XVIII.The Mosaic Creation Story and the RoundsFebruary 22, 1904
XIX.Microcosm and MacrocosmMarch 3, 1904
XX.On the Sattva StateMarch 11, 1904
XXI.Genesis IApril 1, 1904
XXII.Genesis IIApril 29, 1904
XXIII.White Lotus DayMay 2, 1904
XXIV.The Salvation of HumanityMay 15, 1904
XXV.On the Apocalypse IMay 21, 1904
XXVI.On the Apocalypse IIMay 24, 1904
XXVII.On the Significance of the Oldest Parts of the Old TestamentMay 27, 1904
XXVII.The Principle of CorrelationJune 12, 1904
XXIX.The Concept of Objective Presence and Subjective PerceptionJune 13, 1904
XXX.The Following RoundsJune 15, 1904
XXXI.The Main Law of All Round EvolutionJune 16, 1904
XXXII.Reincarnation And KarmaJune 18, 1904
XXXIII.What Does Man Gain From Knowing His Past?June 20, 1904
XXXIV.Ways of Coming to Knowledge and WillJune 22, 1904
XXXV.Differences in the Structure of the Spirit Between the Second Rama, Krishna and BuddhaJune 25, 1904
XXXVI.On Atlantean CultureJune 26, 1904
XXXVII.On AtlantisJune 27, 1904
XXXVIII.On LemuriaJune 28, 1904
XXXIX.The Fifth Root Race: FireJune 29, 1904
XL.Planetary ChainsJune 30, 1904
XLI.Noun and VerbJuly 1, 1904
XLII.The Universe From the OutsideJuly 8, 1904
XLIII.Further Development of our PlanetJuly 10, 1904
XLIV.Modern Biblical ResearchJuly 11, 1904
XLV.Occult Research on the GospelsJuly 18, 1904
XLVI.The Gospels and InitiationJuly 25, 1904
XLVII.An Overview of Our DevelopmentJuly 26, 1904
XLVIII.Incarnation August 2, 1904
XLIX.Outlook on the Next RoundsAugust 10, 1904
L.The Task of the Second Half of DevelopmentAugust 11, 1904
LI.Where Does Evil Come From?August 12, 1904
LII.Ancient WisdomAugust 13, 1904
LIII.Essence, Perception, and ActionsAugust 14, 1904
LIV.On the Purpose and the Home of ManAugust 16, 1904
LV.The Structure of ManAugust 23, 1904
LVI.The Structure of Man IIAugust 30, 1904
LVII.The RealmsSeptember 5, 1904
LVIII.Medieval WisdomSeptember 9, 1904
LIX.Apocalypse IOctober 3, 1904
LX.Apocalypse IIOctober 10, 1904
LXI.The Early Chapters of GenesisOctober 12, 1904
LXII.Apocalypse IIIOctober 17, 1904
LXIII.Apocalypse IVOctober 24, 1904
LXIV.On ClairvoyanceOctober 30, 1904
LXV.Apocalypse VNovember 1, 1904
LXVI.Summary of the Previous Discourses on the ApocalypseNovember 1, 1904
LXVII.Apocalypse VINovember 7, 1904
LXVIII.The Seven Post-Atlantean Sub-RacesNovember 11, 1904
LXIX.On the Migrations of the RacesNovember 12, 1904
LXX.Apocalypse VIINovember 14, 1904
LXXI.The Origin of KarmaNovember 14, 1904
LXXII.The Birth of Light: a Christmas ReflectionDecember 19, 1904
LXXIII.Cosmology and the Development of ConsciousnessDecember 24, 1904
LXXIV.The Development of ManDecember 25, 1904
LXXV.The Rounds on the Seven PlanetsDecember 26, 1904
LXXVI.Creation of Races up to the Fertilization with Manas (Animal Separations)December 27, 1904
LXXVII.Events in the Second Half of the Lemurian Racial DevelopmentDecember 28, 1904
LXXVIII.Picture of the Development on the Moon and on the EarthDecember 29, 1904
LXXIX.Past and Future RoundsDecember 30, 1904
LXXX.The Feast of the Epiphany (Three Kings)December 30, 1904
LXXXI.Separation into Male and FemaleDecember 31, 1904