Rudolf Steiner on Anthroposophy, the Society, and Membership

(From a "Letter to the Members," January 13, 1924)

To give the Anthroposophical Society a form suitable for the cultivation of the anthroposophical movement-this was the purpose of the Christmas Conference just completed at the Goetheanum. A society of this kind can have no abstract rules or statutes, for its basis is provided by insights into the spiritual world, made accessible as anthroposophy. A great many people have found in these insights a satisfying stimulation for their spiritual striving. Gathering with others of like mind within a society is what their souls need. For, the true nature of human life emerges through mutual give and take at the spiritual level. It is thus natural for those who wish to make anthroposophy a part of their lives to cultivate it in the context of a society.

However, while anthroposophy has its roots in insights deriving from the spiritual world, these are no more than its roots. Its branches, leaves, blossoms, and fruit spread out into every field of human life and activity. With thoughts that reveal the beings and laws of spiritual existence, anthroposophy reaches into the depths of the alert human soul, whose artistic forces are, in turn, called forth. [In this way] the arts receive stimulation from every side. Anthroposophy allows the warmth that comes out of our looking up to the spirit to flow back into human hearts: Religious sense thus awakens through true devotion to the divine manifesting in the world. Religion is profoundly internalized. Anthroposophy opens its wellsprings, and the human will, carried by love, may draw from the waters. It brings to life love for humankind and thereby works creatively in impulses for moral action and true social interaction. Anthroposophy makes the observation of nature fruitful through seeds that sprout from spirit vision; it thus turns the mere knowledge of nature into true insight into nature.

In all of these ways anthroposophy generates a host of life tasks, and these tasks can only succeed in spreading to wider circles of humanity if their beginnings are fostered within a society ...

What should take the place of ordinary statutes is a description. A description of what it is that people would like to accomplish in a living and purely human relationship-such as an anthroposophical society. It is at the Goetheanum ... that anthroposophy is being fostered. Therefore, the "statutes" should describe what the leaders at the Goetheanum understand by fostering and what they hope to achieve thereby for human civilization. Then should follow how they propose to carry out the cultivation of anthroposophy within an independent school of spiritual science. We must not set up principles to which one is expected to subscribe. We should rather characterize and describe a reality. Finally, it should be stated that whoever wants to add his or her efforts to what is being done at the Goetheanum may become a member.

As "statutes," then ... the following are proposed:

Statutes of the Anthroposophical Society

1. The Anthroposophical Society is to be an association of people whose will it is to nurture the life of the soul, both in the individual and in human society, on the basis of a true knowledge of the spiritual world.
2. The persons gathered at the Goetheanum in Dornach at Christmas 1923, both the individuals and the groups represented, form the nucleus of the Society. They are convinced that there exists in our time a genuine science of the spiritual world, elaborated for years past and in important particulars already published; and that the cultivation of such a science is lacking in civilization today. This cultivation is to be the task of the Anthroposophical Society. It will endeavor to fulfill this task by making the anthroposophical spiritual science cultivated at the Goetheanum in Dornach the center of its activities, together with all that results from this for brotherhood in human relationships and for the moral and religious as well as the artistic and cultural life. (see note 1)
3. The persons gathered in Dornach as the nucleus of the Society recognize and endorse the perspective of the leadership at the Goetheanum (represented by the Executive Council formed at the Foundation Meeting): "Anthroposophy, as fostered at the Goetheanum, leads to results that can serve as a stimulus to spiritual life for every human being, whatever his nation, social standing, or religion. These results can lead to a social life genuinely built on brotherly love. No special degree of academic learning is required to make them one's own and to found one's life upon them, but only an open-minded human nature. Research depends upon spiritual-scientific training, which is to be acquired step by step. These results are in their own way as exact as the results of genuine natural science. When the former attain general recognition in the same way as the latter, they will bring about comparable progress in all spheres of life, not only in the spiritual but also in the practical realm.
4. The Anthroposophical Society is in no sense a secret society, but is entirely public. Anyone can become a member, without regard to nationality, social standing, religion, or scientific or artistic conviction, who considers as justified the existence of an institution such as the Goetheanum in Dornach, in its capacity as a school of spiritual science. The Anthroposophical Society rejects any kind of sectarian activity. It does not consider party politics to be within its task.
5. The Anthroposophical Society sees the School of Spiritual Science in Dornach as a center for its activity. The School will be composed of three classes. Members of the Society will be admitted to the School on their own application after a period of membership to be determined by the leadership at the Goetheanum. In this way they enter the first class of the School of Spiritual Science. Admission to the second or third classes (see note 2) takes place when the person requesting this is deemed eligible by the leadership at the Goetheanum.
6. Every member of the Anthroposophical Society has the right to attend all lectures, performances, and meetings arranged by the Society, under conditions to be announced by the Executive Council.
7. The organizing of the School of Spiritual Science is, to begin with, the responsibility of Rudolf Steiner, who will appoint his collaborators and his possible successor.
8. All publications of the Society shall be public, in the same sense as are those of other public societies. (see note 3) The publications of the School of Spiritual Science will form no exception as regards this public character; however, the leadership of the School reserves the right to deny in advance the validity of any judgment on these publications that is not based on the same training from which they have been derived. Consequently they will regard as justified no judgment that is not based on an appropriate preliminary training, as accords with common practice in the recognized scientific world. Thus the publications of the School of Spiritual Science will bear the following note: "Printed as manuscript for members of the School of Spiritual Science, Goetheanum ____ class. No one is considered competent to judge the contents who has not acquired-through the School itself or in a manner recognized by the School as equivalent-the requisite preliminary knowledge. Other opinions will be disregarded, to the extent that the authors of such works will enter into no discussion about them."
9. The purpose of the Anthroposophical Society will be the furtherance of spiritual research; that of the School of Spiritual Science will be this research itself. A dogmatic stand in any field whatsoever is to be excluded from the Anthroposophical Society.
10. The Anthroposophical Society shall hold a regular General Meeting at the Goetheanum each year, at which the Executive Council shall present a full report and accounts. The agenda for this meeting shall be communicated by the Executive Council to all members, together with the invitation, six weeks before the meeting. The Executive Council may call special meetings and fix the agenda for them. Invitations to such meetings shall be sent to members three weeks in advance. Motions proposed by individual members or groups of members shall be submitted one week before the General Meeting.
11. Members may join together in smaller or larger groups on any basis of locality or subject. The seat of the Anthroposophical Society is at the Goetheanum, whence the Executive Council shall bring to the attention of the members or groups of members what it considers to be the task of the Society. The Executive Council communicates with officials elected or appointed by the various groups. Admission of members will be the concern of the individual groups; the certificate of membership shall, however, be placed before the Executive Council in Dornach and be signed by them out of their confidence in the officials of the group. In general, every member should join a group. Only those for whom it is quite impossible to find entry to a group should apply directly to Dornach for membership.
12. Membership dues shall be fixed by the individual groups; each group shall, however, submit 15 Swiss Francs (see note 4) for each of its members to the central leadership of the Society at the Goetheanum.
13. Each working group formulates its own statutes, but these must not be incompatible with the Statutes of the Anthroposophical Society.
14. The Society's organ of communication is the weekly Das Goetheanum, which for this purpose is provided with a supplement containing the official communications of the Society. This enlarged edition of Das Goetheanum will be supplied to members of the Anthroposophical Society only.

The Founding Executive Council will be:

        President: ..................... Dr. Rudolf Steiner
        Vice-President: .................... Albert Steffen
        Recorder: .......................... Dr. Ita Wegman
        Members: ............................ Marie Steiner
                 ..................... Dr. Elisabeth Vreede
        Secretary and Treasurer: ... Dr. Guenther Wachsmuth

Clarification

The Statutes of the Anthroposophical Society were given to the members by Dr. Rudolf Steiner at the Christmas Foundation Meeting in 1923. They characterize the basis on which the Anthroposophical Society is constituted and the School of Spiritual Science incorporated into it. They describe the nature of working and living together in a human community that has arisen from the spiritual impulses of our time.

The By-Laws of the General Anthroposophical Society meet the legal requirements for publicly recognized associations. On the basis of these Statutes and By-Laws, the Society can set to work ever and again on the fulfillment of its task: the cultivation of true esotericism in complete openness.

A free, creative spiritual life presupposes economic independence. The General Anthroposophical Society and its School of Spiritual Science are therefore supported financially by the contributions of its members and friends and by income provided by its endeavors and assets.

-from The Foundation Stone, by F. W. Zeylmans van Emmichoven, Rudolf Steiner Press, London, 1963.

The By-Laws of the General Anthroposophical Society

1
Under the name Allgemeine Anthroposophische Gesellschaft is to be found an association in accordance with Article 60ff. of the Swiss Civil Code, with its headquarters in Dornach, Switzerland. This association (hereinafter called the Society) has been listed in the Business Register according to Article 61 of the Swiss Civil Code.

2
The Society includes as subdivisions:

the Administration of the Anthroposophical Society,
the Philosophic-Anthroposophic Press,
the Administration of the Goetheanum Building.

3
The Society pursues its tasks and goals according to the Statutes given to it by Rudolf Steiner and accepted by the members at the Foundation Meeting at Christmas 1923. In accordance with these tasks, it is the concern of the Society to cultivate artistic, scientific, and educational activities, and in particular to maintain the Goetheanum in Dornach as a School for Spiritual Science.

4
Membership is granted by the Executive Council on the basis of a written application. One becomes a member at the moment a member of the Executive Council of the General Anthroposophical Society signs the membership card.

Members may join together in groups on any basis of locality or subject, and these groups shall designate their own officers. The Executive Council enters into communication with them in order to convey from the Goetheanum what the Executive Council considers to be the task of the Society. The use by the groups of the name “Anthroposophical Society,” whether alone or in combination with other expressions, presupposes the agreement of the Executive Council at the Goetheanum.

5
The resignation of a member takes place by means of a written declaration submitted to the Executive Council. A member may be excluded from the Society by resolution of the Executive Council without stating the reason.

6
The General Anthroposophical Society has as its organs:

the General Meeting
the Executive Council (Executive Council),
the Auditors.

7
The Society convenes a regular General Meeting at the Goetheanum within six months of the close of each fiscal year. The date is announced by the Executive Council in January. The agenda set by the Executive Council for this meeting, together with the invitation to it, is given to all members six weeks before the date of the meeting, either through the official organ of the Society or by other means.

Extraordinary General Meetings will be called by the Executive Council either on its own motion or at the request of a fifth of its members. The agenda and invitation to an extraordinary General Meeting will be announced three weeks in advance.

Motions proposed by individual members or groups of members for consideration by the regular General Meeting must reach the Executive Council at least eight weeks in advance. Motions pertaining to the announced agenda of the General Meeting are to arrive at least one week before the beginning of the Meeting.

8
All matters lying within the sphere of members' rights (e.g., changes in the Statutes, endorsement of the appointment of the President or other Executive Council members, setting of membership dues, acceptance of the balance sheet) are to be determined by the General Meeting.

Requests that concern the spiritual goals and tasks of the Society shall be handled in free discussion only. A vote on such maters is not taken.

The General Meeting is presided over by a member of the Society's Executive Council or by a presiding officer designated by the Executive Council.

The decisions of the General Meeting are recorded in minutes, which are published in the official organ of the Society.

9
In the regular General Meeting the Executive Council reports on the work and presents the balance sheet for the preceding year. The findings of the Auditors are to be communicated to the General Meeting.

10
The Executive Council represents the Society before the public. The signature of two members of the Executive Council on behalf of the Society is legally binding. The Executive Council may designate authorized signers for the Society.

11
The General Meeting chooses two Auditors and one substitute to examine the books and cash accounts.

12
The Society is led by an Initiative-Executive Council, consisting of not less than three members. The designation of the President and the selection of other members of the Executive Council are made on the motion of the Executive Council, with the endorsement of the General Meeting.

The assignment of duties within the Executive Council and its manner of conducting business are to be regulated by the Executive Council itself.

13
The Society derives its income from membership dues, gifts, legacies, entrance fees, income from assets and the like, and also from receipts of the Philosophic-Anthroposophic Press and the weekly “Das Goetheanum.”

Membership dues are determined by resolution of the General Meeting.*

14
The official organ of the Society is the weekly publication “Das Goetheanum,” which for this purpose is provided with a supplement containing the official communications of the Society. [For English-speaking members the bi-monthly “News from the Goetheanum” contains translations of official communications.]

15
Liability for the obligations of the Society rests only with the Society's assets. Members have no personal liability. Members who have resigned or who have been excluded lose all claim to the assets of the Society.

16
In the event of the Society's dissolution, the General Meeting shall determine the use of the assets and the method of liquidation. The assets shall be put to use in harmony with the tasks of the Society.

17
The By-Laws were approved and put into effect by the General Meeting held on the 8th of April 1979. They replace those of the 17th of April 1965 and the 23rd of March 1975.

Articles 4, 8, and 10 were amended by a decision of the Annual General Meeting on March 23, 2002.

–The Executive Council of the General
  Anthroposophical Society at the Goetheanum

* Dues as decided by the Annual General Meeting at Easter 1990: 125 Swiss Francs per year for members of national societies, branches, or groups. 300 Swiss Francs per year for individual members who have joined directly through Dornach.