In this major collection, Rudolf Steiner affirms the reality of esoteric Christianity and unveils many of its secret teachings. His lectures are on the significance of the Mystery of Golgotha and of the Blood that flowed on the Cross; the relationship of Christ and Lucifer (or Love and Knowledge); the various paths of initiation, including the Christian-Gnostic and Rosicrucian Paths; and Steiner's early interpretations of St. John's gospel and the sermon on the mount. All of Steiner's lectures on the Lord's Prayer are also included, as well as the version of the prayer that Steiner himself prayed throughout his life. This is an excellent book for all those who want to deepen their understanding of the Western stream of Christian esotericism and Rudolf Steiner's approach to Christianity as a spiritual practice.

A scholarly and masterful exploration of the meaning and importance of 'mystery' and 'mysticism' to the Christian revelation, offering a fuller understanding of Christian spirituality down the ages and a firmer grasp of what it means to be a Christian.

First published in 1980, The Christian Mystery presents a new approach to considering the Mysteries of the Faith. The book examines the doctrines of Christianity, analysing them closely and showing how together they constitute an invisible whole. It argues that churches should turn back to the esoteric teachings known by the first Christians and explores how Christianity has developed the primal Tradition of which Jesus was Representative. The Christian Mystery will appeal to those with an interest in theology, the philosophy of religion, and the history of Christianity.

In recent decades, there has been an upsurge of interest in "the Camino," the pilgrim's route to Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain. But where does this fascination in the spiritual exploration of the Middle Ages come from, and what is its significance? Virginia Sease and Manfred Schmidt-Brabant assert that we live in a time of spiritual quest, discovery, and change. Humanity is becoming increasingly sensitive, and primal memories are beginning to emerge in people's consciousness. Within this dynamic context of inner transformation, the Camino's historic importance is being reechoed in human souls. Rudolf Steiner explained that people need to live not only with outer history, but also with the esoteric, hidden narrative behind it--the history of the mysteries. Today, at the beginning of the twenty-first century, the authors suggest that it is increasingly necessary for us to live consciously with this veiled history of humanity's continual search for communion with the divine world. Based on long research and contemplation, the authors present a survey of extraordinary breadth and depth. Focusing on the spiritual history of humankind, they begin with the cosmic origin of the Grail Mysteries and culminate with the suprasensory Michael cultus and the being of Anthroposophia. Topics also include: the school of Athens; early Christian art and its Gnostic impulses; the Grail initiation in northern Spain; the role of the Cathars and Troubadours in the Manichean spiritual stream; the Camino to Santiago de Compostela and the esoteric aspect of music for the pilgrims; the Music of the Spheres and the Elders of the Apocalypse; the Templars as emissaries of the Holy Grail; the initiations of Christian Rosenkreutz and his relation to anthroposophical art; the early Rosicrucian impulses in America and Europe; and much more.

Rene Guenon's explication of the principles of an interior understanding of sacred forms has established his reputation in the West as the master theorist of esoterism. But till now his doctrine has not been the focus of thorough study in Christian circles, and this has had serious consequences. Guenonian Esoterism and Christian Mystery is the first major work to combine an analysis of Guenon's ideas about esoterism with a critical examination of their application to Christianity in terms of data provided by Christianity itself. But to accomplish this, such data cannot simply be surveyed superficially-it must be known firsthand; hence the abundance of citations and references in this text. Such an approach not only lets us decide about certain issues, but may also help us rediscover an all too misunderstood facet of the revelation of Christ. Jean Borella taught philosophy at the University of Nancy until 1995. A Platonist by formation, he has been strongly influenced by Guenon and Eastern metaphysics. But his deepest inspiration derives from unceasing meditation on the Christian faith, which led him to undertake the present searching critique of 'Guenonian Christianity'. A religious philosopher, he strives to hear the reverberations awakened in human thought by revelation. "Rene Guenon was one of the great metaphysical minds of the last few centuries, and it was a great loss to the Catholic Church when he converted to Islam. Prof. Borella shows in this landmark study exactly where Guenon's work remains of perennial value for Christians, but also demonstrates the limitations and personal idiosyncrasies which led Guenon to distort some of the most important elements of Catholic and Orthodox doctrine. Prof. Borella's book may well stimulate the recovery of authentic metaphysics within the Church for which Guenon longed, but which he despaired of seeing in his lifetime." -Stratford Caldecott Editor, Second Spring, Director (UK) of the G.K. Chesterton Institute for Faith & Culture"

This monograph provides an alternative model for looking at the old question about Paul and the mysteries in a new light. Specifically, this study compares rituals—baptism in the Pauline communities and the initiation rituals of the mysteries—through the lens of cultural anthropology and the sociology of religion. Three research questions lead the project: What benefits does each initiation ritual promise its participants? What are the underlying messages or structures that guarantee the efficacy of those rituals? How and to what extent is the initiation ritual connected to the participants’ cognition and ethics beyond initiation itself? Taking those questions as the analytical framework, this study substantiates two points: first, in terms of ritual messages, baptism in the Pauline communities is a ritual analogous to mystery initiation, and second, Paul is an innovative interpreter of ritual who recalibrates the messages of preexisting rituals for his theological and ethical program, seeking to radically extend the implications of initiation to the embodied life of every Christ-believer. Students and scholars of New Testament, early Christianity, classics, and ritual studies will benefit from engaging this volume.