Vol. 19: Adrian Anderson, Dramatic Anthroposophy. Identification and contextualization of primary features of Rudolf Steiner's 'anthroposophy', as expressed in his 'Mystery Drama' Die Pforte der Einweihung (The Portal of Initiation)

Introduction A

1A: The conceptual context of Steiner's worldview

1A1: Steiner's early interest in cognition, spirituality and drama

1A2: Steiner's spiritual-holistic epistemology

1A3: Steiner's involvement in Theosophy and esoteric-spiritual drama

1A4: The reception of Steiner's spiritual worldview and his break with the Theosophical Society

1B: The Romantic context: themes from Goethe and Schiller viewed as formative by Steiner in early years, and viewed as supportive to his 'anthroposophy' in later years

1B1: Egyptian Mysteries: Schiller's esoteric religiosity and pre-existence

1B2: Goethe's 'primal skeleton', 'primal plant' and Steiner's 'life-force'

1B3: Goethe's esoteric religiosity (the Rosicrucians) and a Platonic 'Devachan'

1B4: Goethe's fairy tale provides the thematic basis of Die Pforte

2 Die Pforte AN OUTLINE OF ITS STRUCTURE AND THEMES

2A: Describing supra-sensible phenomena, metaphor and 'transferring' German into English, including Steiner's neologisms

2B: An overview of the scenes in Die Pforte

3 A: Prelude

3B: Scene One

3C: Scene Two

3D: Scene Three

3E: Scene Four

3F: Scene Five

3G: Scene Six

3H: Scene Seven

3I: Interlude

3J: Scene Eight

3K: Scene Nine

3L: Scene Ten

3M: Scene Eleven

4A: The dramatic elements of Das Märchen provide a template for Die Pforte, but these are adapted for didactic purposes, with regard to Steiner's esoteric worldview

4B: Steiner's view of the spirituality portrayed in Die Pforte is quintessentially expressed by his interpretation of Goethe

4C: The concepts of reincarnation and karma are seen as compatible to Christianity, and are understood to have a rational basis

4D: Steiner's earlier holistic epistemology is based on a proto-type of the 'ether-body' postulate

4E: Steiner's holistic epistemological conviction that the limits to knowledge may be extended, is reflected in Die Pforte's portrayal of the efficacy of meditation

4F: A major element in Steiner's anthroposophy is an esoteric-mystical Christian perspective, in which a connection between conscience and the Second Coming - as understood by Steiner - has a discrete role

4G: The spiritual development process underlying Die Pforte is derived from the view of the human being as an interrelated septenary organism of body, ether body, a triune soul, self and a triune spirit