Update 10-04-2015
Virginia Sease Virginia Sease is a member of the Executive Council at the Goetheanum
Over Prokofieff en Judith von Halle
The Background of the Research Results in 2013 These birthday greetings would be incomplete without mentioning events during the last decade that occupied Sergei Prokofieff’s attention as well as that of many other members who hold varied points of view. Without making any claim to completeness, a brief summary of these events might be helpful here, especially for non-European members. During the week preceding Easter 2004, Judith von Halle—a coworker in a Berlin branch and a member of the General Anthroposophical Society since February 2003—experienced stigmata accompanied by abstention from physical nourishment. At this time she became an active lecturer and began to publish descriptions on the basis of her pictorial phenomena, her “time journeys,” accompanied by frequent references to Rudolf Steiner’s work. The themes are drawn largely from esoteric Christology with traditional descriptions and are supplemented by conclusions based on her “time journeys.” Her images often make a strange impression on people familiar with Rudolf Steiner’s Christology. During the past years—in addition to his work as an Executive Council member, many lecture tours, lectures at the Goetheanum, and research for his own books—Sergei Prokofieff found it necessary to take up the task of examining Judith von Halle’s publications and reports from her “time journeys” drawing on his own access to biblical, historical, and especially anthroposophical sources as well as the principle of logic. Thus he stands decidedly in the company of Rudolf Steiner, making clear that the realm of objective fact is important to him, not anything personal. He wrote about his findings, notably in his recent book “Time Journeys”—a Counter-image to Anthroposophical Spiritual Research published at the time he stepped out of his active role with the Executive Council for reasons of health and became an emeritus Executive Council member. Using only a few examples of her visions from among many, Sergei Prokofieff shows in this book how Judith von Halle presents a significant problem in regard to anthroposophy by “…ever and again making reference to Rudolf Steiner in her lectures and books, and putting forward her visions as being equivalent to his spiritual research…” (“Time Journeys”, p. 81) Various Views among the Members How are we to think about this? Many members experience this conflict so acutely that they often avoid the matter on the basis of other responsibilities or the grotesque quality in some of the visions. This means they read neither Judith von Halle’s work nor Sergei Prokofieff’s discussions of it; they form no judgment. Others are drawn to these visions and rely on the power of their faith bolstered by the phenomenon of stigmata and the lack of need for nourishment. Still others take up the challenge and examine for themselves Sergei Prokofieff’s findings as well as further aspects of the issue— as the author of this article has done. Sergei Prokofieff’s results are easily followed, fully understandable, and verifiable through one’s own research. To cite only one example among many: in Judith von Halle’s portrayal of Rudolf Steiner’s spiritual identity (see Rudolf Steiner, Meister der Weißen Loge [Rudolf Steiner, Master of the White Lodge]) she connects him with a being known in occult circles as Serapis. Not only is the explanation she suggests for this complex name erroneous but according to various traditions the being itself is not a human being but belongs instead to the Egyptian world of gods as Sergei Prokofieff describes in detail. Some theosophical sources, however, identify Serapis as a Master, e.g., A. P. Sinnett in The Mahatma Letters, and Henry Steele Olcott who claimed to have received “letters” from Master Serapis. But how would theosophists relate to the statement that Rudolf Steiner is Master Serapis? (see Sergei Prokofieff, “Time Journeys”, p. 92-93). For my part, I think it entirely inappropriate to speculate about Rudolf Steiner’s identity, let alone in this way. What effect does this description by Judith von Halle have in the world? What picture of the serious quality in Rudolf Steiner’s anthroposophy does it present to seekers and other esoteric streams? Today, if “members who wish to be active” want to work in the sense of anthroposophy—and if their circumstances allow—it is certainly important to take up this issue with the help of Sergei Prokofieff’s book. The central question is: How do we understand what it means to represent anthroposophical spiritual science and its founder today? Of course, familiarity with relevant works by Judith von Halle is a necessary prerequisite because otherwise the basis for Sergei Prokofieff’s corrective research would be missed, as well as the basis for our own investigative scrutiny. An Example of His Teaching For many years Sergei Prokofieff made a significant contribution to the International Anthroposophical Studies Program in English at the Goetheanum. Of course, students had no idea he had already published enormous works on his theme, the “The Founding of the Anthroposophical Society at the Christmas Conference 1923/24.” Very few of them were even familiar with his grandfather’s name, “Sergei Prokofiev.” He was simply one of the English-speaking instructors. His course was the last of the term and it involved four lectures, each for one hour. It developed that the first lecture took an hour as planned; the second was significantly longer; and the final lecture lasted at least two hours—not because Sergei Prokofieff spoke longer than planned but because the students asked so many questions, and he stayed to answer them good-naturedly, unhurriedly, and with humor. They experienced him then—and still today—as a friend at the Goetheanum. Thus it is a great pleasure to write these heartfelt birthday greetings for Sergei Prokofieff—my esteemed colleague in the Executive Council of the General Anthroposophical Society from 2001 to March 2013 as well as an eminent scholar of Rudolf Steiner’s works. Sergei Prokofieff’s own books and lectures along with his spiritual, cultural research have contributed for over three decades to making anthroposophy more accessible to our epoch.—
uit: "Allgemeine Anthroposophische Gesellschaft Nachrichten für Mitglieder Anthroposophie weltweit 1–2/14", pagina 9 tot en met 11
Virginia Sease Virginia Sease is a member of the Executive Council at the Goetheanum
Over Prokofieff en Judith von Halle
The Background of the Research Results in 2013 These birthday greetings would be incomplete without mentioning events during the last decade that occupied Sergei Prokofieff’s attention as well as that of many other members who hold varied points of view. Without making any claim to completeness, a brief summary of these events might be helpful here, especially for non-European members. During the week preceding Easter 2004, Judith von Halle—a coworker in a Berlin branch and a member of the General Anthroposophical Society since February 2003—experienced stigmata accompanied by abstention from physical nourishment. At this time she became an active lecturer and began to publish descriptions on the basis of her pictorial phenomena, her “time journeys,” accompanied by frequent references to Rudolf Steiner’s work. The themes are drawn largely from esoteric Christology with traditional descriptions and are supplemented by conclusions based on her “time journeys.” Her images often make a strange impression on people familiar with Rudolf Steiner’s Christology. During the past years—in addition to his work as an Executive Council member, many lecture tours, lectures at the Goetheanum, and research for his own books—Sergei Prokofieff found it necessary to take up the task of examining Judith von Halle’s publications and reports from her “time journeys” drawing on his own access to biblical, historical, and especially anthroposophical sources as well as the principle of logic. Thus he stands decidedly in the company of Rudolf Steiner, making clear that the realm of objective fact is important to him, not anything personal. He wrote about his findings, notably in his recent book “Time Journeys”—a Counter-image to Anthroposophical Spiritual Research published at the time he stepped out of his active role with the Executive Council for reasons of health and became an emeritus Executive Council member. Using only a few examples of her visions from among many, Sergei Prokofieff shows in this book how Judith von Halle presents a significant problem in regard to anthroposophy by “…ever and again making reference to Rudolf Steiner in her lectures and books, and putting forward her visions as being equivalent to his spiritual research…” (“Time Journeys”, p. 81) Various Views among the Members How are we to think about this? Many members experience this conflict so acutely that they often avoid the matter on the basis of other responsibilities or the grotesque quality in some of the visions. This means they read neither Judith von Halle’s work nor Sergei Prokofieff’s discussions of it; they form no judgment. Others are drawn to these visions and rely on the power of their faith bolstered by the phenomenon of stigmata and the lack of need for nourishment. Still others take up the challenge and examine for themselves Sergei Prokofieff’s findings as well as further aspects of the issue— as the author of this article has done. Sergei Prokofieff’s results are easily followed, fully understandable, and verifiable through one’s own research. To cite only one example among many: in Judith von Halle’s portrayal of Rudolf Steiner’s spiritual identity (see Rudolf Steiner, Meister der Weißen Loge [Rudolf Steiner, Master of the White Lodge]) she connects him with a being known in occult circles as Serapis. Not only is the explanation she suggests for this complex name erroneous but according to various traditions the being itself is not a human being but belongs instead to the Egyptian world of gods as Sergei Prokofieff describes in detail. Some theosophical sources, however, identify Serapis as a Master, e.g., A. P. Sinnett in The Mahatma Letters, and Henry Steele Olcott who claimed to have received “letters” from Master Serapis. But how would theosophists relate to the statement that Rudolf Steiner is Master Serapis? (see Sergei Prokofieff, “Time Journeys”, p. 92-93). For my part, I think it entirely inappropriate to speculate about Rudolf Steiner’s identity, let alone in this way. What effect does this description by Judith von Halle have in the world? What picture of the serious quality in Rudolf Steiner’s anthroposophy does it present to seekers and other esoteric streams? Today, if “members who wish to be active” want to work in the sense of anthroposophy—and if their circumstances allow—it is certainly important to take up this issue with the help of Sergei Prokofieff’s book. The central question is: How do we understand what it means to represent anthroposophical spiritual science and its founder today? Of course, familiarity with relevant works by Judith von Halle is a necessary prerequisite because otherwise the basis for Sergei Prokofieff’s corrective research would be missed, as well as the basis for our own investigative scrutiny. An Example of His Teaching For many years Sergei Prokofieff made a significant contribution to the International Anthroposophical Studies Program in English at the Goetheanum. Of course, students had no idea he had already published enormous works on his theme, the “The Founding of the Anthroposophical Society at the Christmas Conference 1923/24.” Very few of them were even familiar with his grandfather’s name, “Sergei Prokofiev.” He was simply one of the English-speaking instructors. His course was the last of the term and it involved four lectures, each for one hour. It developed that the first lecture took an hour as planned; the second was significantly longer; and the final lecture lasted at least two hours—not because Sergei Prokofieff spoke longer than planned but because the students asked so many questions, and he stayed to answer them good-naturedly, unhurriedly, and with humor. They experienced him then—and still today—as a friend at the Goetheanum. Thus it is a great pleasure to write these heartfelt birthday greetings for Sergei Prokofieff—my esteemed colleague in the Executive Council of the General Anthroposophical Society from 2001 to March 2013 as well as an eminent scholar of Rudolf Steiner’s works. Sergei Prokofieff’s own books and lectures along with his spiritual, cultural research have contributed for over three decades to making anthroposophy more accessible to our epoch.—
uit: "Allgemeine Anthroposophische Gesellschaft Nachrichten für Mitglieder Anthroposophie weltweit 1–2/14", pagina 9 tot en met 11
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