The Age of the Archangel Michael

The Age of the Archangel Michael: Reflections on the True Spirit of Our Time

A collection of impactful lectures on the age of the archangel Michael from Christian Community co-founder Emil Bock. Written between 1923 and 1957, the issues raised around inclusivity and empathy resonate with many challenges faced by people today.

Emil Bock, one of the founders of The Christian Community, was well known for his lectures on the age of the archangel Michael. This idea, found in the work of Rudolf Steiner, describes how periods in human history are guided in turn by seven archangels, with each period lasting for around 350 years. Since the end of the eighteenth century this responsibility has passed to the archangel Michael.

This engaging book brings together seventeen of Bock’s lectures, most of which are presented for the first time in English. In them he discusses the challenges facing humanity in the age of Michael: the need to develop greater selflessness, to cultivate a broader and more inclusive view of humanity, and the importance of spiritualizing our thinking in order to deepen our relationship to Christ.

Spanning the period from 1923 to 1957, the lectures reflect the difficulties faced by The Christian Community before and after the Second World War, and Bock’s efforts to awaken in his audience courage and confidence in the true spirit of the age. Their significance, however, extends beyond their historical context and speaks to many of the same challenges that we face today.

This book will appeal to those who wish to know more about the enigmatic figure of the archangel Michael and his role in humanity’s development.

About the Author

Emil Bock (1895–1959) was born in Wuppertal, Germany, in 1895. He studied German and modern languages at the University of Bonn and, after joining the army, was wounded at the war front in Flanders. In 1916, while still in the army, he met the famous evangelical preacher, Friedrich Rittelmeyer, in Berlin. After his release from the military, he studied Protestant theology in Berlin and later attended priest courses with Rudolf Steiner in Stuttgart and Dornach. With Rittelmeyer, Bock helped establish the Christian Community (the movement for religious renewal) in 1922 and soon became its leader, a position he held until his death. In November, 1922, Bock married Grete Seumer, with whom he had four children. He remained a priest, writer, and lecturer until his death in Stuttgart. Bock’s many books include Genesis; Moses; Kings and Prophets; Caesars and Apostles, The Three Years; Saint Paul; and The Childhood of Jesus.