The Fifth Gospel (CW 148)

The Fifth Gospel — From the Akashic Record

18 lectures held in various cities, October 1913 to February 1914 (CW 148)

Through his intuitive reading of the Akashic Record – the living memory of Earth and cosmos – Rudolf Steiner described dimensions of the life of Jesus Christ that extend beyond the four canonical Gospels. After years of inner struggle and rigorous self-examination, Steiner began presenting these insights publicly in 1913. He spoke with great care and restraint, fully aware of the responsibility involved, yet convinced that such knowledge was necessary for a new, conscious understanding of Christ.

In this series of deeply moving lectures, given in Oslo and five German cities, Steiner unfolds a coherent picture of Jesus’s earthly mission. He describes the existence of two Jesus children, the transfer of the Zarathustra-I, Jesus’s experience of the Essene community, and the profound inner suffering that prepared the way for the Baptism in the Jordan. Central moments – including the temptations in the desert, the sorrow over the decline of ancient Mystery paths, Jesus’s conversations with Mary, and the gradual union of the Christ-Being with the sheaths of Jesus of Nazareth – appear as stages in a cosmic drama of sacrifice and love. The Mystery of Golgotha emerges as the decisive turning point of Earth evolution: not merely an historical event, but the birth of a new cosmic impulse through which Christ united with the Earth.

This complete edition – the first to feature all eighteen lectures on the subject – includes an introduction by Tom Ravetz.

About the Author

Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925) was an Austrian philosopher, social reformer, architect, and esotericist whose lifework laid the foundation for anthroposophy. His insights led to innovative, holistic approaches in medicine, science, education (Waldorf schools), special education, philosophy, religious renewal, economics, agriculture (biodynamics), architecture, and the arts of drama, speech, and eurythmy. In 1924 he founded the General Anthroposophical Society, which today has branches throughout the world. He died in Dornach, Switzerland.