FRIEDRICH RITTELMEYER (1872–1938) was a Lutheran minister and theologian who led the founding The Christian Community. Rittelmeyer came to prominence as a leading liberal theologian and preacher early in the twentieth century, advocating a socially engaged ‘Christianity of deeds’ (Tatchristentum). During the First World War he became one of the most high-profile clergymen in Germany to oppose the war publicly. From the 1910s his thinking was gradually influenced by the philosopher, spiritual researcher and teacher Rudolf Steiner. In 1922 a group of mainly Lutheran pastors and theology students founded The Christian Community, a Movement for Religious Renewal. Rittelmeyer remained at the helm of the movement until his death.

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• Introduction to the Revised English EditionPART ONE: JESUSPreface to the first german edition (1912)Extract from Rudolf Steiner Enters my LifeI. THE LIFEThe forerunnerThe Baptism & TemptationThe public ministryMiraclesDeed, conflict and conquestTrue humanity and its inner replenishmentOpposition from friends and enemiesTraditional authority and emancipation from itHealings on the sabbathFellowship with outcastsMeeting the oppositionsThe approaching PassionThe entry into JerusalemThe necessity to decidePassion WeekThe last hoursSecret sovereigntyWill and Over-willII. THE PERSONALITYHis physical formThe ruling spiritHis mind and the divineFalse pietyHis passionate vitality …… and absorption in the momentThe woman taken in adulteryThe story of the tribute moneyHis moral radianceA homeless life—respecting the ties of home His moral willHis divine vocationThe life-secret of his faith The Mystery of the life of GodCompanionship with GodSuperhuman self-knowledgeIII. THE MESSAGEA teaching or a life?The parablesAdmonitionsThe kingdom of heaven‘God was in Jesus’A new beginningThe All-FatherServing God all in allBanish anxiety root and branchPrayer in search of GodLife out of God’s lifeThe fire of LoveThe golden, royal law and its culminationThe end of the world?IV. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JESUS FOR OUR OWN TIME Did Jesus ever live?Scientific scholarship, or folklore & poetry? Can we surpass Jesus’ example?  The racial argumentThe past not directly relevant? Personal convictionDispense with the historical Jesus?Earthly ties spurned or earthly life renewed?The significance of Jesus today and Nietzsche’s sense of longing Inner resourcesThe Spirit transfigures the world From fragmentation to integrationContemporary lifestyles …… and the life of JesusThe secret of true humanityThe Creation and the futureThe governing PowerRecognition the only proofOur own truth …… in relation to traditionOur modern cultural environment …… in relation to JesusPART TWOCHRISTForeword by Rudolf von KoschützkiAuthor’s PrefaceI. CHRIST JESUS‘He who shall come’The BaptismThe TemptationThe TransfigurationThe Lord’s PrayerWords from the CrossResurrection experiencesThe Kingdom of HeavenChristiansPaul’s Damasus experienceWhat is baptism?Death–ResurrectionResurrectionThree thinkers: Goethe, Nietzsche, and FichteThe One LifeII. CHRIST AND THE SUNChrist and the SunRembrandt, Goethe, and NovalisThe Bible and the SunThe outer SunThe Sun enlightensThe Sun warmsThe Sun enlivensThe creation of lightSeven Signs in John’s GospelHealing transformationEaster—new lifeTrue ‘nature’ religionIII. CHRIST AND THE ‘I’A glance at history and peoplesThe human I-experience and the divine IThe mystical attitudeThe Johannine ‘IAM’ sayingsThe central sayingEast and WestIsrael, India and GreeceDeliverance by indwellingDivine ‘I’ and human ‘I’The ‘I’ in Communities—ChurchCongregationCommunityIV. CHRIST IN BODY AND BLOODNovalis & NietzscheThe Greek and bodily beautyThe Israelites and musicBread & WineBody & BloodExperience of the MassChrist the World-PhysicianBlood and the ‘I’The great marriageAfterwordAPPENDICES1. Christoph Rau: Rittelmeyer’s Creative Sayings2.  Adam Bittleston: Friedrich Rittelmeyer as Forerunner of a Christianity of the Future3. Emil Bock: Friedrich Rittelmeyer (1872–1938)4. Emil Bock: Rudolf Steiner and Friedrich Rittelmeyer in BerlinEpilogue by the translatorNotesFurther ReadingPicture Credits

FRIEDRICH RITTELMEYER (1872–1938) was a Lutheran minister and theologian who led the founding The Christian Community. Rittelmeyer came to prominence as a leading liberal theologian and preacher early in the twentieth century, advocating a socially engaged ‘Christianity of deeds’ (Tatchristentum). During the First World War he became one of the most high-profile clergymen in Germany to oppose the war publicly. From the 1910s his thinking was gradually influenced by the philosopher, spiritual researcher and teacher Rudolf Steiner. In 1922 a group of mainly Lutheran pastors and theology students founded The Christian Community, a Movement for Religious Renewal. Rittelmeyer remained at the helm of the movement until his death.

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• Introduction to the Revised English EditionPART ONE: JESUSPreface to the first german edition (1912)Extract from Rudolf Steiner Enters my LifeI. THE LIFEThe forerunnerThe Baptism & TemptationThe public ministryMiraclesDeed, conflict and conquestTrue humanity and its inner replenishmentOpposition from friends and enemiesTraditional authority and emancipation from itHealings on the sabbathFellowship with outcastsMeeting the oppositionsThe approaching PassionThe entry into JerusalemThe necessity to decidePassion WeekThe last hoursSecret sovereigntyWill and Over-willII. THE PERSONALITYHis physical formThe ruling spiritHis mind and the divineFalse pietyHis passionate vitality …… and absorption in the momentThe woman taken in adulteryThe story of the tribute moneyHis moral radianceA homeless life—respecting the ties of home His moral willHis divine vocationThe life-secret of his faith The Mystery of the life of GodCompanionship with GodSuperhuman self-knowledgeIII. THE MESSAGEA teaching or a life?The parablesAdmonitionsThe kingdom of heaven‘God was in Jesus’A new beginningThe All-FatherServing God all in allBanish anxiety root and branchPrayer in search of GodLife out of God’s lifeThe fire of LoveThe golden, royal law and its culminationThe end of the world?IV. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JESUS FOR OUR OWN TIME Did Jesus ever live?Scientific scholarship, or folklore & poetry? Can we surpass Jesus’ example?  The racial argumentThe past not directly relevant? Personal convictionDispense with the historical Jesus?Earthly ties spurned or earthly life renewed?The significance of Jesus today and Nietzsche’s sense of longing Inner resourcesThe Spirit transfigures the world From fragmentation to integrationContemporary lifestyles …… and the life of JesusThe secret of true humanityThe Creation and the futureThe governing PowerRecognition the only proofOur own truth …… in relation to traditionOur modern cultural environment …… in relation to JesusPART TWOCHRISTForeword by Rudolf von KoschützkiAuthor’s PrefaceI. CHRIST JESUS‘He who shall come’The BaptismThe TemptationThe TransfigurationThe Lord’s PrayerWords from the CrossResurrection experiencesThe Kingdom of HeavenChristiansPaul’s Damasus experienceWhat is baptism?Death–ResurrectionResurrectionThree thinkers: Goethe, Nietzsche, and FichteThe One LifeII. CHRIST AND THE SUNChrist and the SunRembrandt, Goethe, and NovalisThe Bible and the SunThe outer SunThe Sun enlightensThe Sun warmsThe Sun enlivensThe creation of lightSeven Signs in John’s GospelHealing transformationEaster—new lifeTrue ‘nature’ religionIII. CHRIST AND THE ‘I’A glance at history and peoplesThe human I-experience and the divine IThe mystical attitudeThe Johannine ‘IAM’ sayingsThe central sayingEast and WestIsrael, India and GreeceDeliverance by indwellingDivine ‘I’ and human ‘I’The ‘I’ in Communities—ChurchCongregationCommunityIV. CHRIST IN BODY AND BLOODNovalis & NietzscheThe Greek and bodily beautyThe Israelites and musicBread & WineBody & BloodExperience of the MassChrist the World-PhysicianBlood and the ‘I’The great marriageAfterwordAPPENDICES1. Christoph Rau: Rittelmeyer’s Creative Sayings2.  Adam Bittleston: Friedrich Rittelmeyer as Forerunner of a Christianity of the Future3. Emil Bock: Friedrich Rittelmeyer (1872–1938)4. Emil Bock: Rudolf Steiner and Friedrich Rittelmeyer in BerlinEpilogue by the translatorNotesFurther ReadingPicture Credits