The Representative of Humanity

The Representative of Humanity
Author: Judith von Halle
Publisher: Rudolf Steiner Press
Total Pages: 97
Release: 2010
Genre: Art
ISBN: 1855842394

In conceiving his architectural masterpiece--the Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland--Rudolf Steiner designed a large wooden model, featuring three main figures, to be placed in a central position in the building. Known as The Representative of Humanity, the sculpture shows Christ in the center, standing and holding a balance between the beings of Lucifer and Ahriman, who represent polar tendencies of expansion and contraction. On New Year's Eve 1922, the Goetheanum was destroyed by fire, but the model--still in the process of being sculpted and housed in an external studio--escaped the flames. It remains intact in the second Goetheanum, where the public may view it. With numerous full-color photos and illustrations, this book offers a vivid introduction to this monumental, historic artwork. We follow the evolution of the statue through the photographic documentation of many models created during its development, from six smaller versions to a full-size model, which is also still on display. The authors offer impressive insights into the artists' detailed intentions, which were repeatedly revised by Rudolf Steiner. The book demonstrates the continual spiritual movement evident in the whole series of small models, and the metamorphic processes that developed over an eight-year period. The Representative of Humanity offers indications about the realm and content from which the statue arose, the environment in which it is situated, and the artists who created it--Rudolf Steiner and the sculptor Edith Maryon. They also examine the intentions behind this work of art, which addresses the destiny of humankind.

The Influences of Lucifer and Ahriman

The Influences of Lucifer and Ahriman
Author: Rudolf Steiner
Publisher: SteinerBooks
Total Pages: 100
Release: 1993
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 9780880103756

In these lectures, Steiner focuses on the vital task of developing the proper orientation toward a free spiritual life. With great compassion and understanding, he offers telling examples of how humanity must walk a conscious middle way between the two tempting powers of Lucifer and Ahriman. He describes the incarnation of Lucifer in the third millennium before the Christ event, out of which flowed not just the wisdom of paganism, but also the conscious intellect we enjoy today. Ahriman, on the other hand, is shown approaching human beings through such phenomena as materialism, nationalism, and literalism, all in preparation for his incarnation in the third millennium. Keep in mind, however, that these two powers do not work separately; rather, they are working increasingly together. Our task as human beings is to hold them in balance, continually permeating one with the other. Steiner tells us that "Lucifer and Ahriman must be regarded as two scales of a balance, and it is we who must hold the beam in equipoise. How can we train ourselves to do this? By permeating what takes ahrimanic form within us with a strongly luciferic element." To accomplish this task we need a new, more conscious inner life.

The Church of Christ

The Church of Christ
Author: Everett Ferguson
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Total Pages: 468
Release: 1996
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9780802841896

By systematically examining the New Testament's teaching, Ferguson unveils a comprehensive model of the church that is boh biblically centered and relevant to a world on the verge of the twenty-first century.

Crimes Unspoken

Crimes Unspoken
Author: Miriam Gebhardt
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 198
Release: 2016-12-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 1509511237

The soldiers who occupied Germany after the Second World War were not only liberators: they also brought with them a new threat, as women throughout the country became victims of sexual violence. In this disturbing and carefully researched book, the historian Miriam Gebhardt reveals for the first time the scale of this human tragedy, which continued long after the hostilities had ended. Discussion in recent years of the rape of German women committed at the end of the war has focused almost exclusively on the crimes committed by Soviet soldiers, but Gebhardt shows that this picture is misleading. Crimes were committed as much by the Western Allies – American, French and British – as by the members of the Red Army. Nor was the suffering limited to the immediate aftermath of the war. Gebhardt powerfully recounts how raped women continued to be the victims of doctors, who arbitrarily granted or refused abortions, welfare workers, who put pregnant women in homes, and wider society, which even today prefers to ignore these crimes. Crimes Unspoken is the first historical account to expose the true extent of sexual violence in Germany at the end of the war, offering valuable new insight into a key period of 20th century history.

The Epistle to the Hebrews

The Epistle to the Hebrews
Author: Gareth Lee Cockerill
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Total Pages: 793
Release: 2012-04-12
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1467423580

This commentary by Gareth Lee Cockerill offers fresh insight into the Epistle to the Hebrews, a well-constructed sermon that encourages its hearers to persevere despite persecution and hardships in light of Christ's unique sufficiency as Savior. Cockerill analyzes the book's rhetorical, chiastic shape and interprets each passage in light of this overarching structure. He also offers a new analysis of the epistle's use of the Old Testament -- continuity and fulfillment rather than continuity and discontinuity -- and shows how this consistent usage is relevant for contemporary biblical interpretation. Written in a clear, engaging, and accessible style, this commentary will benefit pastors, laypeople, students, and scholars alike.

The Animals' Lawsuit Against Humanity

The Animals' Lawsuit Against Humanity
Author: Matthew Kaufmann
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2005
Genre: Animal rights
ISBN: 9781887752701

In this interfaith and multicultural fable, eloquent representatives of all members of the animal kingdom--from horses to bees--come before the respected Spirit King to complain of the dreadful treatment they have suffered at the hands of humankind. During the ensuing trial, where both humans and animals testify before the King, both sides argue their points ingeniously, deftly illustrating the validity of both sides of the ecology debate. The ancient antecedents of this tale are thought to have originated in India, with the first written version penned in Arabic sometime before the 10th century in what is now Iraq. Much later, this version of the story was translated into Hebrew in 14th century France and was popular in European Jewish communities into the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This exquisite English translation, illustrated with 12 original color illumination plates, is useful in introducing young and old alike to environmental and animal rights issues.

The Precipice

The Precipice
Author: Toby Ord
Publisher: Hachette Books
Total Pages: 480
Release: 2020-03-24
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 031648489X

This urgent and eye-opening book makes the case that protecting humanity's future is the central challenge of our time. If all goes well, human history is just beginning. Our species could survive for billions of years - enough time to end disease, poverty, and injustice, and to flourish in ways unimaginable today. But this vast future is at risk. With the advent of nuclear weapons, humanity entered a new age, where we face existential catastrophes - those from which we could never come back. Since then, these dangers have only multiplied, from climate change to engineered pathogens and artificial intelligence. If we do not act fast to reach a place of safety, it will soon be too late. Drawing on over a decade of research, The Precipice explores the cutting-edge science behind the risks we face. It puts them in the context of the greater story of humanity: showing how ending these risks is among the most pressing moral issues of our time. And it points the way forward, to the actions and strategies that can safeguard humanity. An Oxford philosopher committed to putting ideas into action, Toby Ord has advised the US National Intelligence Council, the UK Prime Minister's Office, and the World Bank on the biggest questions facing humanity. In The Precipice, he offers a startling reassessment of human history, the future we are failing to protect, and the steps we must take to ensure that our generation is not the last. "A book that seems made for the present moment." —New Yorker