The Constitution of the General Anthroposophical Society
GA 260a — 27 January 1924
About the Management of this Newsletter and the Contribution of Members to It
This newsletter is entitled “What is happening in the Anthroposophical Society.” This title was given to it to indicate that in the future, individual members should participate actively in everything that happens in the Society. This can only happen if these members write letters to the editor of the newsletter, Albert Steffen, telling him everything they believe not only individual members but the whole Society should know. And the Society should know where anthroposophy is being worked on, how this is happening, how the work is being taken up, and so on. The life that takes place in the individual groups should be able to come alive in the consciousness of the whole society. Letters in which members filled with interest in the life of the groups address their communications to the editorial office will then be processed by the latter. This will help to create a common consciousness in the society. Only when members in New Zealand can learn what is happening in a group in Vienna will such a common consciousness be possible.
But this should not be the only thing. What is happening in the spiritual life of the present outside of society should also be included in the common consciousness. There is spiritual life around every group in society. This or that view of the world and life is expressed, this or that great or small artistic, scientific, social, educational, and so on, achievement comes to light. Many other things will happen that must be of interest to spiritually striving people. All of this can be better assessed up close than from a distance, according to its conditions, its nature, and its significance. In their letters, the members of the groups should talk about what they can perceive of this kind in the vicinity of their groups. Members whose profession takes them around the world should keep their eyes open to “what is happening in the world.” They should then communicate this to the editors of the newsletter. In this way, “what is happening in the world” can become “what is happening in the Anthroposophical Society.” And we need a broad perspective. We need a lively interest in all phenomena of life in the world. We need a healthy judgment of these phenomena in the Society.
In this regard, we must learn to think differently in the Society than has been thought up to now. By its very nature, anthroposophy cannot tolerate sectarianism, which closes itself off narrow-mindedly against everything that others think and want. Anthroposophy can only tolerate a broad heart for all human striving and life. And it can only take the right form through an open eye for everything that is thought, willed, and done in the world.
The newsletter should become a reflection of this way of thinking in society. Its very existence should be an invitation to each individual member to ask themselves again and again: How can I contribute to the common thinking in the Society? If the newsletter is viewed in this way by the members, the Executive Council of the Anthroposophical Society can make it what it was intended to be according to the Christmas Conference.