Third Lecture

And once again it was in Europe that the Christ impulse penetrated and gave Europe a certain shape: in the 15th century, when Europe took on a completely different shape through the simple country girl, the Maid of Orleans. Had England triumphed over France at that time – which the Maid of Orleans prevented – all subsequent historical developments would have been different. But truly, the shepherdess of Orleans did not have human wisdom, but in her the Christ Impulse worked through its Michaelic forerunner, outwardly in favor of France, but in reality in favor of England; for otherwise England would not have been able to undergo the development that it has undergone. But the Christ impulse worked with tremendous clarity for those who want to see through the world spiritually, for what was to come.