Modules for 2018

Foundation Course

Theme of the year

The essential nature and purpose of the human being:
Finding meaning in the Spirit.

Modules for 2018

Module 1:

16 - 18 February:

Theosophy – A picture of the human being and a deeper
Understanding of Baptism.

Module 2:

27 - 29 April:

Cosmology – a picture of the development of the world
and a deeper understanding of Confirmation.

This module explored the great cycles of time that have evolved and led to this great Earth incarnation. We explored the development of the human being through time alongside the unfolding creative and destructive forces in the Spiritual World. This was deepened (as before) through experiences (using art and movement) so that we were able to arrive at a new understanding of what the renewed Sacrament of Confirmation does indeed confirm for us and what it brings into focus in relation to our development as human beings.

Module 3:

15 - 17 June:

Spiritual Development – A picture of our development over
the ages and a deeper understanding of Sacramental Consultation.

This module explored the fundamental attitude for following a religious path as well as the practical guideline needed to do this effectively. Steiner's book: Knowledge of the Higher Worlds was the basic text that guides the unfolding of this module. The spiritual path was explored through an understanding of various stages, conditions and effects of a spiritual life. We began from the earliest understanding of ourselves as human beings on the earth connected to the worlds of spirit through to our modern view. This view and understanding is clarified and illumined for us by anthroposophy. The Sacrament of Consultation was discussed in its renewed form with its new understanding. We are now able to move beyond guilt and penance to understand reconciliation through a new perspective. This is gained through learning more about ourselves and our relationship to God.

Module 4:

17 - 19 August:

A festival of the Word and a deeper understanding of the
Beatitudes and The Last Anointing.

This fourth module of Africa Seminary 2018 was dedicated to the Word. It opened up our voices and work with breath, energy, resistance, articulation, resonance, register and volume - while also exploring the Christ as the Word of God, using the prologue to John's Gospel as our guide. The module looked more deeply at the words and meaning of the Beatitudes and at the spiritual healing and supportive words of the Sacrament of Last Anointing. The process (accompanied by artistic activities and exercises) was facilitated by Barbara Hoos de Jokisch, an internationally renowned voice and singing coach currently at the Berlin Arts University, and by Rev. Reingard Knausenberger and Rev. Michaël Merle.

Module 5:

19 - 21 October:

The 12 Senses and a deeper understanding of vocational
Work and the Sacrament of Ordination and Marriage.

When we get to know another person and then continue to engage with them, over time we notice that we never stop discovering new facets and never stop learning, ever deepening the relationship with more understanding and sharing. This is also the same with religious life and living with the sacraments. Our instrument for experiencing the world and ourselves are our senses. The rituals also unfold in the area of sense perception. To awaken our senses means to go a path which leads to a deepening of experience and more active participation in all aspects of life, most profoundly in its sacred spaces.

Module 6:

30 November - 2 December:

Interacting with the Gospels in a Meditative way and
Exploring the connection between Religions.

We explored the connection between the Eastern Faiths; Buddhism and Hinduism, and the Middle-Eastern faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam, as well as the connections with African Traditional Religion and Far-Eastern spirituality: Taoism and Confucianism. This allows us a fresh perspective on the Gospels. Using the renewed understanding of Christianity and the renewal of religious experience and expression, we interacted with the Gospel of Luke in particular. This module brought together many of the concepts we have uncovered and considered in the previous 5 modules. It concluded this first year of the Africa Seminary: The essential nature and purpose of the human being: Finding meaning in the Spirit.