"Am I going too far if I declare that not a single one of the opponents took a tenth of the pains I took with anthroposophy before I joined the movement?" -- Friedrich Rittelmeyer

Born in southern Germany in 1872, Friedrich Rittelmeyer was a leading figure in the Lutheran church at the beginning of the twentieth century. His was an influential pulpit, and he was a pioneer of a new meditative approach, seeking to re-establish the relevance of the Gospels.

His life took an unexpected turn when, in 1911, he encountered Rudolf Steiner for the first time. He spent the next ten years critically appraising and investigating Steiner's ideas. This book is a fascinating and insightful autobiographical account of those years, as well a rigorous scrutiny of anthroposophy.

In 1922, he made the decision to leave the Lutheran church and lead a new movement for religious renewal, The Christian Community, in association with Steiner. His final conviction was that Steiner's ideas were truly inspired.

First published in English in 1929, this book's honest struggle with key anthroposophical concepts has been influential for generations of people.

Translated by: Dorothy S. Osmond