"Painted from a palette entirely different". A new hermeneutic approach to Steiner′s esoteric courses for teachers

The recorded texts of Steiner’s esoteric courses for teachers, given in the years 1919-23 are generally thought to be of basic importance for Waldorf education. Both in Waldorf circles and within the context of contemporary educational research, however, they have not yet been taken up in a way that does justice to their original intentions. This article seeks to uncover the reasons for this and offers an initial outline of the special hermeneutic approach that is required for a comprehensive understanding of those courses. The resulting scenario includes mention of a number of areas that have been found to be particularly relevant in methodological terms: the history of Western esotericism (W. J. Hanegraaff), the use of language in Goethe’s scientific writings, and Ernst Cassirer’s philosophy of symbolic forms