Greetings!     

In this issue, there are several updates about the preparations for the AGM of the General Anthroposophical Society at the Goetheanum on April 16, including:

- a letter from Torin Finser,

- an invitation to a painting evening in Thornhill on the eve of the meeting, and 

- the link to the Annual Report from the Goetheanum, which includes relevant articles from Executive Council members  

Contact your local Council member if you have questions or suggestions.

Une note aux membres de langue fran�aise: Une traduction en fran�ais du rapport annuel est en pr�paration au Goetheanum. Nous allons l'envoyer aux membres de langue fran�aise d�s qu'il est disponible.   

- Ed

Torin Finser General Secretary USA

Letter from Torin Finser

The past two months have been very difficult for those preparing to gather at the Goetheanum for the AGM on April 16/17th.  At the end of January, MariJo Rogers sent me a hard copy of the Carstens' "no confidence" motion which she had received from a member. Then, in February, a variety of confusing and contradictory emails began to circulate. We alerted the membership on the website regarding the two most controversial motions, but generally wanted to wait for the Goetheanum to publish complete versions of the motions so that we would not inadvertently add to the growing confusion. In early March, Anthroposophy Worldwide (click here) came out with an accurate translation of all eleven motions (which Virginia Sease personally reviewed,

...The approach we have taken is based upon a deep-seated American tradition of making sure that when accusations are made, those addressed have a chance to respond before there is a rush to judgment. It is so easy in this age of email to share bits of information and then give full airing of half-truths. Oppositional forces feed off this kind of public exposure, putting those in leadership roles into defensive positions even before they have had a chance to speak. The very methods used in public discourse today are often dehumanizing.

The General Council [USA] has taken time to review the motions, and MariJo and I have spoken frequently on this subject. We have also been in touch with other General Secretaries and have had phone conversations with individuals on the Executive Council. Some of the issues that are woven through the eleven motions are extremely complex, and I will need the week of meetings before the AGM to better understand them. But I also feel it is important to inform the membership that I intend to vote for the first motion as proposed by the Executive Council and against the second (no confidence) motion.

Read the full letter

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