Abstract
Recent research has highlighted the need for studies that provide comprehensive and systematic reviews of specific topics related to Steiner Waldorf education. One such area is the relationship between Steiner Waldorf education and anthroposophy, on which a significant amount has been written over the years. The article focuses on two issues. First, to provide an initial systematic review of the literature; second, to examine how the discussion has evolved over time. The article reviews journal articles, books, and research dating back to 1968.
The main findings indicate that the core of the discussion has largely remained consistent: that anthroposophy is a method and not a worldview, and that its importance for Steiner/Waldorf education lies in how it becomes a path for individual transformation, rather than in being a teaching or dogma. However, there has been a clear increase in publications from 2010 onward, accompanied by significant nuances and deepening of arguments from previous decades. Intersecting with this, different styles and approaches are identified, termed “maximalist” and “minimalist” in the analysis. The former employs a style dense with Steiner quotes and anthroposophical content, while the latter focuses more on the epistemological aspects of anthroposophy, with less emphasis on Steiner quotations and content discussion.
Keywords: Steiner Waldorf education, anthroposophy, esotericism, literature review