Original German term: Theosophie
Plain English
Theosophy was the spiritual movement Steiner first worked within before founding anthroposophy as a separate path.
Modern Translation
It provided a language of spiritual evolution, karma, reincarnation, hidden wisdom, and comparative religion, but Steiner later moved toward a more Western, Christian, and philosophically grounded direction.
Why It Matters
Many early anthroposophical terms come from Theosophy, so understanding this background helps explain the language.
For Beginners
Theosophy is part of the family history of anthroposophy. Anthroposophy inherited some vocabulary from it and then changed direction.
Important Context
Anthroposophy inherited part of its vocabulary from the Theosophical movement before developing in its own direction.