About the Book
This lecture cycle presents the most accessible and illuminating of Steiner's revelations with regard to Christ, and his significance for humanity's spiritual development. He discusses the link between Buddha and the life of Christ, a description that unites Buddhism and Christianity, not in theory but in perceived spiritual deeds of these two figures. Utilizing a historical overview, revealing the relationship between the great religious traditions, and how they have conspired together for the good of humanity, Steiner never loses sight of the Gospel's great inner meaning, as echoed in the Gospel of St. Luke: "The revelation of the spiritual worlds from the Heights and its answering reflection from the hearts of men brings peace to all whose purpose upon the evolving Earth is to unfold good will."
About the Author :
Rudolf Steiner (b. Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner, 1861-1925) was born in the small village of Kraljevec, Austro-Hungarian Empire (now in Croatia), where he grew up. As a young man, he lived in Weimar and Berlin, where he became a well-published scientific, literary, and philosophical scholar, known especially for his work with Goethe's scientific writings. Steiner termed his spiritual philosophy anthroposophy, meaning "wisdom of the human being." As an exceptionally developed seer, he based his work on direct knowledge and perception of spiritual dimensions. He initiated a modern, universal "spiritual science" that is accessible to anyone willing to exercise clear and unbiased thinking. From his spiritual investigations, Steiner provided suggestions for the renewal of numerous activities, including education (general and for special needs), agriculture, medicine, economics, architecture, science, philosophy, Christianity, and the arts. There are currently thousands of schools, clinics, farms, and initiatives in other fields that involve practical work based on the principles Steiner developed. His many published works feature his research into the spiritual nature of human beings, the evolution of the world and humanity, and methods for personal development. He wrote some thirty books and delivered more than six thousand lectures throughout much of Europe. In 1924, Steiner founded the General Anthroposophical Society, which today has branches around the world. Robert McDermott, Ph.D., is president emeritus and chair of the Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS). His publications include Radhakrishnan (1970); The Essential Aurobindo (1974, 1987); The Essential Steiner (1984); (with Rudolf Steiner) The Bhagavad Gita and the West (2009); and The New Essential Steiner (2009). He has also published on William James, Josiah Royce, M. K. Gandhi, the evolution of consciousness, and American thought. His administrative service includes president of the New York Center for Anthroposophy; president of the Rudolf Steiner [summer] Institute; chair of the board of Sunbridge College (New York) and of Rudolf Steiner College (California). He was a member of the council of the Anthroposophical Society in America (1996-2004). He is the founding chair of the board of the Sophia Project, an anthroposophic home in Oakland, California, for mothers and children at risk of homelessness. He is a Lindisfarne fellow, a Fetzer mentor, and a member of the Esalen Corportion.
Review :
These ten inspiring talks by Rudolf Steiner on Luke's much loved gospel about the birth, life, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ begins with an informative introduction by its editor, Robert McDermott. At the end of the book, McDermott supplies a "descriptive outline," elegantly summarizing each talk and helpfully comparing the Luke gospel to that of Mark with respect to the birth of Jesus. Throughout, Steiner's own descriptions are startling but persuasive. The incarnation of Christ into the body of Jesus required that two Jesus children be born to two separate couples in two different towns. Mark tells about one, Luke the other. The two Jesus children become one at the time of the cleansing of the temple, when they are about 12 years old, as both gospels agree. The composite human body of Jesus received the Christ in its thirtieth year, at the Baptism by John, after which the three year ministry of Christ on earth began. Steiner is able to show how so great an event as the Word becoming flesh would reasonably entail such complexities, as well as eons of preparation (see also his classic, Christianity as Mystical Fact). McDermott's Introduction contrasts Steiner's mode of spiritual research into the esoteric "record" (called by the Sanskrit name, the Akasha), with the exhaustive and impressive research of the Jesus Seminar. The two methods differ substantially. Describing each with exquisite skill and clarity, McDermott shows that they are not mutually exclusive. In addition, Steiner's comparisons between Buddha and Christ make both figures shine with a wondrous esoteric significance for humanity's cosmic evolution. The entire book brings a deep understanding of both compassion and love and it offers a profound reading of the nativity story as well. An outstanding work by Steiner, excellently edited and introduced by McDermott.
