December 21st, 1909, Berlin, eminent philosopher and founder of the anthroposophical movement, Rudolf Steiner gives a lecture on the origins and spiritual significance of the Christmas Tree. Steiner doesn't see Christianity as a static rule set or framework of understanding. Much of his philosophy is centred around the evolution of humanity, and he expected Christianity to evolve along with it. This allowed him to tie together spiritual ideas that traditional Christianity left compartmentalized or unexplained. He wouldn't expect you to adopt his understanding without doing your own inward investigation, but this lecture is meant to spur on that process. Before the world wars, across the ocean, and originally in German, this perspective should be far removed from life today. On the contrary, it illuminates factors in human life that the modern day has forgotten or intentionally ignored, but that still exist. The Christmas Tree is one of these spiritual forces, in this perspective.

 

We gather around the tree like the campfires of old, conversing in its warmth in the dark of night. The Christmas Tree reignites an ancient behaviour our modern days skips over. But those few times it does reignite, it brings us closer to how close we once were. The modern evolution, from the Christian perspective, is that since the mystery of Golgotha, that same warmth we can extend to every human, beyond your kin. It is easily extended to all who share space and time around the tree.

 

Steiner has been an indispensable guide while trying to assemble the puzzle of the universe. This is what he was honestly trying to do, and thankfully he wrote a lot of it down. But I can't thank the narrator Dale Brunsvold enough. He has recorded a huge amount of Steiner's writings, and you can tell he has a deep understanding of the content. Unlike in 1909, today you can absorb Steiner's content at breakneck speed where ever you are. Which is good, because there's a lot, and I'm sure the quest was not complete. There is work to do post Steiner: that's evolution.