Cambridge, Massachusetts. A public conference on the person and legacy of Rudolf Steiner will take place at Harvard University from December 14 to 16, 2025. An interview with the scholar of religion, Aaron French, who is co-organizing the event.
What is the intention behind the conference about Rudolf Steiner?
The 100-year anniversary of Steiner’s death is a chance to revisit his legacy and influence and generate constructive dialogue. Harvard Divinity School’s Program for the Evolution of Spirituality is the ideal setting to foster discussions across the scholar/practitioner gap. We hope to debate central issues related to Steiner and take him seriously as a thinker. To do this, we must take critical discussions of Steiner just as seriously, which is why the conference is a mix of sympathetic and critical approaches. We hope to learn, discuss, and overcome some of the blockages around Steiner that have prevented him from being taken more seriously in the academy in the past.
What makes Steiner’s legacy interesting from a scholarly perspective?
The main thing is the direction scholarship has taken over the last decades, above all a growing interest in the study of esotericism. Given the critique of European modernity and Enlightenment-inspired forms of experimental science—not to mention the growing climate crisis—many of Steiner’s holistic ideas about science, nature, and philosophy become interesting. Steiner’s life can serve as a helpful lens through which to recontextualize the modern world as we’ve come to understand it.
Which key themes and questions can participants expect from the conference?
Participants can expect an energetic discussion of many important issues related to our current moment, such as nature, race, spirituality, capitalism, neoliberalism, globalization, gender, and so on. We will explore the question of who Steiner was and how we can best understand his life and contributions. We want to know about the times in which Steiner lived, the internationalist circles he moved in, and the people around him. Who were his friends, his enemies, and why? Who were the people inspired by him? While the conference focuses on Steiner, there will be a lively cast of characters and a richly painted backdrop.
More Harvard’s Program for the Evolution of Spirituality
Translation Charles Cross
Image Emily Karakis
