are waldorf and christianity compatible?? - Page 3

[Rhonwyn]

Curious as to which Christian church you attend middlearthmama.

I am United Church of Christ and my dh is Episcopalian (sp?). Our family attends a Congregation United Church of Christ Church. Waldorf has worked great for us. I would bet it depends on the school. The only people who have had problems with the spirituality at our school that I know of were either Jewish or Atheists.

Too me, Kindergarten and 1st grade didn't seem particularly anything other than the fact that Christian Holidays were celebrated more so than other Holidays - Advent, St. Nicholas Day, Christmas, Easter Parade, etc. 2nd grade seemed very Catholic to me with all the Saints Tales. 3rd grade is very Jewish. We haven't gotten to 4th yet. Through it all, many Holidays are celebrated in the grades - Day of the Dead, St. Nicholas, Santa Lucia, Advent, Hannakuh, Kwanzaa, Three Kings Day, Chinese New Year, etc.

Our kids get exposed to a lot of things other than Christianity at the school, though the Christian Holidays are the most common. We talk about what they have learned in school and then we talk about our family's faith though my kids still think it would be a good idea to celebrate Hannakuh and Christmas - more presents. In Sunday School, their faith is taught and we talk about that too.

I think it is how you approach what is presented at the school and it also depends on how the school presents it.

[Deborah]

My experience is more like Rhonwyn's. My family are (weirdly) Jewish athiests but people have ended up all over the place in terms of religion. Personally I ended up interested in anthroposophy, but I have a sister (who attended a waldorf school, giggle) who is a born-again, a brother (who also attended the same waldorf school) who is cheerfully agnostic) and two other brothers who incline towards atheism.

At the Chicago Waldorf School, there were a lot of Jewish parents, one Hindu family, Catholics, Episcopalians and a wide range of other congregations, plus the usual new agey sorts. People mostly managed to tolerate each other and the school.

Schools vary, and the negative vibes at one school may not exist at the next.

Nana

[Bestbirths]

I'm wondering, does anyone know of a biblical basis for the concept of the child's soul being "bestowed at conception." In other words, did Christ make a statement on this? Or one of the apostles? Does it come from one of the church fathers, for example St. Augustine? Now you have my curiosity greatly aroused!

We believe differently...there is a verse in the Bible that talks about God breathing into man the breath of life and man becomes a living soul...

we use that verse and others to get the idea that the soul enters the body at the babies first breath, not conception. Puts a new twist on why birth and death are such sacred and spiritual events.

I don't know any other people who believe this way, DH came up with this idea himself in his studies.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Bestbirths

We believe differently...there is a verse in the Bible that talks about God breathing into man the breath of life and man becomes a living soul...

we use that verse and others to get the idea that the soul enters the body at the babies first breath, not conception. Puts a new twist on why birth and death are such sacred and spiritual events.

I don't know any other people who believe this way, DH came up with this idea himself in his studies.

I personally found myself uncomfortable with much of Steiner's "Christian" material. His book "The Fifth Gospel" bothered me so completely - it was the turning point that forced me to examine Anthroposophy with a very critical eye. It went so much against my Christian beliefs, I had to conclude that Anthroposophy was not for me (after more than a decade of study). Go figure...

Pete