Three Lectures on Esoteric Christianity, Reverend Jonah Evans

The Toronto Branch of the Anthroposophical Society in Canada was delighted to host Reverend Jonah Evans, of the Thornhill Christian Community Church, who provided three excellent, highly original lectures on esoteric Christianity at the Metropolitan United Church in the heart of the city earlier this fall. The three lectures were organized by Theresia Schier and were held on September 17, 24 and October 8 with good attendance on all three evenings. 

The three lectures were simultaneously accessible to anyone and grand in scope, as suggested by their titles: 

􏰀 The Hidden God – Christ in You
􏰀 The Evolving God – Christ in Us
􏰀 The Resurrecting God – Christ and the Earth 

Drawing on his deep understanding of Rudolf Steiner’s Christology and his years of experience as a Christian Community priest, Reverend Evans lectures built up a wondrous sense of Jesus Christ that touched the intimacies of the human heart and shed light on the great cosmic dramas of the evolution of humanity and the earth. 

In the first lecture, working with several powerful stories of human becoming, Reverend Evans traced the activity of Jesus Christ in the heart forces at work in moments of personal transformation. Quoting the Gospel of Matthew (Chapter 12, Verses 38 – 41) where Jesus Christ refers to the “sign of Jonah”, Reverend Evans explained that in addition to the macrocosmic event of the Christ Being’s descent into the centre of the earth, this sign also pertains to each of us as we encounter life’s challenges, as we descend into the heart of our own earthly destiny. He revealed a pattern in human becoming where we endure an experience of dying – of letting go in some way – and through this experience, give birth to a higher soul capacity, and take a step toward becoming ourselves. 

In the second lecture, Reverend Evans explored how the Incarnation was a healing event for human beings, showing how the life of Jesus Christ restored the archetype of the human being, thus infusing humanity with the power to undertake the ascent back to the spiritual world. He showed how this process of working toward spiritual development requires us to work together in this world - which we must take up the healing work in relationship to each other, and as communities. In this context, he explored the meaning of illness and death, karma and reincarnation, showing these as gifts that can help us achieve a greater victory. 

In the third lecture, Reverend Evans moved to macro- cosmic level, drawing out a magnificent picture of how Jesus Christ is working now as the driving force in the evolution of the earth itself. It was an amazing experience to move from the personal, to the social, and to the cosmic in a way that linked our day-to-day challenges with these great forces, to gain a glimpse of Jesus Christ as both intimate guide and world-shaping power.