Book excerpt: For Rudolf Steiner, Christ's Incarnation and death on Golgotha were central events in earthly and cosmic history. Humankind, he said, would evolve in time toward a spiritual awareness of Christ's presence in creation and the individual would no longer need "institutionalized" religious beliefs. In this concise introduction to Steiner's ideas, the author also describes the Christian Community, which Steiner helped to establish as a movement for Christian renewal. The Christian Community--also called the Movement for Religious Renewal--is an independent church founded in 1922 in Switzerland with the help of Rudolf Steiner. The first American Congregation was founded in New York City in 1948. Further information can be found at the Christian Community website (www.thechristiancommunity.org). This is not only one of the best introductions to the Christian Community and its history, but an excellent introduction to the whole of Rudolf Steiner's worldview known as spiritual science, or Anthroposophy.