From Fear to Acceptance: Personalized Christian Rituals in the Light of Anthroposophy

 The Philosophical Connection: Christianity and Destigmatizing the Process of Dying

At the turn of the 20th century, Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925) sowed the first seeds of the Anthroposophy movement, which continues to thrive today. Steiner, both literally and metaphorically, became an architect of human health and consciousness. Among his many contributions, he designed the Ita Wegman Clinic in Switzerland, completed in 1924, which served the medical community and remains a center for Anthroposophical research. Anthroposophy defines itself as a philosophy that “maintains that through disciplined self-awareness, one can experience knowledge of the spiritual world while living on Earth.”

This philosophy, closely intertwined with Christian principles, encourages individuals to engage meaningfully with their bodies not only during the prime of life but also as they approach death. By cultivating self-awareness around the theme of mortality, Anthroposophy asserts that many of our abstract and deeply ingrained fears of death can be mitigated. Instead of avoiding the topic, we are invited to participate in ongoing dialogue, nurturing a positive relationship with death. Within this worldview, death is not a grim interruption of life but a natural, integral aspect of the human experience—worthy of the same attention and reverence that we give to other facets of existence.

Craig Wiggins, a pastor at a local San Francisco church, shared insights in an interview with SevenPonds about how his teachings reflect Anthroposophical principles. “Every ceremony is different,” he explained, referring to the rituals surrounding a person’s death. “They are tailored to the individual. We recognize that embalming with formaldehyde is typical in the United States, but it is much less common in Europe. Within our Christian community, death becomes a natural topic of conversation. Unless the family requests embalming, the body remains in a natural state, often placed in a coffin that is cooled non-invasively instead of chemically.”

Pastor Wiggins described a common practice in his church: after a loved one passes, family members often participate in washing and preparing the body, which is then placed in an open coffin for viewing. This period usually lasts three days, providing a sacred space for mourning and reflection. “We try to allow the body to remain at home,” he said, referencing roughly sixty ceremonies he has led, “but if that is not feasible, the body is moved to the church. The vigil creates a protective, sacred space around the soul, surrounded by loved ones.”

The vigil itself is highly personalized. “It’s hard to define because each one is unique,” Wiggins noted, emphasizing that the rituals are not standardized but are crafted to meet the spiritual and emotional needs of each family. These practices exemplify how communities can humanize death, reducing fear and stigma while honoring the individual’s life journey.

One illustrative example comes from a family who chose to forgo traditional embalming for their matriarch. Her grandchildren participated in washing and dressing her, sharing stories and singing hymns around the open coffin. For them, the process became a profound, unifying experience. They reported that seeing her in a natural state, rather than a sterilized one, helped them process grief and view death as part of life rather than a taboo.

Through such rituals, both Anthroposophy and Wiggins’ Christian community emphasize transparency and preparation. Families are encouraged to understand what will happen to their bodies after death, reducing fear and enhancing acceptance. This approach fosters a culture in which death is not a topic of avoidance but an opportunity to cultivate compassion, reflection, and meaningful closure.

Ultimately, Anthroposophical philosophy, reinforced through compassionate Christian practices, offers a profound framework for embracing mortality. It encourages individuals and communities alike to face death openly, creating spaces where grief, remembrance, and spiritual reflection coexist. Through awareness, ritual, and dialogue, death becomes not an end to be feared but a natural and respected chapter of the human experience.