2026 Annual Conference

About

The Genesis of Evolution: CANCELLED.

Can One Find Plausible Coherence to Between Spiritual and Natural Scientific Views of Evolution?

Natural Science Section in North America will host its annual conference April 30 to May 3, 2026. All members, friends, and interested parties are welcome to attend. – Sorry, but we had insufficient registrations in order to afford to run this conference. We will move all of our speakers to a series of individual webinars occurring in the near future. No need to register – look for our emailings. If you are not yet on our email list, send a request to: jandrewlinnell [at] yahoo.com.

Speakers

Michael Judge.

Correlating Natural Science & Spiritual Science, Demonstrating a Plausible Coherence in Evolution. (4 lectures).

Rudolf Steiner as a scientific researcher asserts that when natural science is genuine and when spiritual science is genuine, these two sciences agree. One familiar with the terminology and the narrative picture generated by these two sciences knows that they are seemingly far apart and they seemingly have little to do with each other.

Conventional natural science still sees spiritual science as largely nonsensical and engaging in utter fantasy. Yet, by way of studying phenomena and the concepts therein, one can see coherence between these two sciences. Understanding and translating the vocabulary of the two sciences is a key in understanding their coherence. Rudolf Steiner was a natural scientist and a spiritual scientist, but he chose largely to use esoteric vocabulary in his explanations. Now, a hundred years down the road, it is possible to translate this esoteric vocabulary into natural scientific vocabulary, demonstrating coherence.

In these four presentations, Michael will demonstrate this coherence. The goal of the course is to demonstrate coherence and plausibility between the evolutionary descriptions of spiritual science and natural science. T

Michael Judge is a graduate of the University of Maryland, where he studied history, archeology, anthropology, and geology. He has earned State of Maryland Teacher Certification as well as certifications in Waldorf education, and spacial dynamics. He has been a student of anthroposophy and spiritual science for over forty years. Michael has presented widely since 2010, looking to resolve Rudolf Steiner’s picture of evolution with the conventional natural scientific picture of evolution.

Bruce Kirchoff.

1) Paths of Knowledge: Beyond Literalism in Steiner

2) Evolution, Perception, and the Fabric of Reality

Darwinian evolution maps a history of physical forms through explanations of survival and adaptation. Steiner, by contrast, views evolution as the progressive incarnation and re-ascent of spirit through a series of seven planetary stages. To bridge these two viewpoints, we must inquire into the nature of the experiences underlying Steiner’s and Darwin’s respective worldviews to find a way of viewing phenomena that transcends intellectual understanding. To do this I will explore how spiritual beings shape our perception of the world. The conceptual clarity gained from this exploration will challenge both the image of Steiner as a great initiate who drew inspiration only from his spiritual senses and the assumption that the physical world is the primary source of all phenomena. From these considerations we will be led to a radical question: where does the world exist? I will argue that what we call the external, physical world is not an independent, preexisting absolute, but a projection of inner experience; that the world, as we know it, ultimately exists inside each of us. Evolution, therefore, is the continuous unfolding of our shared, inner consciousness. Both Darwinian evolution and Steiner’s seven planetary stages can be understood as complementary expressions of this unfolding consciousness.

Dr. Bruce Kirchoff Ph.D. is a scientist and award-winning educator with a deep interest in botany, epistemology and spirituality. He used insights from cognitive psychology and anthroposophy to create new methods of visual learning and improve plant description and classification. He is currently Emeritus and Adjunct Professor of Biology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Bruce has been associated with the Natural Science Section since its inception in the US.

Terra Malmstrom.

Beyond Survival: Kenotic Love, Honeybee Wisdom, and the Spiritual Science of Evolution

Terra Malmstrom is a Waldorf educator, neuroscientist, and spiritual researcher whose work explores the convergence of science, ecology, and contemplative inquiry. She holds a Ph.D. in Transformative Studies from the California Institute of Integral Studies, where her dissertation examined—kenotic love—as an evolutionary principle through the lens of anthroposophy and honeybee sociality. She also holds master’s degrees in neuroscience and Waldorf education and brings over four decades of experience as a research scientist and educator.

This presentation explores kenotic love—self-emptying love—as a transformative tenet within human and ecological evolution through Steiner’s anthroposophy (spiritual science) and the symbolic wisdom of the honeybee. In Steiner’s Bees lectures, Steiner portrays the hive not merely as a biological marvel but as a moral organism: a living embodiment of cooperative service, devotion, and altruistic community.

This topic was located in Panel Three, which discusses Steiner’s Goethean approach and the growth of participatory spiritual science. The piece extends the criticism of Newtonian thinking from Steiner and Goethe by considering Darwinian evolution as its biological successor, a framework that, like Newton’s, excludes purpose, interiority, and moral meaning from nature and, more specifically, evolution. This research uses the honeybee as more than metaphor; the honeybee itself becomes a living expression of evolution guided by spiritual principles.

Cost

The conference fee will be only $75 plus a catered meal plan of just $100 for a total of $175. Let us know if you need financial assistance.

Location

Christian Community Parish, 4221 Metzerott Road, College Park, MD. 20740

Housing Options:

https://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/hotels/us/en/college-park/wasua/hoteldetail, walking distance. Around $135/night
RV park and campground nearby
- https://www.nps.gov/gree/planyourvisit/campground.htm Greenbelt Park is only $20 per night! Hot showers and all. 10 min drive (25 by bus). Looks like there is currently availability for our dates
- https://www.cherryhillpark.com/rv-sites Cherry Hill Park would be about $276 for three nights. 12 min drive (35 by bus)
Two homestays are possible: (1) 10-minute drive, (2) 30-minute drive

Meal Plan

We will try to have most meals together for the camaraderie and the extension of discussions.

Breakfast (On-your-own, at hotel)
Snacks and tea/coffee provided
Catered Lunch
Catered Dinner

Food fee = $100 includes 4 catered meals (Fri & Sat lunch and dinner) https://www.silverdiner.com/menu-catering plus coffee & snacks.

Registration

Sorry, but we had insufficient registrations in order to afford to run this conference. We will move all of our speakers to a series of individual webinars occurring in the near future. No need to register – look for our emailings. If you are not yet on our email list, send a request to: jandrewlinnell [at] yahoo.com.

Add these and click on “Pay” below. Those attending are strongly urged to select “Meals” and join this important social part of our conference. List your dietary restrictions in the Comment section of the registration form below. We will try but we may not be able to meet all restrictions.

$75 Conference Fee
$100 Catered Meals (by https://www.silverdiner.com/menu-catering)
$25 Suggested Donation

Pay HERE for 2026 Conference

If preferred, pay by check at the conference. Refunds possible only up until April 22nd.

Schedule

Thursday

6:00 – 7:00 pm Dinner (on your own)
7:00 – 9:00 pm Welcome, Review of Intentions, Discussion
9:00 – 9:15 pm 4^th Panel FSM

Friday

7:00 – 8:00 am Breakfast (on your own, hotel)
8:00 – 9:00 am 1^st Panel FSM, Science Past
9:00 – 9:30 am Travel
9:30 – 11:30 am Dinosaur Park
11:30 – 12:00 Travel
12:00 – 1:00 pm Lunch Break
1:00 – 2:30 pm Michael Judge: Evolutionary Background & Epistemology
2:30 – 3:00 pm Deliberation Café
3:00 – 4:30 pm Michael Judge: Atlantean Epoch: The Mid-point in Evolution
4:30 – 5:00 pm Deliberation Café
5:00 – 6:00 pm Walk (free time)
6:00 – 7:00 pm Dinner Break
7:30 – 9:00 pm Music and Terra Malstrom: Beyond Survival

Saturday

7:00 – 8:00 am Breakfast (on your own, hotel)
8:00 – 9:00 am 2^nd Panel FSM, Science Today
9:00 – 10:00 am Bruce Kirchoff: Paths of Knowledge: Beyond Literalism in Steiner
10:00 – 10:30 pm Deliberation Café
10:30 – 11:30 pm Bruce Kirchoff: Evolution, Perception, and the Fabric of Reality
11:30 – 12:00 pm Deliberation Café
12:00 – 1:00 pm Lunch Break
1:00 – 2:00 pm Michael Judge: Lemurian Epoch – Path to Free Freedom, Knowledge of Good & Evil
2:30 – 3:00 pm Deliberation Café
3:00 – 4:30 pm Michael Judge: The Fifth Epoch – Developing the Capacity of Individual Choice
4:30 – 5:00 pm Deliberation Café
5:00 – 6:00 pm Free time
6:00 – 7:30 pm Dinner Break
7:30 – 9:00 pm Music and Forum

Sunday

7:00 – 8:00 am Breakfast (on your own, hotel)
8:00 – 9:00 am 3^rd Panel FSM, Science Future
9:00 – 10:00 Travel
9:30 – 11:30 am Smithsonian – Origin of Man Exhibit
11:30 – 12:30 Travel
12:30 – 1:30 pm Rev. Daniel Kalinov & Michael Judge: The four sacrifices and the three pre-earthly deeds of Christ.
1:30 – 2:00 pm Review, Closing
2:00 pm Bag Lunch (and leftovers)