The question of the cosmic reality of Christ is central to modern Christian awareness. We see lively debate about Christ's nature in relation to the earth and creation, not only within the church itself but also in more speculative areas of thinking and feeling, such as creation spirituality and the New Age movement.

The works of Teilhard de Chardin and Fritjof Capra have stimulated many to think spiritually about the created world and the part of humankind in its evolution. These issues were also illuminated by Rudolf Steiner in his Christology which placed the Incarnation at a pivotal point of earthly evolution.