| If we compare the Jungian-Christian dialogue to
the robust dialogue that can be found between Christians and Buddhists, we can say that
the Jungian-Christian dialogue barely seems to exist. It lacks, for the most part, the
formal structures of conferences and periodicals, and more importantly, a sense of
adventure, and a hope for genuine discoveries. It is true that many Christians are deeply interested in Jung’s psychology, and it is also true that Christian and Catholic Christian clergy and religious have become Jungian analysts, but neither one of these things, despite their great importance, has managed to create a thriving Jungian-Christian dialogue. The Catholic Church has a tremendous need for a psychology like Jung’s which it could apply with great benefit to a multitude of pastoral issues, and to the spiritual life, as well. It has no empirical psychology, and has suffered greatly from this lack. It needs the tools by which it can analyze more deeply issues as diverse as psycho-sexual problems among the clergy, how women are treated in the Church, and the psychological lives of those who are proposed for canonization. But even this great need has not been enough to create a full-fledged Jungian-Christian dialogue. What, then, has been keeping this dialogue from flourishing? There are two major factors. From the Christian side many Christians lack the kind of psychological knowledge that comes from a deep exploration of the unconscious of the kind that is found in Jung’s psychology. Therefore, they are not able to see how important this knowledge could be in the life of the Church. Further, a certain fear of Jungian psychology exists that feels that if Jungian psychology were admitted into the bosom of the Church, it would try to replace religion with psychology. From the Jungian side, there is a certain Jungian attitude which can be traced to Jung, himself, that tends to look at Christians as belonging to some kind of "pre-Kantian" age in which they still naively believe in a knowledge of things beyond what psychic images can tell them. This tends to cut the ground from under Christian belief and reinforce the fears that Christians already possess about Jungian psychology. Any dialogue that would have the courage to confront these issues would probably have the energy to succeed. Now it is your turn to contribute to this discussion. Send us your questions and comments: arraj@innerexplorations.com A Response I cannot forbear writing you and asking why anyone would want
to integrate (as in make one) the teachings of Christianity and the teachings of Jung?
Jung is Jung, now deceased and what he left us are principles of human being and growth
that can serve as a vehicle, if you will, to help us to explore our inner self and inner
cycles of growth and then we are better able to work to accept our Christian faith with
clear eyes and to integrate it into our heats and
In this new Jungian-Christian dance, the lead has shifted from the analyst-centered Jungian world to the Christ-centered Christian world. This is producing a much livelier outcome than did the old, going-nowhere dance of which you speak in your opening discussion. With the publication of the textbook, "Natural Spirituality," the natural spirituality paradigm has spread to other churches, both inside and outside our diocese. We are very excited about this in our part of the country. We feel that once we have made Jungian inner work a reality in our churches, the Christian theologians will awaken to it and begin to catch up the Jungian-Christian dialogue to meet the experience of the local congregations who have gone forward as leaders in this area. I welcome queries about the program and/or the book. Email: jrhpub@mindspring.com; Postal address: JRH Publications, P.O. Box 9425, Danielsville, GA 30633Now it is your turn to contribute to this discussion. Send us your questions and comments: arraj@innerexplorations.com |
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