Campolo and Jung's thoughts
I'm in the middle of reading a book by Tony Campolo called "Speaking My Mind," and this section of the book reminded me of a previous discussion we had at Avo's i believe. This part of the book is titled 'Is Evangelicalism Sexiest?'- which he is specifically talking about feminism, female preachers, etc.
"..we must ask ourselves what it means to become 'complete in him (referring to Colossians 2:9-10).' I have been intrigued with that question ever since i read the fascinating theories about human personality set forth by the great psychologist Carl Jung. According to Jung, the process of socialization has distorted all of us into being incomplete persons. Jung goes on to say that the psychological maladies that plague so many of us are in one way or another related to this distortion. He argues that men are socialized to suppress those dimensions of their humanity that our culture assigns to women. Likewise, Jung contends that those traits of being human that our society has ascribed to men are traits that we require women to suppress. In other words, members of both sexes are skewed persons, in that society requires each to suppress traits of humanness that only the other sex is allowed to express.
Interestingly, ancient Chinese philosophers set forth exactly the same theory of personality in their description of how what they call yin and yang are manifested in our lives. Yin, say these ancient philosophers, is akin to what we mean by feminine personality traits. On the other hand, yang comprises personality characteristics that we associate with masculinity. We can achieve holistic health and well-being, they say, when yin and yang are in perfect balance with each other..........I find much that is attractive in the way that the concepts of yin and yang help us to understand the call to wholeness in Jesus. I think it helps us to overcome the cultural disfiguration of both men and women that culture has imposed on us......What I am proposing is that culturally prescribed distortions can work themselves out in women, as well as in men, through transformation of personality that can come as a work of the Holy Spirit. I believe that as members of both sexes submit to the changes wrought by the Spirit, we will become more and more like Jesus, whom the Bible declares the perfect person- the only complete human being who has ever balanced the yin and yang, or as Jung would refer to these dimensions of being fully human, 'anima and animus.'"
"..we must ask ourselves what it means to become 'complete in him (referring to Colossians 2:9-10).' I have been intrigued with that question ever since i read the fascinating theories about human personality set forth by the great psychologist Carl Jung. According to Jung, the process of socialization has distorted all of us into being incomplete persons. Jung goes on to say that the psychological maladies that plague so many of us are in one way or another related to this distortion. He argues that men are socialized to suppress those dimensions of their humanity that our culture assigns to women. Likewise, Jung contends that those traits of being human that our society has ascribed to men are traits that we require women to suppress. In other words, members of both sexes are skewed persons, in that society requires each to suppress traits of humanness that only the other sex is allowed to express.
Interestingly, ancient Chinese philosophers set forth exactly the same theory of personality in their description of how what they call yin and yang are manifested in our lives. Yin, say these ancient philosophers, is akin to what we mean by feminine personality traits. On the other hand, yang comprises personality characteristics that we associate with masculinity. We can achieve holistic health and well-being, they say, when yin and yang are in perfect balance with each other..........I find much that is attractive in the way that the concepts of yin and yang help us to understand the call to wholeness in Jesus. I think it helps us to overcome the cultural disfiguration of both men and women that culture has imposed on us......What I am proposing is that culturally prescribed distortions can work themselves out in women, as well as in men, through transformation of personality that can come as a work of the Holy Spirit. I believe that as members of both sexes submit to the changes wrought by the Spirit, we will become more and more like Jesus, whom the Bible declares the perfect person- the only complete human being who has ever balanced the yin and yang, or as Jung would refer to these dimensions of being fully human, 'anima and animus.'"
posted by coemergentco at 12/29/2006 11:42:00 PM
4 Comments:
I am currently going through a mandatory 'Authentic Manhood' teaching course, at work of all places (all of the staff are required to do it) and I am constantly asking myself why they relegate these certain aspects of Christ to 'men'. More and more I find that true 'manhood' in a christian sense is only a very small minutea different, if at all, from true 'hu-manhood'. Yet I cannot ignore that if we set the context to the experience of males in contemporary American society we can pick up themes and a broad shared experience that is good to examine and put in relation to Christ - so the Authentic Manhood class (stripped of its metanarrative or ontology) is not a complete wash.
I also like the interplay with Jung. I once wrote a paper on Jung's symbolism in the Illiad and I like the interpretive grid animus, anima and especially The Shadow can be for looking at stories in a new way.
Thanks for the post, ghost writer.
When you said that they relegate those certain aspects of Christ to 'men,' what aspects are they talking about?
I heartily agree on what you said- that people can/should take their experiences and put it in relation to Christ, because then it becomes less of self and more about Christ.
There is another part of this book that has really been on my mind all week. Campolo talks about the late English theologian and novelist George MacDonald about whether or not there is a second chance for salvation after death. He believes that there is a second chance and even has references to back his ideas up (1 Peter 3:19/4:6 and Ephesians 4:9-10). Campolo states after writing the Ephesians verses, "Is this not a reference to a Jesus who refuses to give up on his people, even when they reject Him in this life? Does not this Savior continue His work to save the lost, even beyond the limits of time and space as we know them?"
Campolo also gives another verse that goes against that theory- Hebrews 9:27-"it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."
I have a hard time believing in that philosophy because I feel it gives non-believers the idea that people should not have to worry about accepting Christ until after death, when who really knows if there is a second chance after death? What do you guys think??
that is extremely tough. I don't often enjoy thinking about after death becuase I feel so clueless and am not sure how much we can really say. I really enjoy C.S. Lewis's book The Great Divorce that presents an idea about heaven and hell more based on individual choice and life than a judge-like God. But even still it seems that we search for some line that can't be crossed where God just cuts it off or something. I am not sure, but I know that bringing abundant life and Jesus to everybody is something to certainly focus on.
Who knows
Lander
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