For a man who was known for his strong critiques of Christianity and the so-called ‘Christian’ culture of Western Europe, Carl Jung was a big fan of Christ himself. In fact some of the most beautiful and powerful words I’ve ever read about Christ and the possibilities within Christianity were from Jung’s own pen. As … Continue reading The Way of Christ: Imitation or Individuation?
Today, the Sunday after Epiphany, is when we here in the West commemorate the baptism of Jesus at the hands of John the Baptist. It’s a formative event in Jesus’ life, and functions as his ‘call to action’, marking him as special to those around him and confirming his identity. It’s also the narrative passing … Continue reading Ritual and Rebirth: A Reflection on the Baptism of Christ
For better or for worse, we humans are storied people. Not only are we shaped by our personal and national experiences, but we also tend to assume those experiences are universal. And so, St. Augustine struggled with reining in his libido and so developed a theology that linked the Fall to sex, Martin Luther struggled … Continue reading Christianity, Shadow, and Jung’s Diagnosis of Modern Europe
One of the ideas that I’ve found most revolutionary, helpful — and troubling over the past decade of my exploring different ideas is the idea of the psychological Shadow. Coming originally from Carl Jung’s reflections on human psychology, the shadow is all about the parts of us we’d prefer to ignore. As I’ve previously summarized … Continue reading The Christian Shadow: Introduction
There's no new Epiphany reflection from me this year, but here are some of my previous posts: Theme of Light God’s Shining Forth: A Reflection on Epiphany and Genesis 1.1-5 (2024) It Only Takes a Spark: A Reflection for Epiphany 2023 Arise! Shine! : A Reflection for Epiphany 2021 Theme of the Magi Wise Men … Continue reading Resources for Epiphany / Theophany
Matthew Root 