Carl Jung’s Idea of Religion

초록

This article aims to discuss how Jung’s analytical psychology can provide a relevant religious language within the context of Christianity. Both Freud and Jung have contributed to analytical psychology in a very significant way. Although it was Freud who first referred to the two layers in our psychic reality: conscious and unconscious, Jung suggested the notion of the two layers along with his two key ideas, archetype and individuation. Jung’s psychology is fundamentally related to religion in a sense that the process of individuation is a religious one. Jung regards religious experience as one of the essential parts in the development of human psychic reality. He also gives a controversial account of God through the archetype of the shadow. Yet, this controversial aspect can be discussed from the perspective of religious experience and Jung’s positive attitude towards religion. Accordingly, after investigating 1) the key notions, archetype and individuation; 2) the relationship between the Self and God, it will be shown how Jung’s idea of religion could be understood in a relevant way over against Christianity.

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