C. G. Jung begins the Red Book with quotes from the book of Isaiah and the Gospel according to John. Already at the beginning of the Red Book, the religious stance of Jung is evident, which characterizes his whole psychology: Jung looked for the soul and found a basic structure which he called the Self. For Jung, Christ is a central symbol of the Self. “No one can be spared the way of Christ, since this way leads to what is to come. You should all become Christs.” (Red Book, Norton, p. 234)
Learning objectives:
Explore the concept of Jesus as a heroic mythological figure.
Explain why Jesus functions as a central psychological symbol of the Self.
Give examples of the effects that Jesus, as a symbolic reality, has had on Western culture.