Theos-Talk Archives (November 2002 Message tt00929)

Part I: Carl Jung

"H. P. Blavatsky and her Theosophical Society wrote the book on 
secret traditions. Most esoteric movements ever since have found it 
almost impossible to step outside of her (sometimes unconscious) 
influence. A few groups calling themselves Gnostic have appealed to 
an underground yet pervasive `gnosis' rather than to the ancient 
historical Gnostic sects…

Indeed in our century there have been several appropriations of 
Gnostic motifs. The psychologist, C. G. Jung, continually refers to 
the Gnostics in his writings and was often photographed `wearing his 
Gnostic ring.' His lifelong interest in the subject was rewarded in 
1952 when the Jung Institute in Zurich…presented him with a recently 
discovered Gnostic papyrus manuscript. This `Jung Codex' is now our 
Nag Hammadi Codex I…In 1916…he believed his house to be filled with 
paranormal phenomenon…in the early 1950s Dr. Jung defended himself 
against an attack by Martin Buber (a Jew). Under discussion was the 
entire body of Jung's work, but Buber pointed a particularly snide 
finger at `his little Abraxas opus.' The criticism was that Jung had 
overstepped the boundaries of psychology into religion, and had 
located God in the unconscious (rather than in Buber's transcendent 
Thou).

Jung took all of this seriously "Why is so much attention devoted to 
the question of whether I am a Gnostic?"

>From :"The Nag Hammadi Library" The definitive new translation of the 
Gnostic scriptures. James M. Robinson – general editor

Netemara


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Comment: Jung is undoubtedly one of the biggest voices of influence 
in psychology even today. He DID mix psychology with religion. He was 
influenced by Theosophy without a doubt. HE was the antithesis to 
Freud's belief in a Godless voice. They were to part ways. Jung's 
commentaries on spiritual works from Eastern quarters have become 
classics in their own right. Why did Martin Buber have a problem 
with Jung bringing God into psychology? Did he then have no problem 
with Freud leaving God out of the mind of man?

Netemara