2 - Crucifixion is Reality: The Paradox of Sin, Faith, and the Play of Light and Dark

Exegesis of part 2/3 of Jung's introduction to 'Psychology and Alchemy', published 1944 and reprinted in Murrey Stein's 'Jung on Christianity'. We discuss the topics above in the context of the profound relevance of psychology in the task of educating the soul, in religious practice, in drawing out the conflict of opposites that precipitates the revelation of wholeness, which Jung conceives as the 'God-image' or archetype of the 'self'.

Zoom AI says:
"Quick recap
The discussion examined Jung’s view of the relationship between psychology and Christianity, emphasizing psychology’s role in individuation and the development of a fuller expression of wholeness. It addressed Jung’s belief that the soul has not been fully Christianized and that psychology can reveal the empirical basis of religious experience without proving metaphysical claims. Central themes included paradox in religion, the dynamics of the unconscious, and Jung’s concept of the self as an archetype uniting opposites.

Summary
Jung's Psychology and Christianity
Sam described Jung’s argument that psychology supports spiritual development by helping individuals integrate unconscious material. Jung held that psychology does not deny religious truth but reveals the empirical processes underlying religious experience. Because religious traditions express different symbolic truths, recognizing their validity requires imagining a broader framework in which multiple revelations can coexist.

Paradox in Religious Truth
The conversation highlighted the role of paradox and logical contradiction in religious statements. For Jung, paradox is intrinsic to genuine religious truth. Sam stressed that valuing the plurality of revelation is a deliberate choice within any tradition. Modern difficulty with paradox reflects spiritual immaturity, which often leads people to mock the absurdity of religious symbols rather than perceive their depth.

Psychology and Spirituality
Sam explained Jung’s view that psychology helps restore reason to spiritual life by grounding symbolic experience in empirical reality and allowing free play with archetypal images. Psychology should not enforce dogma but help individuals relate creatively to the unconscious. Sam also observed that if theologians believe God speaks through the soul, fear of psychology is misplaced; the psyche can reveal both good and evil, and both can catalyze conversion.

Archetypes and Interpretation
Sam emphasized that archetypes are non-dogmatic and appear in diverse symbolic forms across cultures. Figures such as Christ, the Purusha, or the Atman point to an unknowable unconscious reality. Jung saw these symbols as expressions of a deeper content that can only be approached indirectly. He used the term self to name this totality—both a definite center of personality and an indefinite, incomprehensible reality.

Jungian Self vs. Theology
Sam explained that the Jungian self encompasses conscious and unconscious aspects, forming a symbolic totality rather than a theological doctrine. Psychology’s objectivity requires distinguishing the psychological self from religious interpretations, even though theology may view the self as an allegory of Christ.

The Self and Christ Archetype
Jung regarded the self as uniting opposites, whereas Christ symbolizes primarily the good. Sam noted that historical religious figures can represent the self, but none fully embody it because they reflect only part of human nature. Christ is therefore a symbol of the self but not a complete expression of its paradoxical totality.

Christianity and the Problem of Opposites
Sam described how experiencing inner conflict is a prerequisite for wholeness. Christian doctrine uses original sin to evoke this conflict, but its severity often leads to compensatory strategies such as moral probabilism, which eases the burden by allowing flexibility in moral judgment. This tension reflects Christianity’s difficulty with embracing the unity of opposites.

Crucifixion and Moral Suffering
Crucifixion with Christ symbolizes moral suffering and confrontation with the conflict between good and evil—a task most people find intolerable. Sam suggested that the unresolved nature of this antinomy leads to practical relativism, despite doctrinal idealism.

Christian Symbolism and Psychological Unity
Finally, Sam addressed Jung’s idea that when the conflict between good and evil is softened, the experience of the self becomes possible. Although dogma denies the unity of opposites, religious practice often compensates for this denial, as seen in alchemical traditions seeking a more complete symbolic balance. The axiom of Maria Prophetisa was presented as expressing a transformative process that could expand Christian symbolism toward a fuller expression of wholeness."