Analytical Psychology and the Dynamics of Human Evil: A Problematic Case in the Integration of Psychology and Theology

Abstract

The work of C.G. Jung is addressed as a problematic basis for the integration of psychology and Christian theology. By using some of the generally neglected sources which examine the contextual and personal factors influencing Jung's thought, such as those published by P. Homans, P. Rieff and W. Kaufmann, the Analytical understanding of human evil as demonstrated in the construct of the Shadow is considered. The problem of evil is seen as a central element in Jung's attempt to provide a functional equivalent to the Christian tradition which he finds inadequate for the “modern” individual This proposed alternative is shown to be theoretically inadequate. The continued popularity of the construct of the Shadow, along with other Jungian concepts, is found in the utility of a quasi-spiritual psychology in an age when traditional spirituality has lost its taken-for-granted status.