THE EMERGENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS IN GENESIS 1–3: JUNG'S DEPTH PSYCHOLOGY AND THEOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY

A robust theological anthropology requires genuine interdisciplinary dialogue, with depth psychology offering a particularly fruitful partner due to its focus on the totality of human experience, including unconscious aspects, and its ability to interpret archetypal symbols and mythological thinking. By arguing for a psycho-theological hermeneutic that recognizes depth psychology's view that origin myths are also about the emergence of human consciousness, the author demonstrates that Jungian archetypes in Genesis 1–3 allow a psychological reading without diminishing theological themes of exile and return. Such a reading suggests the narrative is about how consciousness emerged in human community, not about sin entering creation.

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Abstract

The development of a robust, holistic theological anthropology will require that theology and biblical studies alike enter into genuine interdisciplinary conversations. Depth psychology in particular has the capacity to be an exceedingly fruitful conversation partner for theology because of its commitment to the totality of the human experience (both the conscious and unconscious aspects) as well as its unique ability to interpret archetypal symbols and mythological thinking. By arguing for a psycho-theological hermeneutic that accounts for depth psychology's conviction that myths about the origin of the world are always simultaneously myths about the origin and emergence of human consciousness, I demonstrate that the presence of numerous Jungian archetypes in Genesis 1–3 suggests that the narrative can be read from a psychological perspective without diminishing or marginalizing the dominant theological themes of exile and return. Furthermore, such a reading fundamentally suggests that the narrative is not about how sin entered into creation, but rather how consciousness emerged in human community.