LAST week's leader on the character of Gordon Brown reminded me
of Jung's extraordinary essay, Answer to Job. This is an
analysis, not of a prominent personality, but of the character of
God in the Old Testament. It is intended, however, to shed light on
the paradox of figures such as Mr Brown. How can an admirable
passion for justice co- exist in one person, alongside paranoid
hostility, suspicion, and rage?
Jung sought his answer in the archetype of the Father, God
himself. In the Bible, God, who commands us to imitate his mercy
and justice, is holy and righteous. But God also has a dark side:
he elevates the deceitful (Jacob), ambushes his friends (Moses),
and deceives his prophets (Jeremiah). All this suggests that the
character of God lacks integrity. His good side and his dark side
coexist, without really knowing each other.
In Jung's view, one of the most telling passages is in Genesis
18, where God contemplates thedestruction of Sodom. Abraham bravely
challenges God on his destructive intentions, arguing that it is
not justice if the righteous are swept away with the wicked. His
amazing question "Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?"
suggests that Abraham is more morally advanced than God. He has to
remind God's dark side of his true role as the judge of the earth,
and he negotiates God down from total destruction to an agreement
that he would spare the city if ten righteous people were found
living there.
On the basis of this and other examples, Jung argues that God's
deepest desire is to be integrated within himself, and that he
needs humanity to bring this about. Abraham helps; Job does more;
but the only lasting solution is for God to become human and know
his human creatures from within. Jesus Christ finally fulfils God's
desire.
Needless to say, this is far from Christian orthodoxy. Jung is
best described as a Christian Gnostic. His meditation on the
character of God may be suspect as theology, but as psychology it
is insightful. Christians are called to unity, not only among
themselves, but also within the self. Prayer should lead to a
deeper integration as we come to acknowledge the splits within our
personhood.
Perhaps we should adopt as our Advent prayer Michael Tippett's
words for A Child of Our Time: "I would know my shadow and
my light so shall I at last be whole." Perhaps some of our
politicians, football managers, and other professional sulkers
should do so, too.
The Revd Angela Tilby is Diocesan Canon of Christ Church,
Oxford, and Continuing Ministerial Development Adviser for the
diocese of Oxford.