Symbolic Loss, Memory, and Modernization in the Reception of Gnosticism
In: Gnosis: Journal of Gnostic StudiesSearch for other papers by Matthew J. Dillon in
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Social scientist of religion Peter Homans has demonstrated that symbolic loss, cultural memory, and modernization are tightly intertwined. As a consequence of modernization, Western culture has lost a shared relationship to the symbols of its Christian past, leading to religious mourning. This article demonstrates that the category gnosticism opened up an imaginative possibility for individuals to reinterpret the cultural memory of the Christian past and achieve rapprochement with the tradition. The argument proceeds through case studies of psychologist Carl Jung, visionary artist Laurence Caruana, and public speaker Jonathan Talat Phillips. Each case exhibits how symbolic loss of the Christian tradition throws the individual into a period of inner turmoil. When each of them read ancient gnostic texts, they do so to reinterpret the symbols of Christianity, specifically Christ, in ways that respond to forces of modernization. The article concludes that popular and religious interpretations of the ancient gnostics should be recognized as attempts by those who lost Christianity in the West to re-envision its cultural memory and reimagine Christianity in the present.
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1
King 2001, 2003, and 2005.
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2
On symbolic loss, see Homans 2000a, 2000b and 2008. In earlier writings, Homans used the term mourning to refer to the loss of a tradition or ideal as well as the process by which one overcomes symbolic loss through reinterpretation and rapprochement with it. See: Homans 1984 and 1989. Later theorists use the term mourning to encapsulate both the loss and the process. See Parsons 2008a, 2008b, and 2013; Carlin 2014. In this article, I used the term symbolic loss to refer explicitly to the loss of a religious tradition due to the effects of modernization. I use “mourning” to encapsulate the process in which individuals respond to symbolic loss with reinterpretation and achieve rapprochement.
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3
Homans 1989, 26–27; Homans 2008, 16–20 & 40–41.
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4
Homans 1989, 297–312.
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5
Homans 1989, 115–120, 145–150; Homans 2000a, 22–40; Homans 2008, 20–42.
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6
Berger 1967.
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7
Homans 1989, 19; Parsons 2008a, 63–64.
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8
Homans 1989, 119 & 126; Parsons 1964, 21.
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9
Homans 1989, 4–5 and 297–312; Homans 2008, 16–18. I use cultural memory in the sense designated by Jan and Aleida Assmann in a number of works. See J. Assmann 1997, 2011; J. Assmann and Livingstone 2006; A. Assmann 2011.
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10
Homans 1989, 26; Homans 2000, 231–233; Homans 2008, 18–20.
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11
Homans 2008, 13–41.
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12
Homans 2008, 18–20. See also Homans 2000a, 20: “symbolic loss refers to the loss of an attachment to a political ideology or religious creed . . . and to the inner work of coming to terms with this kind of loss. In this sense it resembles mourning. However, in the case of symbolic loss the object that is lost is, ordinarily, sociohistorical, cognitive, and collective.”
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13
Homans 1989, 126. Identity-confusion refers to a state in which the ego becomes incapable of synthesizing self-understanding with the variety of roles played in the social environment. Reciprocity between self-identity and social identity/identities is lost. See Erikson 1968, 211–221.
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14
Parsons 2008b, 102; Parsons 2013, 143–146.
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15
Parsons 2013, 143; Homans 1989, 122–128.
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16
Homans 1989, 5, 126–127.
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17
Parsons 2008b, 102.
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18
Homans 1989, 115–128, 139–142, and 336–338.
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19
Homans 1989, 112, 126, and 150; Parsons 2013, 142–146.
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20
Homans 1989, 306–307; Homans 2008, 18.
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21
Homans 2000a, 20; Homans 2008, 18.
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23
Homans 2008, 14–20.
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24
Homans 1984, 142–154; Homans 1989, 150–152, 326–343; Homans 2000b; Homans 2008.
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25
Homans 1989, 326–343; Homans 2008, 38–41; Parsons 2013, 143–146.
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26
James 2002, 26.
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27
Homas 1979; Homans 1989, 141–152; Parsons 2008b, 105–107.
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28
Jung 2009.
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30
Jung 1989, 10 and 36.
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31
Jung 1989, 39.
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32
Homans 1979, 148–151; Parsons 2008b, 105–107; Jung 1989, 52–55.
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33
Jung 1989, 146–169; Wehr 1987, 96–160.
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34
Homans 1979, 29–56 and 111–114.
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35
Jung and Hinkle 1916.
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36
Jung and Hinkle 1916. Note that although Joseph Campbell would later utilize Jung to construct his own theory of the “hero’s journey” monomyth, he and Jung depart on a number of points. Most notably, Campbell’s approach only tangentially touched on issues of unconscious mentation, symbolization, and psychodynamic healing, which for Jung are paramount. Campbell does attempt to read a mythic dimension into the development of self, but this is not psychoanalytic in any technical sense. See Campbell 1972.
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37
Freud and Jung 1974, 293–296; Jung 1916.
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38
See: Jung 1989, 167–168 and 193; Jung 2009, 333; Freud and Jung 1974, 550 and 551. On analytic access leading to a general withdrawal from the common culture to focus on introspection, see: Homans 1989, 112, 126, 150; Parsons 2013, 142–146.
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39
Jung and McGuire 1989, 172–173, 175–176.
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40
Homans 1989, 24; Parson 2008b, 102.
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41
Jung 1963, 174, “Die Auseinandersetzung mit dem Unbewußten.” It should be noted Homans’s own theorizing about mourning and individuation found first expression in his celebrated book on Jung. See Homans 1979, 115–132.
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42
Jung 1997.
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43
Jung 1989, 171.
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44
Jung 1989, 171.
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46
Jung 2009, 251–252. This imagination was not published in Jung 1989. It was published in Jung and McGuire 1989, 94–97.
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49
For the “Devil”: Jung 2009, 259–261, 277–279, and 317–320; For “Eros”: 298–299, 323–328; For Philemon: 327–331, 333–359; For Helios and the Self: 327–330.
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50
Jung 1956, 182–254; Jung 1978, 1–35.
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51
Jung 2009, 259–261.
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52
Jung 2009, 322–323. Jung would theorize this idea in Jung 1957 and 1978.
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53
Jung 2009, 314.
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54
Jung and McGuire, 1989, 67–91.
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55
Jung 2009, 292.
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56
Jung 2009, 309–310.
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58
Jung 2009, 290–1 and 342.
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60
The dead are a common theme. See Jung 2009, 342.
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61
Jung 2009, 346–356. Previously in Jung and Segal 1992, 182–193; Hoeller 1982, 44–59.
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63
Jung 2009, 350.
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64
Hippolytus, Haer. 7.22.16 Appears in Greek in Jung 1978, 66: “οὐκ ὃν σπέρµα τοῦ κόσµου πολύµορφον ὁµοῦ καἱ πολυούσιον.” Translation mine.
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65
Jung 2009, 347.
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66
Jung 2009, 347.
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67
Jung 2009, 359.
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69
Jung 2009, 359.
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70
Homans 1979, 161–192.
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71
See especially: Jung 1978, 1–35; Jung 1956, 70–99 and 182–253; and Jung 1957. Several scholars have analyzed how the “confrontation of the unconscious” became theorized in Jung’s psychology. See Homans 1979; Hannah 1991; Shamdasani 2009; Hillman and Shamdasani 2013.
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72
Jung and McGuire 1991, 67–91.
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73
Jung 1978, 36.
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74
See Jung and Segal 1992, 97–100. A multi-lingual translation of the Gospel of Truth, then entitled Evangelium Veritatis, was produced by Jung’s dear friend Gilles Quispel, as well as H.C. Peuch and Michael Malinine. It is this edition Jung was familiar with. See Mainline, Puech, Quispel 1956.
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75
Jung and Segal 1992, 98–99. Jung was presented with a translation of the Jung Codex in advance of the commemoration held for him in 1956.
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76
Jung 1979, 185–186, quoting Hippolytus, Haer. 7.9 and 5.17 Jung refers to Haer. by its alternate title, Elenchus.
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77
Jung 1959, 64–66. See Hippolytus Haer. 7.20–27.
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78
Jung 1959, 199.
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79
Jung 1978, 64; Hippolytus Haer. 7.27.
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80
Jung 1978, 212; Hippolytus Haer. 5.8.
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81
Caruana 2007 and 2009.
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91
Kazantzakis 1960.
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92
Robinson 1981, Jonas 1963. In our interview, Caruana states he made copies of Irenaeus and Hippolytus at the local library, though it is unclear what edition he consulted.
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99
Caruana 2009. See especially 1–40.
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100
Caruana 2009, 36, 291–293.
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103
Caruana 2007, 120–121. The reference is to Ap. John nhcii,1 15.1–19.3.
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104
Caruana 2007, 140–44, 170–171.
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106
Caruana 2007, 143. Source text Testim. Truth nhcxi, 3 30.20.
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107
Caruana 2007, 143.
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110
Turner 1994, 137–149. Caruana is aware of and has read Turner’s essay “Ritual in Gnosticism.” Caruana, Skype interview with author, Oct. 1, 2015.
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112
Caruana 2009, 283–4.
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113
Caruana 2009, 284.
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114
Caruana 2009, 95–109.
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115
Caruana 2007, 285.
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117
Caruana 2007, 105.
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118
Caruana 2007, 408–409.
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122
Phillips 2011, 53.
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123
Phillips 2011, 55.
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125
Phillips 2011, 53–61.
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126
Phillips 2011, 12.
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127
Phillips 2011, 1.
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129
Phillips 2011, 61.
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130
Phillips 2011, 1–11, 61–71.
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132
Freke and Gandy 1999, 2001, and 2006. Mythicism in its hard form (i.e., Jesus is not a historical personage) is typically traced to Bruno Bauer, 1850. Arthur Drews 1909 is the first to blend this notion of Mythicism with invention by a mystically oriented group of Jewish persons. Freke and Gandy go further in utilizing the Nag Hammadi codices to portray the original form of Christianity as a gnostic mystery religion.
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133
Freke and Gandy 2001, 88.
-
134
Freke and Gandy 1999, 191–250; Freke and Gandy 2001, 7–38.
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136
Freke and Gandy 1999, 89–132.
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139
Phillips 2011, 104. See Gos. Thom. nhcii,2 50.18–22.
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140
Phillips 2011, 21.
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141
Phillips 2011, 105.
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142
Phillips 2011, 105. See Ap. John nhcii,1 6.11–12.
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143
Phillips 2011, 78. Freke and Gandy 1999, 37–42.
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144
Phillips 2011, 116.
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145
Phillips 2011, 116. Phillips apparently accepts the equation between the Paul’s language of pneumatikos (1 Cor 15), Valentinian pneumatikoi and the more general category of Gnostic made between Freke and Gandy throughout their work. See Freke and Gandy 1999, 168–170 and 2001, 68–78. Ruah is Hebrew for “spirit.” Qi is Mandarin for “air, breath” and is most commonly associated in an American context with the practice of Tai Chi. Prana is Sanskrit for “breath” and is associated with practices in prana yoga. Mana is Maori for “pervasive supernatural power.” Phillips equates all of these as spirit power that can be used for healing and to cultivate altered states of consciousness and energy.
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148
Phillips 2011, 124–125; emphasis mine.
-
149
Phillips 2011, 125.
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150
Phillips 2011, 80; Ap. John nhcii,1 6.15–31. See parallels in Ap. John nhciii,1 9.2–11 and bg8502,2 30.2–11.
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151
Phillips 2011, 184.
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152
Phillips 2011, 184.
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154
Phillips 2011, 184.
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157
Phillips 2011, 82.
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158
Homans 2008, 16.
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161
Barret et al., “The Gospel of Judas,” 2006. Pagels’ Beyond Belief achieved New York Times best-seller status in 2003. See “New York Times—Best-Seller List for June 22, 2003.” Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code spent over two years on the New York Times best-seller list, over one year of those at number 1. See “New York Times—Best-Seller List for April 23, 2006.”
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Symbolic Loss, Memory, and Modernization in the Reception of Gnosticism
In: Gnosis: Journal of Gnostic StudiesSearch for other papers by Matthew J. Dillon in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Social scientist of religion Peter Homans has demonstrated that symbolic loss, cultural memory, and modernization are tightly intertwined. As a consequence of modernization, Western culture has lost a shared relationship to the symbols of its Christian past, leading to religious mourning. This article demonstrates that the category gnosticism opened up an imaginative possibility for individuals to reinterpret the cultural memory of the Christian past and achieve rapprochement with the tradition. The argument proceeds through case studies of psychologist Carl Jung, visionary artist Laurence Caruana, and public speaker Jonathan Talat Phillips. Each case exhibits how symbolic loss of the Christian tradition throws the individual into a period of inner turmoil. When each of them read ancient gnostic texts, they do so to reinterpret the symbols of Christianity, specifically Christ, in ways that respond to forces of modernization. The article concludes that popular and religious interpretations of the ancient gnostics should be recognized as attempts by those who lost Christianity in the West to re-envision its cultural memory and reimagine Christianity in the present.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 512 | 109 | 41 |
| Full Text Views | 230 | 5 | 1 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 68 | 9 | 0 |