First United Methodist Church of San Diego, California "Heart of Christianity" sunday School Questions for Discussion on Sunday 8 February 2015

First United Methodist Church of San Diego, California "Heart of Christianity" sunday School Questions for Discussion on Sunday 8 February 2015
Hi to All:
We'll discuss chapter 4 about Carl Jung and the Collective Unconscious. Here are some issues and questions to ponder for preparation for our discussion.
1. First, we must define a few Jungian concepts: conscious/unconscious (or subconcious); collective unconscious, Ego/ego, Psyche, Self, Archetype, Persona and Shadow. I want to make several easy assignments. Will the following people come to class prepared to define the one concept assigned to you: What is it and what does it do?
Kathee and Lembi: conscious and subconscious (or unconscious)
Ken and Joyce: collective unconscious and archetype
Liz and Patricia: Ego and ego
Harry and Kay: Psyche
Jerral and Nan: Self
Carolee and Bill: Persona
Terry and Mary Beth: Shadow
(The two assigned people don't necessarily have to collaborate with each other; just add additional information to the other's explanation. Please keep it simple!)
2. P. 83, 1st full Parag. What is "individuation"? (See also p. 84, 2nd Parag.)
3. P. 84, 1st Parag. Geering writes that Jung "saw the God-image as a symbol for the wholeness that the Self is seeking...Geering quotes Jung: "The religious need longs for wholeness, and therefore lays hold of the images of wholeness offered by the unconscious, which, independently of our conscious mind, rise up from the depths of our psychic nature." My question to you: Where does Persona, Self, ego and Shadow fit into or against the quote, above?
4. P. 84, 2nd Parag. Meister Eckhart (1260-1327, C.E.), a medieval Christian mystic, said: "The eye with which I see God and the eye with which God sees me is one and the same eye." If you can, please explain this statement. Is this the same concept as in the Gospel of John, where Jesus says, "I am in the Father and the Father in me...I and the Father are one"? How is this statement related to the Jungian collective unconscious, the Self, or the Ego?
5. P. 85, 2nd Parag. What does Geering say about Schleiermacher, Feuerbach and Jung?
6. P. 86, 1st full Parag. What did the Catholic theologian, Van de Pol, say in 1968 about modern psychology?
7. P. 86, the full sentence at the end of this page. Read it, ponder it, and please comment on it.
8. Finally, please bring your favorite passage from this chapter to class, and we'll discuss it until time runs out.
I look forward to Sunday's discussion -- may it be robust, perky and sizzling! Best wishes, Ben
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