A mind free to explore with John A Sanford
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A mind free to explore with John A Sanford
Interview with John A Sanford about the many forms of Christianity, Jung's view on evil and Fritz Künkel's we-psychology
My years of researching the dialogue between Jungian psychology and Christianity have been guided by what Jungian analyst Robert A Johnson named a series of slender threads, “the mysterious forces that guide us and shape who we are.”
Through Murray Stein, I was led to the works of Jungian Analyst and Episcopal priest John A Sanford (1929-2005). Sanford was a friend of Johnson and they both had their analysis with Fritz Künkel (who developed the today mostly forgotten idea of a "we-psychology"), in San Francisco.
Johnson said about Künkel, “He saved my life. He taught me a language which was coherent and which opened up the inner world to me.” In this episode of Psychology & The Cross, I share parts of an interview that was done with Sanford in the 1980s for the initiative profiles in Jungian-Christian dialogues by James Arrays.
Sanford begins the interview by defining his own understanding of Christianity as a religion, where the mind is free to explore. He then turns to clarify some of Jung's confusing statements about evil and to defend the Privatio Boni. Sanford does not seem evil as an integral part of God but as something allowed for by the higher purposes of God.
Sanford thereby inhabits the position of his mentor and analyst Fritz Künkel (who I plan an episode on for the podcast) by placing evil not within the Self (or within God) but within the ego(-centricity) of man.
Sanford ends the interview by broadening the definition of individuation, from an individual and narrowly psychological process to more of a spiritual and inclusive definition that includes life itself.
Recommended reading:
Fritz Kunkel: Selected Writings edited by John Sanford.
The Kingdom Within: A Study of the Inner Meaning of Jesus’ Sayings
A mind free to explore with John A Sanford
Hi Kristopher, I am glad you found the interview interesting. Sanford really brings a lot of clarity to the table and I agree with how the human and relational element is more emphasized by him.
This was a very interesting interview. I have always had difficulty in conceptualizing Jung's idea of individuation. It has always seemed vague to me because of how psychologically abstract his views were. Sanford brings a more human element to the idea of individuation by including the story of the Vietnam veteran. The real question of individuation to me is, "What will it take to burn away the deadwood of the unconscious to become/come as close as possible to the archetype of the Self?" Introducing a more social view in terms of self-sacrifice for the sake of others has definitely given me more to think about, and, finally, a way to concretize Jung's abstract psychology. Thank you for sharing this post. I look forward to reading/listening to the others you have on here.