The Tyranny of Christ
In discussions with a good friend of mine I stumbled on this phrase: “the Tyranny of Christ.” The original context of the phrase was in discussion of a dream he had in which he followed a hero’s journey and retrieved a treasure representative of the Christ but found himself pursued by a tyrannical figure. This tyrannical element of the human psyche is endemic to the psychic experience in all men, and the individual struggle to integrate the energy appropriately reminded me that the instinctual human desire for autonomy makes the notion of submission to Christ in the Christian faith seem like a tyrannical demand. The use of the word “tyranny” here is to define the nature of human reaction to the Christian message, not to define Christ as tyrannical, as I hope to make clear. I would like to do my best to tie together a few concepts that I have found defining in my spiritual and psychological development. What follows is a discussion of Sanctification, Psychological and Personal Character Development, and a method of interpreting Spiritual Purpose through Archetypal Symbols.
The Purpose of the Christian Life
I used to believe the Eastern spiritual traditions had a monopoly, so to speak, on the process aspect of spiritual practice. That the West had little to offer the spiritual significance other than vacuous ritual, historically meaningful but presently devoid of any real potency. As I grew personally and spiritually, I found this was not the case. St. Paul makes it clear the Spirit is given for the development of the Image of Christ in the newly minted believer. As a Christian, or when you begin to move through Christian circles, often one of the first theology words thrown around is Sanctification. This word, meaning “the act of making or declaring something holy”, is used by St. Paul in the New Testament most often in reference to the purpose or goal of Christian living. St. Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:3, “For this is the Will of God, your sanctification..”. In other words, the Will of God is to “make you holy.” Like Christ said, “be holy as I am holy.” So then, if we are to pursue holiness, how then would we do so and what would it look like?
This holiness, contrary to the traditional view of Judaism at the time, had nothing to do with the keeping of the Law and everything to do with the development of the kind of character that points to the higher order calling of Christian life, defined by St. Paul as the “pursuit of the Image of Christ”, and it was developed through the accomplishment of “trial and temptation”. From here two mistakes are often made. The first, misguided individuals are led to believe that suffering is incumbent upon living a proper Christian life. This is false. Existing in a state of pain or suffering does not qualify as “pursuit of the Image of Christ.” And the second, too often verses found in the likes of James 1 and Romans 6 are haphazardly offered to console those who are struggling or hurting in the misguided belief that sweetness and light constitute proof of true Christian living. These are both terribly naïve interpretations of the purpose of the Christian life. St. Paul paints a much different picture.
“Consider it a great joy.. ..when you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. ” — James 1:2
In Roman’s chapter 5 he writes, “..but we also rejoice in our afflictions because we know that the affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope.” Elsewhere we see in James 1, “Consider it a great joy.. ..when you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.” Endurance is a character trait that is evidenced by resilience and compassion. These references define the purpose of suffering/pain/trial as the development of endurance, and notice that it has nothing to do with easing pain or suffering but rather in developing resilience. This winnowing process takes place “so that you may be mature and complete..”, this sense of wholeness akin to that of Shalom is synonymous with Jungian Individuation. The purpose of Individuation being the escape from the dictatorial nature of the Ego and the purely selfish motivations it engenders, this spiritual development creates the psychological grounds for interpersonal communication, connection, social intelligence, and community building. These developments are a fundamental aspect of what we consider properly socialized human beings, and with that key to the success of the Gospel. How are we to share fundamental Truths about our world without social skills and credibility?
The Archetype of Christ as the goal of Sanctification
St. Paul’s teaching, that the nature of Christian living is living in submission to the Image of Christ, reflects the manner in which the Psyche develops in archetypal stages. As Christ is the Archetypal man, a living example of existing in right relationship to God, He embodies the Image of God that Yahweh references in Genesis; that is, He is the perfect man. Living, acting, speaking, BEING Man as God intended Man to be. To “pursue the Image of Christ” as St. Paul defines it is to pursue being the kind of Being that God originally intended, existing as an Image of God manifesting God’s character throughout the whole of Creation. And Sanctification is the process by which that original intent of God’s is achieved. Jung’s observations of the universality of this process in human psychological development lends credibility to the Christian message. This synchronicity, the archetypal nature of spiritual experience and the Christian notion of the Image of Christ as an archetypal pattern of living to be emulated, make for a useful and more specified means of defining how Christian character is developed in an individual.
The Tyrant is the bipolar shadow of the King energy. Properly expressed, the King archetype gives men strength of purpose and the will to bring order, protection, and preservation to their dominion. Improperly expressed in the Tyrant men are vindictive, demanding, selfish, and brutal. The purpose here is not to define Christ as such, but rather to recognize the natural human reaction to the Tyrant and the natural human reaction to submission to the Image of Christ are of the same nature. The rejection of Tyranny is driven by the very same Will to Power that drives the rejection of the Image of Christ as worthy of pursuit. Nietzsche defined the Will to Power as the fundamental human motivation, and what is the application of power other than the ability to self-define, or the desire for autonomy? Here, the purpose of the Christian message makes its meaning clear. To seek salvation is to subsume the ego and to replace it with the Will of God, to pursue the Image of Christ. To be shaped in the Image of the Archetypal Man, Jesus Christ. How? Sanctification, the process by which we are made holy, is by repeated experience of the guiding Spirit. It is an active process, not a momentary commitment but a life lived with intentionality to relinquish the Ego and allow the Image of Christ to dictate what constitutes the Self. But the expectation is the willing choice to relinquish the Ego and cling to the Image of Christ.
This and this alone is what defines the Believer, and distinguishes them from the Unbeliever. Notice it is not in the success in doing so that defines the Believer, but the commitment to the process of Sanctification that draws the distinction. To successfully submit the Will to the Image of Christ is a momentary success, not a permanent state. It is characterized by a persistent repentance, not consistent moral effort though it wears that disguise too often.
Fulfilling the Image of Christ
The development of Christian character is a process and that process of development takes a lifetime of learned experience. Much of the modern Evangelical movement has focused on church growth, on getting people in the door through outreach and event planning, rather than through the development of Christian character as the greatest testament to the success of the Church. As Christians we are called to take part in this process, to actively participate. Salvation is not a sudden transmutation of the Self, it is a lifelong endeavor of directing the Will into alignment with Christ. Charity, humility, resilience, honesty; these traits are distinguishing but require dedicated time and attention to develop into near-instinctual response. St. Paul is clear, “no longer slave to sin but slave to righteousness.” — Romans 6:18. Perhaps Christ, as the only one worthy of absolute authority, reserves the right to be tyrannical in His exclusion of the character and disposition human nature finds most instinctual.
To risk simplifying the triune relationship between Father Son and Holy Spirit: the Death of Christ the Son accomplishes Redemption, the Spirit draws the soul to God, and the Father the Judge vindicates the Righteous. These archetypal expressions of sacrifice, redemption, and authority paint a clear picture of ideal human character. The ability to relinquish the Ego, the capacity to forgive and meet souls as they are, and the wisdom to judge are representative of the mature individual.
This calling, to pursue Christ and fulfill the Image of God, is one of lifelong effort inspired by the Holy Spirit. As Christians, let us not try and sell the short game of momentary confessions and promises of post-mortem paradise. Let us spur on humanity candidly, inspiring each other to the pursuit of wholeness, Shalom; to become Whole Individuals.
