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Trichotomy Perfected |
What is Trichotomy?
A trichotomy is define in the Wikipedia as a splitting into three parts, much like Dr. Carl Jung view on the human psyche. Furthermore, Wikipedia refers to the theological idea that man has a threefold nature. Lets take a closer look at above mentioned trichotomies.
Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and founder of analytical psychology. He is best known for his theories of the Collective Unconscious. Dr. Jung divided the psyche into three segments; our ego which can be translated as our conscious mind; our personal unconscious which refers to the unconscious mind; and our collective unconscious which refers to an obscured source of collective knowledge. Jung postulated that collective unconsciousness had an unseen connection between one soul to another and additionally, it had a link to a higher order of intelligence. Details of his theory are readily available on the internet such as http://www.nndb.com/people/910/000031817/
‘May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ -1 Thes. 5:23
In Galatians 5:22, Paul believed that the spirit housed love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness... These are traits that we directly or indirectly possess in relations to others. Love cannot be fully appreciated without another person. The apostle also believed that we communicate God's intent through the spirit. With a little reasoning, one confronts the first characteristic of the spirit: plurality. Both Apostle Paul and Dr. Jung infer this theme of collectivism hidden deep within. If the body is driven by instinct through self-preservation (singularity) then the spirit is driven by intuition through mutual preservation. I will elaborate at a later time.
Although there lies fundamental differences between the two men’s perspective, they agree on two main points:
1. A higher order of intelligence deep within us; and
2. The human is divided in three parts with respect to their psyche.
It is not my goal to reject any part of the trichotomy but to suggest the importance of all three in harmony.
We will continue this mini-series on my next blog.
© 2011 Unlimited Harmony - Tricotomas
2 comments:
I am very intrigued by your writings and and your effort at conveying the idea of Trichotomy is a make-up of our psyche by God. You are blessed with an ability to convey a sort of psychological makeup in all humans that is Devine. I would call that Dualism. We are a non material and material state. Although we exist in both states some may only believe in the one state. that of the material state such as humanism, darwinism and the like. We as Christians also have 2 natures, one of the holy spirit that dwells within when we accept Christ and one is sin that came from Adam. It is plain to see especially when we struggle with the 2 natures as Paul so clearly states in Roman 7:15-25
So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.
But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t.
I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. I have discovered this principle of life–that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.
I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?
Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
That we as humans with the covenant given by God the laws that are stamped on our hearts is hard to explain my any material only make-up.
If there is right and wrong, there must be a moral law, if there is a moral law there must be a moral law giver, as Ravi Zacharias so eloquently states it.
I will keep reading. I too am a motivational coach and team leader.
I motivate from a different angle and for different reasons, non-the-less a motivator.
God Bless and looking forward to reading more of your Blogs.
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