An excellent paper by Dylan Burns, who earned his Ph.D. in religious studies (Early Christianity) at Yale University and is currently doing postdoc work at the Centre for Naturalism and Christian Semantics at the University of Copenhagen:
Personal identity is negotiated within a complex of social groups, and is formed not only from within a group but also from without. It is fragmented, each affirmation of identity being a separate reference to difference with some "other" social group. At times discourses of identity are primarily concerned with differentiation and achieve it by villifying the "other" in reference to the ongoing discourse about the self; they polemicize.
This study in polemics and esotericism will discuss how the Gospel of Thomas (Nag Hammadi Codex, tractate 2) has been appropriated in New Age and Neognostic discourse, in the form of commentaries, in order to fulminate against "mainstream Christianity" and secular culture. In these commentaries a diverse array of fragmented identities (Christian, Gnostic, Jungian, Buddhist, New Ager, scholar, seeker, mystic, etc.) are negotiated in the effort to differentiate the self and its esoteric truth-claims from what is perceived as intolerant Christendom..." read the full article here
I am deeply sympathetic to Dr Burns' contentions, but worry that he has cast all New Age or Neo-Gnostic commentaries as polemical, which seems to be in no small amount a projection on his part. While many modern Gnostic accounts of the Thomas text are directed at the intolerance and bigotry enacted in the name of orthodox Christianity, they are by no means universal in their antipathy to orthodoxy, often as they are at great pains to acknowledge the debt which modern Gnosticism owes to orthodoxy.
ReplyDeleteI found this paper while looking for research into group identity issues and was disappointed by the many presuppositions brought to the study that so pre-determine the rest of the exercise -- making in a form a circular argument. Without a sound method, such "explorations" are exercises in rhetoric. Of course, I may be biased by expecting more from the paper.
ReplyDeleteI also understand the heightened sensitivity of someone who identifies with the target of perceived attacks. Put two such groups together and you have opposing shadow projections that generally escalate beyond all objective bases.
As we all know, though perhaps in different terms, the transition between the point of participating in the identity of a group and the point of making their spiritual path a way of life, is a very long and difficult one. Example is the best form of aid, guidance in the form of "re-framing" the situation in a different way is of aid. Ultimately, it is up to the growth/development of the individual many just grow out of it over time, others need to be gently made aware of it and given the tools to work on it.