The concept of atonement is closely associated with forgiveness, reconciliation, sorrow, remorse, repentance, reparation, and guilt. It is a spiritual concept which has been studied since time immemorial in Biblical and Kabbalistic texts.
It is in a linked pair (or Syzygy) with forgiveness.
It is also associated with the Christian idea of confession and repentance which requires atonement.
Atonement is an archetypal idea and as such originates in an archetype (which Jung describes as “an irrepresentable, unconscious, pre-existent form that seems to be part of the inherited structure of the psyche and can therefore manifest itself spontaneously anywhere, at any time” (Jung 1958–1964, par. 847).
To atone is an act of conscience. True atonement must come from the ego since it must need a conscious humbling rather than moral superego flagellation from “on high” (“Ego” is used here in the Freudian sense, whereas from a Jungian perspective, true atonement would be an expression of Self).
Some...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Bibliography
Brinton Perera, S. (1986). The scapegoat complex: Toward a mythology of shadow and guilt. Toronto: Inner City Books.
Cook, L. (2003). Forgiveness and reconciliation: soul-healing in South Africa. Guild of Pastoral Psychology pamphlet No. 281.
Jung, C. G. (1952/1956) The sacrifice (trans: Hull, R.F.C.). In H. Read, M. Fordham, & G. Adler (Eds.), The collected works of C. G. Jung: Symbols of transformation (Vol. 5). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Jung, C. G. (1958/1964). A psychological view of conscience (trans: Hull, R. F. C.). In H. Read, M. Fordham, & G. Adler (Eds.), The collected works of C. G. Jung: Civilization in transition (Vol. 10). New York: Pantheon.
Klein, M. (1937/1988). Love, guilt & reparation. In Love, guilt and reparation: And other works 1921–1945. London: Virago Press.
Tutu, D. (1999). No future without forgiveness. London: Rider Press.
Tutu, D. (2004, February 16). The Longford lecture. Retrieved from http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/pdf%20files/LngfordLectTutu.pdf. Accessed 18 February 2004.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this entry
Cite this entry
Williams, R. (2014). Atonement. In: Leeming, D.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6086-2_55
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6086-2_55
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-6085-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-6086-2
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science