Wotan archetype

Dr. Paul Bishop on Jung and Nietzsche: Alchemists of the Abyss

Aeon Byte Gnostic RadioJul 17, 2026

Scholar Dr. Paul Bishop discusses the third volume of his series 'Jung and the Epic of Transformation', which examines how Nietzsche's 'Thus Spoke Zarathustra' shaped Carl Jung's psychology and his visionary Red Book. Both men were sons of clergymen who descended into the 'abyss' of the unconscious. Nietzsche collapsed into madness, while Jung, grounded by family, profession, and community, returned to tell the tale. The conversation contrasts Nietzsche's proclamation that 'God is dead' with Jung's view that God is sick and must be healed, and explores the dangers and rewards of the inner journey.