Carl Jung

Carl Jung, born in 1875, was a psychotherapist; that is, he was a person in the study of the mind and in treating behavioral or emotional disorders.  He believed that people's mental problems could be solved by interaction with someone who was trained in how the mind and psyche worked.  He believed in using non-physical methods,  rather than medications or things that have a more physical effect.  As a "scientist int his field of study, Jung wrote many books about his studies of the human mind and how it works; it's behavioral patterns as well as his ideas of patient doctor methods of dealing with mind disorders.  His book titles include, Symbols of Transformation, (1912) and Modern Man in Search of a Soul. (1955)

Jung, was the contemporary of another famous psychologist, Sigmund Freud; and though they were both in the same field of study at the same time in history, both interested in human behaviors, Jung had more of a spiritual take on psychology than Freud.  Freud, a Jewish man, claimed to be an atheist and he despised religion.  Freud and Jung, though they both studied the mind and human behavior, even met one another and discussed their beliefs and discoveries, had their strong differences of opinion.

Freud, until the time of his death, believed that religion was "an escape" from reality, he even called it, a "collective Neurosis," and believed religion should not be propagated.  Jung on the other hand, was intrigued by the notion of religion's role in societies as well as in the life of the individual.  On a personal level, he took interest in the occult.

Jung was interested specifically in channeling, and even consulted regularly with a spirit guide who he said was named Philemon.  Jung also believed in the power of dreams and dreaming and interested in  deciphering their hidden meanings.  He was a pioneer, they say, in "dream analysis."  He believed that "modern man" relied too much on science and logic and that he would benefit from understanding his unconscious realms of being, a place he tried to explore within himself and others.  He thought religions of all kinds had commonalities and saw spirituality and religion as a way for people to connect with people and make discoveries of who they are as individuals... discovering both "self and "the divine" or "God."    

It is no surprise that Jung had good thoughts about religious ideas, even though he rejects the central issues of God and Jesus Christ being the only way "to the Father"for he was the son of a Christian pastor, grew up in a Christian home, they were familiar ideals.  He never adopted his father's "faith" in Christ, but even so, in his psychological theory, he inevitably made reference to Jesus, but this without regard for Him as God.  Taking it all a step further, Jung also believed that men and women were not "whole" until they had some kind of spiritual experience, but in his mind this experience did not have to be Christian... it could be any religion and any kind of spirit..  He believed this quest of finding and discovering what he called "self" was the true connecting point between all religions and subsequently all peoples..

It's notable that one mainstream organization still in existence in our day and age, was influenced by the work of Carl Jung.  This group is known as  Alcoholics Anonymous. In fact, Carl Jung and Bill W., one of the founders of AA  were correspondents.

(See the above links as well as the excerpts of these letters, published in AA’s Pass It On: The Story of Bill Wilson and How the AA Message Reached the World. 1984, pp. 381-386)