Myth and Meaning in Jordan Peterson: A Christian Perspective

by Ron Dart

Popular philosopher Jordan Peterson has captured the imagination of Western world.For some, Peterson represents all that is wrong with patriarchal culture; for others, he is the Canadian academic prophet who has come to save civilization from dizzying confusion. Regardless of how one feels about him, his influence in North America--and beyond--is difficult to deny. While the "Peterson phenomenon" has motivated numerous articles and responses, much of what has been written is either excessively fawning or overly critical. Little has been produced that explores Peterson's thought--especially his immensely popular 12 Rules for Life--within the context of his overall context and scholarly output. How is one to understand the ascendency of Jordan Peterson and why he's become so popular? Does his earlier Maps of Meaning shed light on how one might understand his worldwide bestseller, 12 Rules for Life? In Myth and Meaning in Jordan Peterson, scholars across various disciplines explore various aspects of Jordan Peterson's thought from a Christian perspective. Both critical and charitable, sober-minded and generous, this collection of ten essays is a key resource for those looking to faithfully engage with Jordan Peterson's thought.

Genres: Philosophy, Psychology, Christian, Nonfiction, Cultural, Religion, Biography

246 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 2, 2020

Reviews

[Tara Brabazon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow. This book is pretty desperate and dateless. Religion. Politics. Free speech. The bible. With a dash of totalitarianism thrown into the mix.

Yes, the fall of Western Society - nay the world - has been caused by those "neo-marxist postmodernists." They are not to be trusted, because they read society through the lens of oppression. Supposedly reading society through the lens of agency, individual choice and the truths presented in the bible is a much more effective strategy.

Where this book becomes productively tangled up for researchers who want to watch the slow motion train wreck, is when the authors attempt to align Jordan Peterson, 'science' and 'religion.' Are we having fun yet?

This is an example of an edited collection that attempts to make very simple ideas more complex, by pretending that a faith structure is an epistemology. Good luck with that.

[Abby Litrenta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting collection of essays on Peterson. I was a little disappointed that many of the essays weren’t more critical… not necessarily that they needed to be negative, but I felt that many of the essays simply described Peterson’s thought rather than interacting critically with it. There were however a handful of excellently written essays that were helpful for thinking through how Christians should appropriate/appreciate/engage with Peterson’s thought. For anybody who dislikes JP, this is not the book for you: this collection is a very favorable take on his influence in the world and even in the church.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll give this 4 stars just because I think the essays were quality. But they didn't teach anything about Peterson that wasn't already known. I would also have liked to have seen more criticism of Peterson's views since they are purported to have some semblance to biblical thought but, in fact, are nothing other than what the Apostle Paul would have called "a form of godliness" but denies its power (2 Tim. 3:5).

[Samuel G. Parkison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rather enjoyed this book. Its publication alone calls attention to the fascinating phenomenon Jordan Peterson is. The strongest chapter, in my estimation, is Bruce Ashford's. He positions Peterson within a stream of excellent social commentators to show where he nails it, and where his own metaphysical and religious commitments leave his answers insufficient. It is in this chapter, unsurprisingly (on account of Ashford's affinity with Dutch Reformed theology), that the theological "antithesis" is maintained strongly.

Other portions maintained the central impoverishment of Peterson's system, but with varying degrees. The format for most of these chapters (outline of Peterson's thoughts on a given topic, appreciation for commonalities, and highlights of where Peterson falls short) make the book very readable. The exception to this rule of format is Alastair Roberts' chapter that, while laying out a great description of Peterson's concerns as a champion for free speech (and opponent of compelled speech), lacked analysis from the perspective of the Christian worldview (which is a pity, given how much Western Classical Liberal values like free speech owe to the heritage of a broadly Christian worldview). Another standout chapter is Hunter Baker's on Peterson's criticism of Marxism, Postmodernism, and Neo-Marxism. This, I think, is one of Peterson's greatest contributions as a public intellectual, and Baker brings this out well.

My two critiques of the book have more to do with apologetic methodology. First, I think Ron Dart's chapter bespeaks an optimism for Peterson's usefulness in Christian apologetics that a thoroughgoing Reformed soteriology does not warrant (I don't know what Dart's views on soteriology are, so that may or may not land as an actual criticism in his own ears). Second, and like it, Dart's chapter, as well as T.S. Wilson's and Laurence Brown's lacked, in my estimation, sufficient emphasis on the metaphysical break between orthodox Christianity and Peterson. His Jungian retrieval of mythology, funneled through psychology, may differ from most materialistic modernism, or skeptical postmodernism, but it nevertheless still presupposes a materialistic cosmos. Peterson is therefore incapable of agreeing with the Christian tradition about what the Bible IS. This was the biggest disappointment in this section of the book, which contained outstanding analysis on Peterson's creative biblical hermeneutic--a section otherwise strong was weakened by the glaring reality left untouched by all three chapters (although Wilson's comes close with his emphasis on stressing the importance of contemplation of Jesus Christ as the burning center of Scripture). The glaring reality that demands attention is this: for Christians, Scripture is DIVINE REVELATION. In other words, these chapters on hermeneutics were interesting, but they left the impression that the difference between Christianity's bibliology and Peterson's could be basically the same (or at least doesn't matter), and that the difference is one of emphasis, or--like in Brown's chapter--theological and historical conviction regarding the death and resurrection of Christ. In fact, the differences are far, far deeper.

The length of the above paragraph should not give the impression that the book was bad overall. To the contrary, it is very good, and I commend it highly.

*Lexham press was kind enough to give me this book, and they did not demand or expect a positive review. "Myth and Meaning in Jordan Peterson" gets a positive review because it is, in my estimation, a good book.

[Ian Clary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jordan Peterson has, for health and personal reasons, largely left the scene since his recent meteoric rise as a public intellectual. Now that there has been a break from his regular updates on social media, or his videos on YouTube, it gives us an opportunity to reflect on the impact he has made. Christians especially should be thoughtful about Peterson, as his domain and ours have some significant theological and philosophical overlaps. This book, edited by Canadian political scientist Ron Dart, provides us this opportunity. With an excellent set of contributors, "Myth and Meaning in Jordan Peterson" is a great way to consider both the impact that Peterson has had on the world at large, and on the church in particular.
The work has chapters dealing Peterson and secularism, myth and the destruction of memory, allegorical exegesis of the bible, science and religion, and the problem of evil, among others. Each of the essays are well written and thoughtfully and critically engage with Peterson's thought. I was especially helped by Alastair Roberts' chapter on Peterson and free speech, where he notes that beyond speech as a good, Peterson argues that it is grounded in the Logos that speaks truth. Therefore, for us to participate properly in reality (or Being), we must always speak freely and truthfully. Roberts rightly notes that, "Where free speech is closed down, people are vulnerable to ideological possession." Roberts also notes the problems facing Peterson's views of free speech, particularly whether the latter can address reasonable challenges to it like the spread of extremist viewpoints, etc.
I also really appreciated Esther O'Reilly's chapter on Peterson as a humanist thinker. O'Reilly writes with verve, so her chapter was both informative and entertaining. She begins with a great quote about seeing the image of Christ in a pauper from "Canticle for Leibowitz," relating it to Peterson's own experience of a patient of his who was deeply harmed but who wanted to help others in the psych ward who were worse off than her. Peterson recognises something of intrinsic value in every human, a divine spark as it were, which motivates him in his obvious care for the individual and for society at large.
I could say more, but I'll leave it at that. I will say that I'm glad that this book is edited by a Canadian thinker and has contributions from other Canadians -- all seemingly involved, one way or another, with the University of the Fraser Valley. Not only should Christians be thinking through Peterson's relationship to God and the church, so should his fellow countrymen take Peterson seriously as a Canadian intellectual, as one of our own, for good or ill. For me, I would say it's the former. And this book shows why.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent foray into Jordan Peterson's thought by thoughtful Christian scholars. Very good.

Note: I work for the publisher.

[James Tunde O. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can not get enough of Jordan Peterson. His speeches, lectures, and book, 12 Rule for Life: An Antidote for Evil, have gripped me for the past 3 years.

This book gave me the opportunity to further contemplate his ideas with the help of theologians, philosophers, and scholars with a christian perspective. The book was brief, but the material was dense. The thought that plagued me the most was the realization that I have not read the Bible in its entirety, yet I have questions regarding its relationship to science and the meaning in the stories know to me via secondhand sources.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is familiar with Jordan Peterson and is also a follower of Jesus Christ.

[Jarmo Larsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose this book primarily because I was curious about the phenomenon of Jordan Peterson in Christian circles, why so many Christians are, so to speak, engrossed about him, almost in the same way that many believers are engrossed about Israel and the things that's happening there. I've only read "12 Rules for Life" by Peterson, and it did not feed me very much. But for some reason it has given many people a great deal.
So what is it that Christians see in Jordan Peterson that I necessarily haven't quite managed to see?
What I have noticed that could be one of the reasons is the way he uses and presents the Bible in his lectures and books. But is that a trust-inspiring good enough reason to embrace what he writes and talks about? He is not quite on track exegetically and hermeneutically, also according to one of the authors in "Myth and Meaning in Jordan Peterson", so why should Christians then spend time on Peterson's work? In addition, he does not profess to be a believer either, but remains more agnostic to the Christian faith. So why then should Christians spend time on Peterson's work? The book points out that Peterson does not stand for any historic or orthodox Christian faith. So why should Christians then spend so much time on Peterson's work? Peterson's view of the NT is not based on it being true, but on the fact that it has had enormous significance for the growth and prosperity of the West. The latter is probably true, but why should Christians then spend time on his work when he doesn't impose NT the truth value it really has? Peterson also does not recognize the Bible as God's Word, but considers many of the Biblical stories to be myths, but on the other hand with important symbolic value and elements of truth that can be conveyed in order to give people the best possible life in the time we're living in today. So why should Christians thus spend time on Peterson's work? This and some other question marks I ask myself about Peterson's popularity in Christian circles today.
Many Christians are probably waiting for Petersons great moment of salvation, especially when it is said that his wife already has found the Way. We can all hope and pray.

"Myth and Meaning in Jordan Peterson" may not have given me much more insight into why Christians are so captivated by what he conveys. But it still gave me a slightly broader insight into Jordan Peterson, what he stands for and how he functions as a communicator of his message. I also got a little bit of insight into why his popularity is what it is. The book is divided into 10 chapters, each written by someone familiar with his work, including editor Ron Dart. I didn't know any of the authors beforehand, but they still gave me a few drops of wisdom and insight into the Peterson phenomenon, but not enough for it to become all-consuming for me.

The book gives a small introduction to the Christianity that Peterson presents, not in any negative or directly critical way, but where it is still pointed out that it is not what we today call historical or orthodox Christianity, but rather revised from Peterson's side to our modern and secular age according to the book's first author, Bryce Riley Ashford. He also says a little later that Peterson's belief in the New Testament is not based on it being true, but that it has had enormous significance for the growth and prosperity of the West. On the other hand, he emphasizes the ethics of NT and the teachings of Jesus, and a little later in the book it is written and pointed out that the world would have been a much better place according to Peterson if everyone had lived like Jesus. Peterson includes Christlikeness as a necessary good for humanity. The problem arises when a non-Christian psychologist brings out so much of the Bible, also in areas that Christians calls sanctification, and more or less encourages people to live like Jesus. Then I would say that the whole thing quickly becomes a legalistic struggle that you are not able to do on your own anyway. In other words, Peterson lacks the communication about God's power for this to have a chance to happen. But I see Petersons point as valid and true although impossible without the power of God. The author of the first chapter nevertheless points out that there must be true faith in God, a faith that believes that He is really there, and treat the Bible as if it also were true. We can say it in Ashford's words that Peterson is received as a kind of high priest where his life coaching combines the cultural authority of the social sciences together with the spiritual appeal of religious promptings. Ashford also points out the dangers that this can lead to by becoming kind of a state religion in one's life rather than a personal faith in God. In the book, it is also said that he chooses to tell old stories as myths in order to bring back the so-called virtue ethics and the older understanding of how characters are formed.

Otherwise, I got a few hints that Peterson is very concerned with postmodernism and goes against it quite strongly. Further in the book, the authors bring out a lot of politics and philosophy mixed with an academic language, preferably with psychological elements and undertones, which I think only a very few manage to fully grasp. It is, in a way also how Peterson also expresses much of what he writes. The occasional drips that I managed to grasp of understanding and insight still gave me some meaning about the things that has to do with Peterson. One drop I got is the importance Jordan Peterson places on free speech in society, that without it people will become vulnerable to ideological possessions. Good point.

I still missed a little more of the Christian perspective that the title also points out around the book, while at the same time a little too much emphasis was placed on topics that Peterson brings up than on Jordan Peterson himself and what he stands for. As I said earlier, the book became a bit too political, philosophical and academic for my taste, and there was much that became far too "high-flying" for me. One should also advantageously have some prior knowledge of areas such as Neo Marxism, people such as Søren Kirkegård and American politics, to name a few, in order to get the best possible benefit of the book. On the whole, Peterson is perhaps the clearest non-believer who deals with the Bible in a way that is more relevant to the modern world than others in his genre. This comes i.a. evident in his view of the sacrificial rituals, which are often seen as somewhat primitive today, but in Peterson's eyes are among the greatest ideas ever to come to the mind of man. This is something that is directly contrary to our survival instincts, as the author of that chapter also points out. It is also pointed out that even if his biblical interpretation is not of the best kind, the way he presents the biblical texts is nevertheless admirable. On the positive side, for many this can be, according to Laurence Brown, a door opener for understanding and getting closer to the Christian faith. Hopefully so.

One of the things that I appreciated reading about Jordan Peterson is how he really seems to care about the patients and people he meets who are struggling. He can give them understanding and answers with tears in his eyes, which shows that he takes his calling very seriously. An example is given when a youth expressed the idea of committing suicide soon, and how Peterson by answering his questions gave him hope, and after later exchanges with this youth, he was still alive.
All in all, I still don't quite understand why so many Christians almost give him the status of a spiritual leader in Christendom, with everything that can be questioned around him from a Biblical point of view. I still have no doubt that he has helped many into a richer life, even many believers.

[Mark Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very thoughtful and scholarly (appreciative) Christian critique of Peterson's work, from multiple perspectives. Very enjoyable. The final impression is of a modern philosopher who promotes being 'Christ-like', but falling short of promoting being 'Christ-ian'. Peterson is an inspiring speaker and humanitarian, controversial yet in touch with the Western myth - and he hits the spot with a generation seeking a meta-narrative, wisdom and purpose.

[Robert Renteria · Rating 4 out of 5]

An eye opener to the thought of Jordan Peterson

I was greatly informed by this reading and feel I understand his perspectives better. What seems defificient in the read is a more critical analysis of the unviability of some tensions Peterson maintains. It has provoked me to read his actual writings.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

REALLY loved this wide-ranging, scintillating, imminently readable and insightful set of essays on Jordan Peterson. The most pleasant surprise was that the book functioned largely as an overview of modern philosophy, as it thoroughly traced all the roots of Peterson's beliefs, which made it both fascinating and deeply rewarding. A rich read.

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe 3.5. Some reviews were more helpful than others. I definitely learned more about Peterson after this book. My intuitions were headed in the right direction, and this gave more flesh to the bones.

[Servando Patlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great primer

This book is a great primer on the phenomenon that is Jordan Peterson. Reading the book will contribute greatly to benefiting from the many Jordan Peterson YouTube videos and boooks.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ya no pude soportarlo más. Me faltó un capítulo y medio porque realmente no estaba aprendiendo ni disfrutando. Los ensayos son más que nada una exposición del propio pensamiento de Peterson, que para eso, pues mejor lo Leo o escucho directamente.

[Johann Rossouw · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have returned this book - not the first time that I have acquired a book and not done proper homework - it is not by Joran Peterson, but about him - sorry, my mistake!