Chaos and Order
WRITTEN BY: DR. MICHAEL BEAU O’NEILL ON NOVEMBER 10, 2023
Introduction
Dr. Jordan B. Peterson thoroughly investigates the human experience in his book, Maps of Meaning. Peterson provides the reader with insights from philosophy, mythology, and religion; and positions his psychological perspective around understanding the importance of meaning. He opens with “Something we cannot see protects us from something we do not understand. The thing we cannot see is culture,” and, “The thing we do not understand is the chaos that gave rise to culture.” He stretched my thinking in his opening page by summarizing the structure of culture and how disruption leads to the “return of chaos” and our natural defense against it. This immediately brought to mind Genesis, and my excitement to listen to his lecture on The Psychological Significance of the Biblical Stories: Genesis.”
Overview
Dr. Peterson is brilliant and his book is complex. It was by no means, “a fast read.” I coupled it with a handful of video lectures - that I was often rewinding in an attempt to grasp the fullness of his analysis. The essence of belief systems and their influence on our perception of reality are not exactly simple or relaxing topics. Nonetheless, I was able to gain a lot from his profound explorations, delving into fundamental inquiries about the nature of meaning and the complexities of the human psyche.
Origins of Chaos and Order
When I think of chaos today, I cannot help but see it as a product dating back to what some call the three rebellions; Adam, the fallen gods, and Babel. From a Christian biblical perspective, chaos and order manifest and reconcile in the foundational accounts of creation, the fall, and redemption through Christ. The Bible’s initial account in Genesis depicts the divine act of creating order and structure in the cosmos, illustrating God’s creative power in bringing order out of formlessness or chaotic state. However, the intrusion of chaos enters the biblical narrative (post-creation) through the disobedience of humanity, leading to The Fall and the introduction of disorder, suffering, and separation from God. Peterson articulates the biblical narrative as a redemptive “Hero’s Journey” where God, through His divine order and plan, seeks to restore harmony and meaning to a fallen world. The ultimate resolution is found in the promise of redemption through Jesus Christ (our hero), whose sacrificial death and resurrection bring order to the chaos of sin and offer humanity a path to reconciliation with God. In this Christian framework, chaos represents the disruption caused by sin, while order reflects the divine plan for restoration and redemption. Key biblical sources shaping this perspective can be found in Genesis, Psalms, the books of the prophets, and the Gospels, particularly the teachings of Jesus in Paul’s epistles.
Genesis
Genesis is my favorite book of the Bible. Genesis has always stood out and my family has quoted me saying, “If I had to choose only one book in the Bible, I would choose Genesis.” I think the reason I love it so much and have read and listened to so many commentaries on this particular book is due to my fascination with the mysterious origins of everything. The Bible, our world, and spirituality in general are mysterious enough without the need for dark-mystical engagement. Peterson discusses that enigma in both his book and lectures and incorporates mythology to unpack his thoughts on chaos, order, spirituality, and the psychological significance of Genesis. He credits the immense deepness of this book and describes it in his lecture as a “timeless piece of beautiful literature, that has outlived civilizations and holds truth today” (paraphrased). I believe the late Christian scholar Dr. Michael Heiser would agree with Peterson’s statement and has even recommended that we attempt to “read the Bible from a fictional perspective” to help us grasp the fullness and meaning of the entire story.
Conclusion
I enjoyed Peterson’s take on mythology and the truth buried in the legends. I can see through my own study how our Christian beliefs are rooted in many of the mythological tales and how Chaos has disrupted our entire existence. This is not surprising because sin and the dark powers at large have skewed the truth that many people group into one fairy tale. That is my point though, as Jay Woodward would say, “The truth is stranger than fiction,” and it is okay to view the Bible in a supernatural context. It is supernatural.
Although summarizing Peterson’s points of view from his lectures and books is nearly impossible in a few hundred words, I really enjoyed this week’s topic and gained a lot from the experience. I particularly favored the visual maps and analysis associated with his theory on the Regeneration of Stability from the Domain of Chaos (figure 9 below).” Maps are guides and Dr. Peterson provides the reader with a brilliant breakdown of how we got where are and how and why we want to return to order and to God.
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1. Peterson, Maps of Meaning, 13
2. Ibid
3. Peterson, YouTube, The Psychological Significance of the Biblical Stories: Genesis
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL22J3VaeABQD_IZs7y60I3lUrrFTzkpat
4. Dr. Michael Heiser, The Three Rebellions in the Bible, Unseen Realm 102, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOgrU4RzAmU&t=27s
5. Genesis 1:1-2
6. Peterson, YouTube, The Psychological Significance of the Biblical Stories: Genesis
7. Dr. Michael Heiser, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Konb50LyC5w
8. Dr. Peterson, Maps of Meaning, 79
