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Academic discourse does not often reference the idea of antichrist, perhaps because it is seen as archaic or as too closely associated with religious fundamentalism. Robert Isaac Skidmore, a depth psychotherapist and an Orthodox priest, argues that antichrist, alongside its theological meaning, designates an aspect of our psychological, social, and political experience that becomes hazardous, especially when ignored or dismissed. Seeing Donald Trump's cultural and political influence as expressive of an archetypal pattern,
Skidmore explores implications of taking the idea of antichrist seriously-in order to lift it toward conscious awareness and responsible use. Christian individuals are asked to reconsider the theological function of the notion of antichrist as a summons to self-scrutiny concerning their fidelity to truth. Readers, religious or not, are invited to awareness of antichrist's archetypal contours, in order to appreciate its significance for the understanding of psychological and social phenomena and to better understand the implications of its use-including its potential benefits and hazards.
Table of Contents
Foreword by Steven-John Harris, Ph.D.
Introduction
I. Antichrist in Its Theological Setting
Scriptural Context
Antichrist as Idol
Antichrist as Marker Between Truth and Error
II. Antichrist in Public View
Sociopathy: The Psychological Correlate to Antichrist
Charismatic Totalitarianism: The Political Correlate to Antichrist
III. Antichrist in Context of Psyche and Sacred
Antichrist as Archetypal Shadow
Antichrist as Expression of Evil
Differences Between Religious and Psychological Understandings of Antichrist
IV. Antichrist's Social Dynamics
Antichrist as Expressive of Group Dynamics
Antichrist as a Label Versus Antichrist as an Operative Principle
Antichrist as a Label
Antichrist as an Operative Principle
V. Assessment of a Dangerous Idea
Usefulness of the Antichrist Concept
Caution in Use of Antichrist Terminology
Conclusion
References
About the author
Robert Isaac Skidmore, Ph.D., M.Div., is a licensed counselor in Oregon. He studied theology at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, and depth psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute. He teaches as an adjunct professor in the clinical and mental health counseling program at Southern Oregon University. His 2017 dissertation applied Jung's theory of the shadow to Christianity and Western culture, looking at the Sumerian myth of the descent of Inanna as an instance of material that has been historically and archetypally repressed. He has authored a number of articles on theological and psychological themes, including On Mental Health Referrals by Orthodox Clergy, in 2019. From 2000 to 2012, he was the rector at Archangel Gabriel Orthodox Church, in Ashland, Oregon, where he now serves as auxiliary priest.
