MJA Spring Salon Series: The Shadow of God
Jung and Saramago on Divine Ambivalence
Presented by Alejandra Aschittino-Rodriguez
Sunday, March 15, 2026 | 2:00–3:30 PM
Carondelet Center, St. Paul, MN
Join Alejandra for an exploration of the nature of God through two radical reinterpretations of the divine. Drawing from Carl Jung’s Answer to Job and José Saramago’s The Gospel According to Jesus Christ, this presentation examines how both thinkers confront the moral and psychological complexities of divinity.
Beginning with Jung’s concept of the collective unconscious, the discussion considers his portrayal of Yahweh as a divided psyche—immense in power yet unaware of His own shadow—whose encounter with Job initiates a process of divine self-awareness. This process culminates in the incarnation of Christ as a symbol of psychological integration.
In dialogue with Jung, Saramago’s portrayal of a deeply human and ethically conflicted Jesus exposes the contradictions of a God entangled in His own designs. By juxtaposing Jung’s psychological myth of divine individuation with Saramago’s literary critique of transcendence, the presentation reveals two distinct yet converging visions of a God seeking wholeness.
About the Presenter
Alejandra Aschittino-Rodriguez is a Jungian-oriented clinician in private practice in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Her theoretical framework integrates psychodynamic theory, Internal Family Systems, existential counseling, and somatic interventions. She believes that meaningful change emerges through developing awareness of past behavioral patterns, present reactions, and the emotional and logical structures that shape one’s experience.
Alejandra’s professional work includes international research and applied practice. As a Watson Fellow, she conducted a cross-cultural research project examining the impact of culture on grief in Ecuador, South Africa, India, and Slovenia. She has also worked with Family Means to develop intensive training on supporting Minnesota’s minority populations in palliative care and collaborated with The Hubs Center for Lifelong Learning to create an educational course on job loss and grief during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Registration
Advance registration is available via Eventbrite for the MJA Spring Salon Series: “The Shadow of God: Jung and Saramago on Divine Ambivalence”, presented by Alejandra Aschittino-Rodriguez, on Sunday, March 15, 2026, from 2:00–3:30 PM at the Carondelet Center in St. Paul, MN.
Advance registration will close at 1:00 PM on Sunday, March 15, 2026. Tickets may also be purchased at the Carondelet Center on the day of the event.
