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The existential problem of evil has been a wrestling match humanity has participated in since the dawn of time.\u00a0 It is this very existential question Jordan B. Peterson attempts to tackle in his book Maps of Meaning<\/em> : The Architecture of Belief<\/em>. Relying heavily on the principles of the hero\u2019s journey outlined in Joseph Campbells Hero with 1000 Faces<\/em>, Peterson thesis works to unpack the how and why humans\u2019 maps of meaning have come to be.\u00a0 For Peterson, the myth of the hero\u2019s journey in the wrestling with good and evil frame our map of meaning, and sciences of psychology, neuroscience, anthropology, politics, philosophy and religion make up the contours.<\/p>\n Maps of Meaning<\/em> is a dense read.\u00a0 Reading summaries found on Quickread.com, Deployyourself.com and Docroid.com helped pinpoint Peterson\u2019s salient points that include the dynamics of known and fear of the unknown, power of myths in understanding our identity, humans\u2019 capacity for evil.\u00a0 However, it was Peterson\u2019s interview with Ben Shapiro[1]<\/a> that set me down a trail of thoughts and research.\u00a0 Peterson begins to deconstruct his thesis on hierarchy and myth around the conversation of identity politics and the value of enlightenment ideals. \u00a0He shares his understanding of axiomatic ethics as shaped by Jean Piaget\u2019s argument that we must \u201cplay it out in the world\u201d; \u201cIf the axiomatic system satisfies the motivations and emotions of the people who are engaged in that system then the system is justified.[2]<\/a> Peterson continues with this concept by using the analogy of how children play games and figure out the rules when he says, \u201cit shows you is that how an ethical system is tested and justified\u2026so we play it out to see if everyone wants to keep playing.[3]<\/a> Although this concept has merit in how our ethical maps are shaped I struggled with the part of reality that not everyone is included in the game so the ethics that lead to the satisfaction of needs of one group doesn\u2019t include those outside of the group.\u00a0 This has implications pastorally for how we lead our congregations.\u00a0 The notion of the self out of the enlightenment period that Peterson embraces seems to negate the broader and deeper understanding of the Trinity; the perichoresis of the Trinity includes invitation to all of humanity, not the select we decide.\u00a0 When researching identity politics, I came across Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown University, Ol\u00faf\u1eb9\u0301mi O. T\u00e1\u00edw\u00f2, who adds another dimension to game playing.\u00a0 He applies the concept of elite capture as contextualized as \u201cValue Capture\u201d seen in the gaming industry to understand the complications of identity politics in the hands of those who are not ethical.[4]<\/a>\u00a0 The existential problem of evil pervades even issues of identity.<\/p>\n Myth, the hero\u2019s journey, and identity led me to contemplate one of Disney\u2019s great renditions of a hero\u2019s story: Hercules.\u00a0 Does Hercules archetype have confluence with the Christian wrestling with the existential problem of evil?\u00a0 Philosopher Prodicus wrote an essay with Hercules as the main character who was faced with the decision to choose between virtue and pleasure, the hard road vs easy road, the good path or evil path.\u00a0 In a blog on Christian Platonism scriptural echoes of Matthew 7:13-14 in Hesiod quote,<\/p>\n “Wickedness (\u03ba\u03b1\u03ba\u03cc\u03c4\u03b7\u03c4\u03b1; kakotes) can be had in abundance easily: smooth is the road and very nigh she dwells. But in front of virtue (\u1f00\u03c1\u03b5\u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2; arete) the gods immortal have put sweat: long and steep is the path to her and rough at first; but when you reach the top, then at length the road is easy, hard though it was.”[5]<\/a><\/p>\n The myth of Hercules speaks into our human struggle to choose virtue or that which is good.\u00a0 As Christian\u2019s we must recognize that the hero story of Hercules is not to be embodied just on an individual level but as a community sphere as well.\u00a0 Peterson says in his interview, \u201cThe hero comes out of finding a way to master the hierarchy.\u201d[6]<\/a> As Christian\u2019s we have to be ever mindful that our call is not to master the hierarchy but to subvert it, to open the games to include those whose identities are different than ours, to choose good in the face of evil.\u00a0 Only then do we go from zero to hero in no time flat.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [1]<\/a> https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=WT0mbNvaT6Y<\/p>\n [2]<\/a> Ibid.<\/p>\n [3]<\/a> Ibid.<\/p>\n [4]<\/a> https:\/\/www.bostonreview.net\/articles\/olufemi-o-taiwo-identity-politics-and-elite-capture\/<\/p>\n [5]<\/a> https:\/\/catholicgnosis.wordpress.com\/2020\/03\/02\/crossroads-archetype\/<\/p>\n