I read Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules For Life. It is written as a self-help book, and it is fine within those limits. But some of his religious interpretation are a stretch.
One is this statement for Rule 7: “the god Horus⏤often regarded as a precursor of Christ.” (p, 181)
Often regarded? I was eager to find his evidence. In his notes, he cites Tom Harpur’s The Pagan Christ. Stanley Porter and I have extensively responded to Harpur in our Unmasking the Pagan Christ.
Here is the short version of our argument: Horus is not often regarded as a precursor of Christ. The supposed parallels, including the virgin birth and crucifixion, are just not there. Scholars in the areas of biblical studies and Egyptology do not accept these parallels.
I can understand why this would be attractive to Peterson as a psychologist who is interested in religious archetypes. I also know there is a current Jordan Peterson craze going on right now. And I am not claiming that Peterson is a Jesus mythicist. But I would hate for readers to see that line in his book and think that accurately represented what scholars believe.
This post originally appeared here.
If you are interested in learning more about Jordan Peterson, here is a debate he participated in:
