Introduction to Rene Girard.
René Girard's theories on the mimetic relationship between violence and religion and the genesis and maintenance of culture have had a profound impact on many disciplines. The Colloquium on Violence and Religion gathers scholars across a wide range of fields, including theology and biblical studies to study Girard’s work. In the past, scholars have used Girard's ideas to interpret and reinterpret Old and New Testament texts.
Key Goals:
• Reflect on human violence and its relationship to our theology.
• Learn to think in new ways about God’s atoning work in human history.
What You’ll Learn:
• An understanding of Girard’s theories of memetic desire and the generative space goat mechanism.
• Investigate the implications of these theories on how we think about theological concepts.
• Reflect on how we conceptual the coming kingdom of God in socio-historical terms.
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Memetic Desire
In this first part of a series, we are talking about memetic desire, the conflict it creates, and the ways we use scapegoats to alleviate the tension.
In this first part of a series, we are talking about memetic desire, the conflict it creates, and the ways we use scapegoats to alleviate the tension.
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Ritual Sacrifice
In part 2 we're talking about sacrificial violence and how Christianity breaks the religious mould. All religions are built to systematize the scapegoat mechanism. All religions display the generative scapegoat mechanism's ability to contain our violence. Only Christianity exposes and ultimately undermines sacrifice's power though.
In part 2 we're talking about sacrificial violence and how Christianity breaks the religious mould. All religions are built to systematize the scapegoat mechanism. All religions display the generative scapegoat mechanism's ability to contain our violence. Only Christianity exposes and ultimately undermines sacrifice's power though.
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The Apocalypse
This time we're talking about the apocalypse, Girard's word for what happens when we are left without the generative scapegoat mechanism in our social took box, and the Christian word for the unveiling of Christ found in the book of Revelation. Is a thoroughly non-violent God compatible with the images we read in Revelation?
This time we're talking about the apocalypse, Girard's word for what happens when we are left without the generative scapegoat mechanism in our social took box, and the Christian word for the unveiling of Christ found in the book of Revelation. Is a thoroughly non-violent God compatible with the images we read in Revelation?
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The Adversary
This time we’re talking about the devil. Actually, we’re talking about what Girard calls a triple correspondence between the founding murder, the lie that covers it, and the adversary. What does it mean to be under the power of Satan? What does it mean to use the power of Satan? And how do we free ourselves from the control of an adversary over the human story?
This time we’re talking about the devil. Actually, we’re talking about what Girard calls a triple correspondence between the founding murder, the lie that covers it, and the adversary. What does it mean to be under the power of Satan? What does it mean to use the power of Satan? And how do we free ourselves from the control of an adversary over the human story?
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Atonement
This time we're talking about atonement. What are the problems with the Penal Substitutionary model? What is the difference between an objective and a subjective view of the atonement? And is Girard really orthodox?
This time we're talking about atonement. What are the problems with the Penal Substitutionary model? What is the difference between an objective and a subjective view of the atonement? And is Girard really orthodox?
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Eschatology
Alright, one last video looking at Girard’s eschatology. Where does he see things going? How optimistic about the future is he? And why I find Girard’s perspective an incredibly compelling balance between a fully gracious God and meaningful place for our witness in the story. I am still planning to get to a Q and R video to address some of the questions that have been asked. So let me know if you’ve got anything you’d like me to add.
Alright, one last video looking at Girard’s eschatology. Where does he see things going? How optimistic about the future is he? And why I find Girard’s perspective an incredibly compelling balance between a fully gracious God and meaningful place for our witness in the story. I am still planning to get to a Q and R video to address some of the questions that have been asked. So let me know if you’ve got anything you’d like me to add.
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Sermon
The Christian tradition has always recognized certain individuals as playing an important role in its formation and development. These people are often singled out - their stories recorded - their contributions remembered. From Paul to Ignatius, and from Julian of Norwich to Teresa of Calcutta, we call them saints. Saints are often memorialized by the places they’re from, by the disciplines or fields they worked in, or by the times they lived.
The Christian tradition has always recognized certain individuals as playing an important role in its formation and development. These people are often singled out - their stories recorded - their contributions remembered. From Paul to Ignatius, and from Julian of Norwich to Teresa of Calcutta, we call them saints. Saints are often memorialized by the places they’re from, by the disciplines or fields they worked in, or by the times they lived.
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Theories of the Atonement Survey
A sermon surveying the six major historical theories of the atonement, including scapegoat theory.
A sermon surveying the six major historical theories of the atonement, including scapegoat theory.
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JESUS-CENTERED
At Commons, we're fascinated with the Bible. But we worship Jesus.
The scriptures lead us to the realization that Jesus is the only exact representation of the divine and that God has always looked like Jesus even when we didn’t see that clearly.
