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Violence and the Sacred An Introduction to the Work of René Girard

Violence and the Sacred An Introduction to the Work of René Girard. Robert W Stead. Background. Born in Avignon on December 25, 1923 1943 to 1947 - studied medieval history at the Ecole des Chartes, Paris 1947 - Indiana University teaching French literature

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Violence and the Sacred An Introduction to the Work of René Girard

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  1. Violence and the Sacred An Introduction to the Work of René Girard Robert W Stead

  2. Background • Born in Avignon on December 25, 1923 • 1943 to 1947 - studied medieval history at the Ecole des Chartes, Paris • 1947 - Indiana University teaching French literature • 1953 to 1957 - Duke University and Bryn Mawr College • 1961 - full professor Johns Hopkins University

  3. Background • 1961 - Mensonge Romantique et Verite Romanesque (Deceit, Desire and the Novel, 1966) • 1972 - La Violence et Le Sacre (Violence and the Sacred, 1977) • 1978 - Des choses cachees depuis la fondation du monde (Things Hidden since the Foundation of the World, 1987) • 1978 - To Double Business Bound: Essays on Literature, Mimesis, and Anthropology

  4. Background • 1981 - Andrew B. Hammond Professor of French Language, Literature, and Civilization at Stanford University • 1982 - Le Bouc émissaire (The Scapegoat) • 1985 - La route antique des hommes pervers (Job, the Victim of His People 1987) • 1991 - A Theatre of Envy: William Shakespeare • 1995 - Retires from Stanford University

  5. Background • 1990 - Colloquium on Violence and Religion (COV&R) founded • Purpose: explore, criticize, and develop the mimetic model of the relationship between violence and religion in the genesis and maintenance of culture • Yearly conference devoted to topics related to mimetic theory, scapegoating, violence, and religion. • René Girard - Honorary Chair of COV&R.

  6. What makes great literature great? Question

  7. With Don Quixote The Journey Begins...

  8. Mimesis • The Imitation of Desire • External Mediation – Great Distance between Model and Disciple • Internal Mediation – Little Distance between the Two • Rivalry – Inversely Proportional to Distance • Greater the Distance the Lesser the Rivalry

  9. Desire is Triangular

  10. Beyond the Novel • Girard studies texts of persecution • Exploration of religious myths • A look at the Oedipus myth

  11. 4 Stereotypes in Myths • Loss of difference (plague) • Crimes that eliminate difference (parricide, incest) • Mark of the victim (physical/social defect [limp, foreigner, different class]) • Violence (destroy or banish the victim)

  12. Communal chaos is created by “crimes” caused by a “criminal” who must be crushed. In a sentence...

  13. GMSM • Generative – produces differences that delineate culture • Mimetic – driven by desire • Scapegoating – prevents runaway mimetic rivalry by means of a surrogate victim • Mechanism – operates mechanically rather than deliberately (thanks to Robert G. Hamerton-Kelly [The Gospel and the Sacred (1994)]

  14. GMSM • Mimetic Desire (Acquisitive Mimesis) • Mediation (external, internal) • Rivalry • The Model/Obstacle (scandal, envy, hatred) • Transcendence (deviated [idolatry]) • Substitution • Acquiistive Motivation • Mimetic Desires Roots in Phylogeny

  15. GMSM • The Surrogate Victim – Scapegoat (Conflictual Mimesis) • The Crisis of Differentiation • The Emergence of the Surrogate Victim (Scapegoat) • The Generation of Differences

  16. GMSM • The Double Transference • The Nature of the Double Transference (rivalry/peace) • The Victim as Transcendent Signifer

  17. GMSM • The Products of the Double Transference • The Sacred • Prohibition • Ritual • Myths

  18. The Bible • Exposes the violence of GMSM • The voice of the victim • The only voice of Truth is the voice of the innocent victim • Cain and Abel • Story of Joseph • Mimetic Predicament-Mimetic Liberation • Paul's Conversion • Christ- Servant/Leader/Model

  19. Must There Be Scapegoats? • The work of Raymond Schwager • The move away from sacrifice ( ex: Ps 51) • The human dimension of the wrath of God • Scapegoat Mechanism – Unity (simplicity) • Holy Spirit – Community (multiplicity) • In final analysis:“The Word makes possible the inner personal relationship that we call faith, trust, love”

  20. Girard's Influence • Biblical Hermaneutics • Raymond Schwager • Robert Hamerton-Kelly • Gil Bailie • Psychology – Jean-Michel Oughourlian • Eric Gans – Generative Anthropology • COV & R

  21. Can We Escape Mimesis? • What Kind of Mimesis? • Creative Mimesis – Desire for the Good (non-rivalrous) • Christ – The Cornerstone

  22. A Personal Note • Girard's Approach to Substitution and the Medieval (Anselmic) Approach • The use of scientific method to approach texts and to relate texts to one another • The implications of mimetic theory for interpersonal relations • Look within and between

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