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

Violence and the SacredAn 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 1953 to 1957 - Duke University and Bryn Mawr

College 1961 - full professor Johns Hopkins University

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

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

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.

Question

What makes great literature great?

The Journey Begins...

With Don Quixote

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

Desire is

Triangular

Beyond the Novel

Girard studies texts of persecution Exploration of religious myths A look at the Oedipus myth

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)

In a sentence...

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

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)]

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

GMSM

The Surrogate Victim – Scapegoat (Conflictual Mimesis)

The Crisis of Differentiation The Emergence of the Surrogate Victim

(Scapegoat) The Generation of Differences

GMSM

The Double Transference The Nature of the Double Transference

(rivalry/peace) The Victim as Transcendent Signifer

GMSM

The Products of the Double Transference The Sacred Prohibition Ritual Myths

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

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”

Girard's Influence

Biblical Hermaneutics Raymond Schwager Robert Hamerton-Kelly Gil Bailie

Psychology – Jean-Michel Oughourlian Eric Gans – Generative Anthropology COV & R

Can We Escape Mimesis?

What Kind of Mimesis? Creative Mimesis – Desire for the Good

(non-rivalrous) Christ – The Cornerstone

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