The Resurgence of René Girard

November 14, 2012 by Bo Sanders 30 Comments

René Girard is popping up in the most interesting places. Among others:

Tony Jones mentioned him in our podcast about ‘A Better Atonement‘
I heard Brian McLaren talk about him in lecture at Wild Goose West.
Later this week I will be interviewing James Alison on the subject.

In fact, Jones quotes Alison in his book:

The most recent major player on the scene of atonement theories is one developed by an anthropologist/literary critic who is still alive: René Girard and the Scapegoat theory. But before getting to his take on the atonement, here’s a brief background on Girard’s thought. René Girard is a professor emeritus at Stanford University and one of only 40 members, or immortels, of the Académie Française, France’s highest intellectual honor. Girard’s breakthrough, according to James Alison, is this:

Professor Girard has made what he takes to be an authentic anthropological discovery…, to wit: that human desire is triangular and mimetic. It is mimetic in that it is to do with imitation; it is triangular in that the transaction is three-cornered: the source (model) which stimulates the desire, the respondent (disciple) in whom the desire is implanted, and the thing (object) then desired.[15]

Jones, Tony (2012-03-18). A Better Atonement: Beyond the Depraved Doctrine of Original Sin (Kindle Locations 520-527). The JoPa Group. Kindle Edition.

But there is something that I can just not figure out: why is the resurgence of René Girard happening now?

I first encountered René Girard in Graham Ward’s edited text “The Postmodern God: a Theological Reader” and I 100% get the appeal of Girard.
I get the the whole thing about how we mimic and are socialized by mimicry.
I get how this morphs into social groups who use violence to justify sacrifice.
I get how these social groups look for ‘scape goats’.
I get how this applies to Jesus’ crucifixion.

What I need help with is understanding why this is coming to prominence now.

To what do we owe the resurgence of René Girard?

SO Deacons – can you help me out? I am not a historical theologian. I am not a systematic theologian.I am not a philosophical theologian. I am just a lowly practical theologian : what am I missing?

Don’t get me wrong – I really like René Girard! I think that the theories are fascinating.

But why is his prominence coming now? Is this a reaction to the retrenchment of folks like the Gospel Coalition and Radical Orthodoxy? Is this a response to the decline of the Mainline voices? Is this just a matter of a thinker ‘before his time’ ?

I have the odd sense that I am missing something important - and I am hoping that someone can provide the insight that I lack on the subject.

Does this have something to do with “Saved from Sacrifice: A Theology of the Cross“ by S. Mark Heim ?

Or ”The Nonviolent Atonement“ by J. Denny Weaver ?

I like René Girard. In fact I think that he brings several important elements to the table. My question is to why we are seeing a resurgence of his ideas now?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. -Bo

Filed Under: bible stuff, books, church history, engaging, latest, philosophy, thinking Tagged With: atonement, Bible, book, books, Brian McLaren, God, Graham Ward, James Alison, jesus, postmodern, René Girard, sacrifice, scapegoat, Tony Jones

29 comments

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ShannonMullen

1 Like

Three reasons I see:

1 The Gospel of "mercy not sacrifice" is transforming the culture. As Girard predicts, the Gospel working in the culture to reveal the scapegoating of violent cultural structures indeed flattens hierarchies and breaks down divisions. As people reeling in shock in this rapidly changing post-modern world cast about for a way to understand what is happening, they stumble onto Girard and have "aha!" moments.

2 The institutions championed by the religious right are completely shot through with substitutionary atonement. And they use it to rationalize and justify their divisive, angry stance on social issues, warfare, excessive capitalism, etc. If God demands retribution from those whose sin God hates, then I can demand retribution too. If God sends those who don't respond in faith to hell, then I can too. In response, those who react negatively to this image of God, thinking 'Jesus could not have meant that,' and go searching for something, find Girard.

3 There are many who are actively working to teach, promote, and share Girard as a tool for seeing a new (old!) non-violent, non-sacrificial, merciful and loving God that Jesus teaches. The Raven Foundation, TheologyAndPeace.org, PreachingPeace.org, Imitatio, the Colloquium on Violence and Religion, and Paul Nuechterlein's immensely accessible weekly lectionary website GirardianLectionary.net are examples. For example Brian McLaren became well versed in Girard because persons involved with PreachingPeace.org and TheologyAndPeace.org saw affinities in his writing and invited him to speak at conferences, thus drawing him into the conversation.

Peace, Shannon

philstyle

@ShannonMullen thankds for the links. I was aware of imitatio by not GirardianLectionary.net. however, that link does not seem to work???

ShannonMullen

@philstyle @ShannonMullen The link is correct. The site apparently was down, but now is live again. Try it again!

philstyle

@ShannonMullen ah, it turns out I have read that site before, I recognise the yellow background and the plain font. But it's nice to have the front page now with all the indexes. Ta.

philstyle

@ShannonMullen yup! thanks. A new Girard resource.

nom, nom nom.

THuegerich

I can't find the interview with James Alison anywhere. Did it happen?

philstyle

@THuegerich I also have been waiting for this interview....

Jesse Turri

Hey Bo,

I know this is an old thread but I was listening to the latest TNT and you mentioned this post so I zoomed backward in time to re-read it.

I like Girard’s work as a response to the Atheistic/Nietzschean observation that many ancient myths essentially involve “dying and rising gods,” (e.g. Dionysus). The Jesus story then is not unique in this sense and, therefore, easily dismissable as anecdotal foolishness.

Girard’s response, that the Jesus story is unique in that God is the ultimate scapegoat which desacralized the world, differs greatly from other Pagen myths and is perhaps why he’s gained some popularity again.

Of course Girard’s theories do fit very nicely with certain unsavory atonement theories (substitutionary), but could work well with others I would say, like Christus Victor etc...

philstyle

@pluralform "Of course Girard’s theories do fit very nicely with certain unsavory atonement theories (substitutionary),"

Hi just one point, did you men that Girard does NOT fit with such atonement theories?

Girard himself (and many of his commentators) describes his work as explicitly Anti-sacrificial, which is a repudiation of the need for divine retribution and/or substitutionary atonement.

Jesse Turri

You're right @philstyle My mistake. In subsitutionary it's God demanding the sacrifice or retribution, for Girard it's us who demands the sacrifice, which for Girard functions as a realase valve of sorts.

CS2

It had to be sometime. Mimetic theory changes everything for anyone involved in the Humanities and the Social Sciences, and has profound insights for understanding and interpreting Christianity. I bumped into him by accident via Fr. Barron's WoF, and ended up writing an M.A. thesis on it (what else could I do?!). Darwin for the social sciences, just hasn't got out yet. I have a small blog: http://desidelerium.wordpress.com/ dedicated solely to MT and Philosophy, and am very excited to meet others involved with his work.

realdamienparks

I am a huge fan of Girard. For me the "resurgence" of Girard is due to the fact he responds in a new way to one of the key theological conversations happening in our day. One of those conversations being the rethinking who Jesus was a what his death and resurrection is/was all about (atonement theory). I think the standard evangelical answer to that question has been Jesus comes to take the wrath his dad wanted to pour out. That answer doesn't work well on all levels for many people. Girard theory is opening the doors to begin a fresh conversation.

Kurt_S

Just got back from seeing Rollins in Calgary and Girard was a major topic for him, as well as a major contributor for Rollins in his new book! Very interesting indeed!

danielvastons

It seems to me that there is a general discontent with the articulation of a violent God. We see this violence in ourselves, our communities and our nations and we/I hate that about our/myself. Arguments such as Andrew Perriman's found here http://bit.ly/T8P54L that tell us to "get over" this wrath of God/penal sub understanding leave a bad taste in my mouth. Somehow what we say about God must match what we see in Christ.

Mark Farmer

When you area French anthropologist working in the US, it takes awhile to work up to that tipping point. I'm glad he's getting there!

JosefGustafsson

I believe one reason for the recent interest in Girard is that he provides a perspective that highlights the uniqueness of the Christ-event while it at the same time avoids the temptation to exclude the Other.

jpaulmullen

I think there are two issues Girard addresses that America, at least subliminally, knows it must address:

1. the violence of scapegoating - ie, why must America always have an enemy, and

2. the failure of greed based economics to satisfy- ie, why must I always have the same and more than others to feel better and why isn't it working.

Another factor in popularity is accessibility and Girardian thought has been a staple of the Text This Week website (www.textweek.com, Commentary, Exegisis & Sermon Preparation, Girardian Reflections on the Lectionary) pretty much since the site's inception.

dangarvin

Funny that you should bring this up right now. I've been thinking the same thing. I've been tangentially aware of Girard and Mimetic theory for some time, but recently he's just popping up all over the place.

An interesting tidbit is a significant Girardian presence behind the recent Hellbound? movie. Brad Jersak, Sharon Baker and especially Michael Hardin are all Girardian's to one degree or another. The boys over at http://www.beyondtheboxpodcast.com/ have interviewed all of the above with quite a lot of discussion of Girard.

I'm reading Micahel Hardin right now and he's rocking my world. http://www.amazon.com/Michael-Hardin/e/B0041ET60G/. He'd be a great guest on HBC.

Then there's http://www.ravenfoundation.org/

Bottom line for me is non-violence. I honestly think that non-violence is at the core of what is trying to be birthed (or what is emerging if you prefer that term). This includes everything from the peace activism of a Shane Claiborne and the rising voice of the peace tradition to the explosion of Universal Reconciliation to Eco Spirituality to the resurgence of Non-Violent Atonement theory.

I could go on, but I'll stop. Couldn't be more excited about the Alison interview.

BoEberle

@dangarvin However Girard is not a pacifist that I know of an his theory is not about non-violence. If anything, it shows us that our "violence" is misdirected, not that it is inherently bad or unnecessary. The problem with peace/pacifist movements is that they misidentify violence as such, i.e. "violence" is not simply war or fighting, but the functioning of globally oppressive systems. Instead of being violent against these systems, we create scapegoats and punish them rather than the source of violence itself.

dangarvin

@BoEberle Agreed, I'm not aware of Girard being a pacifist as such. Also agree that non-violence is about a WHOLE LOT more than the violence committed with guns and bombs. The neat thing about Girard is how his thinking is being applied in so many different arenas.

We SHOULD do violence against systems that oppress people and destroy the earth. But of course this violence should not be directed at or against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers, the systems of injustice.

philstyle

@dangarvin "An interesting tidbit is a significant Girardian presence behind the recent Hellbound? movie"

Oh, that reminds me. I saw "watchmen" about two weeks ago. It has Girardian themes running through it in incredible strength. My jaw dropped during the last 15 minutes as the scapegoat mechanism was played out in all it's complexity.

If this scene does not exactly replicate the relationship between violence and the exposing of the scapegoat myth (Veidt being representative of the power of the myth), then nothing does!

Adrian Veidt: [Nixon finishes his speech on Veidt's TVs] Do you see? Two super powers retreating from war. I've saved the Earth from hell. We both have. This is as much your victory as it is mine. Now we can return. Do what we were meant to.

Rorschach: We were meant to exact justice! Everyone's gonna know what you've done...

Adrian Veidt: Will they? By exposing me, you would sacrifice the peace so many died for today.

Dan Dreiberg: Peace based on a lie.

Adrian Veidt: But peace! Nonetheless.

Jon Osterman: ...He's right. Exposing Adrian would only doom the world to Nuclear destruction again.

ErikBuys

@philstyle @dangarvin Since you mention Watchmen: I wrote an essay about Watchmen, using mimetic theory. It appeared at the Raven Foundation, but this is a version with footnotes:

http://www.erikbuys.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/watchmen-deceit-desire-and-the-graphic-novel.pdf

More on this here: erikbuys.wordpress.com/2012/06/23/empire-of-the-watchmen/

Cheers!

pkdd

Tony Jones' ebook about the basics of atonement theories turned me onto Girard. Prior to reading that I hadn't really thought much about atonement theory. What I like about Girard is that he is a recent voice that says something other than PSA. Also it seems a common method for generating progressive Christian thought is to use secular thinkers to reform the tradition, so Girard seems appropriate.

philstyle

1 Like

Oh, and I'm dead keen on hearing your interview with Alison!

Can we submit questions?

BoSanders moderator

@philstyle Yep. The 48 hours before an interview we solicit questions. You want to put your's in early ? Go ahead. I'll cut and paste them into the clipboard :) -Bo

philstyle

@BoSanders great, here's two for you:

1. Thinking about Girard's position on sacrifice, and his more recent work on violence (Achever Clausewitz) how can we read the biblical book of Joshua through a Girardian lens without doing to much violence to the text? The conquest narratives do seem to describe a God who endorses or even instigates the escalation of voilence...

2. One of the more common criticisms of Girard is that, if the exposure of the scapegoat mechanism really was one of the great (or central) achievements of the gospels (and the biblical literature as a whole), why has the church (and biblical commentators in general, believers and non-believers) apparently not noticed this? Did the first couple of centuries of Christian faith exemplify a more Girardian understanding (and do we have good evidence for this)?

philstyle

2 Like

Why is Girard becoming popular (again) now?

I think it's a convolution of things, but the establishment of imitatio (www.imitatio.org) would have had something to do with it.

I think you're right about Girard being a thinker before his time. It took 20 years (from 1960's until 1980s) before neuro-science was able to lend biological support to his ideas about memesis.

The internet has helped spread Girard in a way that was not possible before. Let's not forget that. I'd have never heard of Piper, Driscoll and all that crowd either if it weren't for the internet.

But I'm not sure anyone knows "why" Girard has risen in visibility over the past 10 years or so. I've seen your question asked by a number of bloggers.

As a side note, Montpellier Football Club's manager is also called Rene Girard. So in recent months the online search engines have started returning football related results when I'm searching on Girard. It pays to exclude montpellier, or football from your searches.

BoSanders moderator

@philstyle Thank you so much for writing in! That was really helpful. I appreciate the links and I have to admit that I had not thought about the internet's power for this type of concept - but I think that you are 100% right on.

It is fascinating to think about his theory. If he is right, it impacts so much! But committing to this approach is so challenging. It is radically different ... and in my estimation, not something you can 'mix n' match' with other theories easily. This is not for the armchair or coffee shop - pop psychology crowd. It is neither quickly digestible nor is it easily transferable/adaptable.

-Bo

philstyle

@BoSanders <i>"It is fascinating to think about his theory. If he is right, it impacts so much! But committing to this approach is so challenging. It is radically different"</i>

Agreed. It really does have wide ranging impacts...

I'm not sure how I found Girard. But I was exploring atonement a few years back. The traditional models just make no sense to me. I've been reading Girard ever since.. and I can't get enough of it. This is a really great read: http://www.amazon.com/Battling-End-Conversations-Beno%C3%AEt-Chantre/dp/0870138774 and good for an american audience to understand a little bit more about European history too (which is always a good thing)

My current goal is to try and understand the book of Joshua through a Girardian (anti-sacrificial, non-violent) lens. That might be one of my questions for Alison..

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The Resurgence of René Girard

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