Towards Reconciliation: Understanding Violence and the Sacred after Rene Girard PDF
Preview Towards Reconciliation: Understanding Violence and the Sacred after Rene Girard
Informal in tone and remarkably accessible, this book makes a compelling case that the reconciliatory potential of Christian faith can’t be realized until and unless we have a theory of scapegoating. Masterfully presenting René Girard’s fundamental anthropology as the definitive resource for this effort, Gifford weaves references to film and literature as well as to biblical passages into a narrative that traces a sure path from toxic to reconciling relationships. The definitive guide to Girard for 21st century readers. Martha J. Reineke, PhD Professor of Religion, University of Northern Iowa President, Colloquium on Violence and Religion This book addresses the apocalyptic panic of our time, manifest particularly in religion-inspired terrorism. Amid the blame-shifting responses, the lure of identity politics and the failure of secularised societies to understand either the danger or the redemptive force of religion, Paul Gifford’s book offers clarity and hope, introducing René Girard’s revolutionary understanding of the connection between violence and sacred and how this is progressively undermined and finally overthrown in the texts of Western Christianity. Angela Tilby Canon Emeritus, Christ Church, Oxford I’m so glad that a wider readership can now join those listeners in Coventry who were lucky enough to hear the original lectures. This book offers a stunningly complete overview of René Girard’s thought and shows how to begin applying his insights – so much wisdom and finesse in these interpretations. And the range of examples offered is just wonderful! I’d never heard of Croghan man, but what a perfect find. James Alison Catholic Priest and Theologian Towards Reconciliation Towards Reconciliation Understanding Violence and the sacred after René Girard Paul Gifford Hardback ISBN: 978 0 227 17708 2 Paperback ISBN: 978 0 227 17707 5 PDF ISBN: 978 0 227 90709 2 ePub ISBN: 978 0 227 90710 8 Kindle ISBN: 978 0 227 90711 5 James Clarke & Co. C Click on the link above to see our full catalogue for more excellent titles in Hardback, Paperback, PDF, ePub and Kindle! Would you like to join our Mailing List? Click here! Enjoyed this book? Review it so others can too! Towards Reconciliation Understanding Violence and the Sacred aft er René Girard Paul Giff ord C James Clarke & Co James Clarke & Co P.O. Box 60 Cambridge CB1 2NT United Kingdom www.jamesclarke.co [email protected] Hardback ISBN: 978 0 227 17708 2 Paperback ISBN: 978 0 227 17707 5 PDF ISBN: 978 0 227 90709 2 ePub ISBN: 978 0 227 90710 8 Kindle ISBN: 978 0 227 90711 5 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A record is available from the British Library First published by James Clarke & Co, 2020 Copyright © Paul Gifford, 2020 All rights reserved. No part of this edition may be reproduced, stored electronically or in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the Publisher ([email protected]). For René Girard (1923-2015) in affectionate memory Contents Introduction ix 1.What Is ‘Sacred Violence’? 1 2.Violent Origins, Origins of Violence 21 3.Girardian ‘Founding Murder’ 35 4.Violence, the Archaic Sacred and Judaeo-Christian 58 Revelation 5.Passion, Resurrection – and How We Come by 81 Reconciliation 6.Taking Thought for Reconciliation 105 Appendix: ‘From Animal to Human’, ‘On Religion’ – 123 Conversations with René Girard Cited Texts and Further Reading 139 Illustration Artist’s reconstruction of the world’s oldest known temple, 53 Göbekli Tepe (c. 9,600 BCE). Courtesy of National Geographic
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