Bishop Barron on René Girard

Comments · 163

• AD

  @adrianorodrigues2062 · 10 years ago

  That moment when Bishop Barron says "Now, here's the thing"... You know something really good is coming.

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• SA

  @samdugan9353 · 8 years ago

  This finally clicked for me when I read the following passage from Kierkegaard:<br><br>I will call the attention of the crowd to their own ruination. And if they don&apos;t want to see it willingly, I shall make them see it by fair means or foul. Please understand me--or, at least, do not misunderstand me. I do not intend to beat them (alas, one man cannot beat the crowd ); no, I will force them to beat me. Thus I actually compel them. For if they begin to beat me, they will probably pay attention; and if they kill me, they most definitely will pay attention, and I shall have won an absolute victory.<br><br>They show me respect precisely by showing me that they don&apos;t respect me. Men are not so corrupt that they actually wish to do evil, but they are blinded, and don&apos;t really know what they are doing. It is all a matter of baiting them for decisive action. <br><br>The rebellion of a crowd triumphs if one cedes the way, steps aside, so that it never comes to realize what it is doing. A crowd has no essential viewpoint; therefore if it happens to kill a man it is eo ipso halted; it pays heed and comes to its senses.<br><br>He, who for purposes of reformation, opposes a man of power (a man who stands alone) must endeavor to make the mighty one fall, but he who more rightly turns round to combat the &quot;crowd,&quot; from which all corruption issues, must seek his own fall.<br>--Kierkegaard

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• JA

  @jamesdiluzio2658 · 10 years ago

  This is an excellent intro to Rene Girard&apos;s thought. What Bishop Baron could have added is this : From Girard and more contemporary Christian understanding, God did not demand Jesus&apos; suffering (as per earlier thought such as C. S. Lewis writing about justification and atonement to satisfy God&apos;s anger at humanity for its sins) but rather allows Jesus to be scapegoated in order to EXPOSE scapegoating and related sins. Thus God confronts humanity for its evils (scapegoating, hate, resentments, violence) in order to forgive humanity and transform humanity inviting remorse, humility and change of heart and mind. The Resurrection of Jesus vindicates God&apos;s instruction to all who believe in it or , at least, consider the magnitude of such a revelation: admitting the truth of our sins, our inner demons, violence, prejudices, etc, can be transformed through compassion. It begins with compassion for Jesus&apos; senseless suffering --because all violence toward all humanity is senseless and the result of selfishness, greed, lies, fear--all that contributes to scapegoating--and a willingness to turn to God to change our hearts, minds and our behaviors so that our actions reflect God&apos;s love and forgiveness and a desire to transform ourselves and the world to strive toward choices that the benefit the many, not the few, so all may live in peace and, for Christians and others who hold a belief in heaven, share in eternal life.

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• MI

  @michaellansing833 · 10 years ago

  Thank you for this tribute. It was Girard and you who helped renew my faith.

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• JJ

  @jjcm3135 · 6 years ago

  In his book I Saw Satan Fall Like Lightning, he wrote p. 164, &nbsp;that in a paradox of empathy, “the concern for victims has become a paradoxical competition of mimetic rivalries” in which “the victims most interesting to us are always those who allow us to condemn our neighbors”.<br><br>When asked what he hoped for his ideas, René Girard in 2007 or so said he hoped they would help people realize they were scapegoaters (not scapegoats), and that if his insights ever became fashionable in academia that would be bad.

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• GE

  @GerardFlood · 10 years ago

  I started reading his book &quot;I saw Satan fall like lightning&quot;. Brilliant read so far, i must finish it.

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• RF

  @rfly05 · 6 years ago (edited)

  I owe a huge debt to René Girard. This is how I came back to Christ. I love your explanation as well, Bishop Barron.

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• CH

  @christophermacdonald269 · 8 years ago

  Bishop Barron - probably the best and clearest explanation of Girard&apos;s major points (or many of them) that I have ever heard. Superb job I will be sharing over and over again with others. Thank you brother and bless you.

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• EZ

  @ezekiel3626 · 10 years ago

  I read Gerrard in college. The only non-philosophy class that had reading that I kept a book from.

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• TH

  @thequantartist · 3 years ago

  Currently reading Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life as an introduction to Rene Girard.

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• SU

  @sunenielsen2686 · 10 years ago

  Thank you for this intro. I hope many will begin reading Girard. I did at an early age - it has been a wonderful confirmation of my faith, especially, thinking about the scapegoating I have seen. I had always wanted to thank him, but it took until October 2015 before I did write a letter, not knowing if there would ever be an answer - he was, after all, old. I also asked him one question - his thoughts about death? As I had a father who had passed away not long before that, I could not help asking. I never got an answer, and a month later he had passed away himself. In a way it was an answer for me.

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• TR

  @treasureisland3809 · 9 years ago

  I would support your motion : ) Girard clearly has the profile of a Church Father. He definitely stands out in today&apos;s academic world and brought a sharp new insight on Christianity.

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