Transcripts of Girard Lectures on Mimetic Theory and Christian Revelation

Version: 7 (current) | Updated: 11/12/2025, 2:56:31 AM

Added description

Description

Transcripts of Girard Lectures on Mimetic Theory and Christian Revelation

Overview

This archival item is a collection of seven PDF transcripts of a 2023 lecture series delivered by French anthropologist and philosopher René Girard. The series, titled Girard Lectures on Mimetic Theory and Christian Revelation, is presented in English and is hosted by the institution Jonathan Bi under the archival project PINAX. Each transcript ranges from 603 kB to 890 kB and is accessible via the provided URLs.

Background

René Girard (1923‑2015) pioneered the theory of mimetic desire, arguing that human desire is imitative and that this imitation drives rivalry, conflict, and the scapegoat mechanism. In the early 2020s, Girard revisited his ideas in a public lecture series that sought to connect his mimetic framework with Christian revelation and theological questions. The series was recorded and transcribed in 2023, and the transcripts were subsequently archived by Jonathan Bi as part of the PINAX project, which focuses on preserving contemporary scholarly discourse.

Contents

The seven transcripts cover the following key subjects:
  • Mimetic Theory – the nature of imitation and its role in human culture.
  • Mimetic Rivalry and Desire – how desire leads to conflict.
  • Scapegoat Mechanism – the process by which societies channel violence onto a single victim.
  • Original Sin and Christian Revelation – the theological implications of mimetic violence for Christian doctrine.
  • Theodicy, Modernity, and Religious Studies – broader reflections on the relevance of Girard’s ideas in contemporary thought.

    • Each transcript is a standalone document that follows the lecture’s structure, including introductory remarks, thematic sections, and concluding reflections.

    Scope

  • Dates: 2023 (year of lecture delivery and transcription).
  • Geography: The lectures were delivered in English, presumably in an academic setting in the United States or Europe, though the exact venue is not specified.
  • Topics: Mimetic theory, Christian revelation, theology, anthropology, philosophy, and modernity.
  • Included: Transcribed lecture texts in PDF format.
  • Excluded: Audio or video recordings of the lectures, any supplementary materials (slides, handouts), or other works by Girard outside this series.

Entities

(loading...)

Entity Relationships

(loading...)

Raw Cheimarros Data

@rene_girard:person {full_name: "René Girard", occupation: "Anthropologist and literary critic"}

@file_pinax -> documents -> @girard_lectures_series:event {description: "Transcripts of Girard Lectures on Mimetic Theory and Christian Revelation", when: @date_2023, language: "en"}

@girard_lectures_series -> created by -> @rene_girard
@girard_lectures_series -> hosted by -> @jonathan_bi

@girard_lectures_series -> includes -> [@lecture_i, @lecture_ii, @lecture_iii, @lecture_iv, @lecture_v, @lecture_vi, @lecture_vii]

@girard_lectures_series -> covers -> @mimetic_theory
@girard_lectures_series -> covers -> @mimetic_rivalry
@girard_lectures_series -> covers -> @mimetic_desire
@girard_lectures_series -> covers -> @original_sin
@girard_lectures_series -> covers -> @scapegoat_mechanism
@girard_lectures_series -> covers -> @christian_revelation
@girard_lectures_series -> covers -> @theodicy
@girard_lectures_series -> covers -> @modernity
@girard_lectures_series -> covers -> @religious_studies
@girard_lectures_series -> covers -> @anthropology
@girard_lectures_series -> covers -> @philosophy

Metadata

Title
Transcripts of Girard Lectures on Mimetic Theory and Christian Revelation
Type
Text
Creator
René Girard
Institution
jonathan bi
Created
2023
Language
en
Subjects
Mimetic Theory, Mimetic Rivalry, Mimetic Desire, Original Sin, Scapegoat Mechanism, Christian Revelation, Theodicy, Modernity, Religious Studies, Anthropology, Philosophy
Source
PINAX

Version History (7 versions)

  • ✓ v7 (current) · 11/12/2025, 2:56:31 AM
    "Added description"
  • v6 · 11/12/2025, 2:55:54 AM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v5 · 11/12/2025, 2:54:52 AM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v4 · 11/12/2025, 2:54:35 AM · View this version
    "Reorganized into 1 groups"
  • v3 · 11/12/2025, 2:54:35 AM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01K9TZS1SVGFW1RHK7A19Y21TZ"
  • v2 · 11/12/2025, 2:53:40 AM · View this version
    "Set parent to 01K9TZQBF69J8TTE0N00H4M812"
  • v1 · 11/12/2025, 2:53:40 AM · View this version
    "Initial snapshot"

Additional Components

reorganization-description.txt
# Reorganization Summary

The files are all transcripts of lectures by Girard, each focusing on different aspects of mimetic theory and related concepts. Given the thematic coherence and the sequential nature of the lectures, they are grouped together under 'Girard_Lectures'. This grouping reflects the logical progression and interconnectedness of the topics discussed in the lectures.

## Groups Created

- **Girard_Lectures**: All files are transcripts of lectures by Girard, covering various topics related to mimetic theory, scapegoat mechanism, and Christian revelation.

Parent

↑ 01K9TZQBF69J8TTE0N00H4M812

Children (2)