Transcripts of Girard Lectures on Mimetic Theory and Christian Revelation

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 11/12/2025, 2:56:20 AM

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Description

Girard Lectures on Mimetic Theory and Christian Revelation

Overview

The Girard Lectures collection comprises 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 is a standalone document (ranging from 603 kB to 890 kB) and is accessible via the provided URLs.

Background

René Girard (1923‑2015) developed the theory of mimetic desire, positing 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 link his anthropological insights to Christian theology, theodicy, and contemporary modernity. The series was organized by Jonathan Bi, an institution that curates scholarly materials on religious studies and anthropology. The transcripts were digitized and made available in 2023 as part of the PINAX digital archive.

Contents

The collection includes the following seven transcripts:
  • Introduction to Mimetic Theory – Overview of the foundational concepts.
  • Mimetic Desire and Original Sin – Exploration of desire’s role in sin.
  • Mimetic Rivalry and Girard's Theodicy – Analysis of rivalry and divine justice.
  • The Scapegoat Mechanism – Examination of communal scapegoating.
  • The Christian Revelation – Discussion of how Christian texts reveal mimetic dynamics.
  • The Triumph of Modernity – Critique of modern secularism through a mimetic lens.
  • The One Who Withholds – Reflection on divine withholding and human longing.
  • Each PDF contains the full lecture text, occasionally supplemented with footnotes and references. The series collectively covers Girard’s core themes—mimetic rivalry, desire, the scapegoat mechanism, original sin, Christian revelation, theodicy, and modernity.

    Scope

    • Dates: 2023 (year of lecture delivery and transcription).
    • Geography: Global relevance; lectures delivered in English, intended for an international scholarly audience.
    • Topics: Mimetic theory, anthropological theory, Christian theology, theodicy, modernity, religious studies, philosophy.
    • Included: Transcripts of seven lectures, each in PDF format.
    • Excluded: Audio recordings, visual slides, or supplementary lecture materials not captured in the PDFs.

    The archive provides a comprehensive textual record of Girard’s late‑career engagement with both anthropological and theological questions, making it a valuable resource for scholars of religious studies, anthropology, and philosophy.

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    Raw Cheimarros Data

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    • ✓ v4 (current) · 11/12/2025, 2:56:20 AM
      "Added description"
    • v3 · 11/12/2025, 2:55:35 AM · View this version
      "Added knowledge graph extraction"
    • v2 · 11/12/2025, 2:54:42 AM · View this version
      "Added PINAX metadata"
    • v1 · 11/12/2025, 2:54:35 AM · View this version
      "Reorganization group: Girard_Lectures"

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