Description: How are we to best understand the statement of faith that Jesus Christ lived, died and rose again 'for us and for salvation?' This question has animated Christian thought for two millennia: it has also bitterly divided believers, not least in Reformation and post-Reformation disputes about atonement, justification, sanctification and sacrifice. René Girard's Violence and the Sacred (1972) made startling connections between religion, violence and culture. His work has enlivened the theological and philosophical debate once again, especially the question of whether and how we are to understand Christ's death as a 'sacrifice'. Mimesis and Atonement brings together philosophers from Catholic, Evangelical, Orthodox, and Jewish backgrounds to examine the continued significance of Girard's work. They do so in the light of new developments, such as the controversial 'new scholarship' on Paul.
Brief description: Dr Michael Kirwan SJ is Head of Theology at Heythrop College in the University of London, UK.
Review Quotes:
"Mimesis and Atonement brings together a variety of perspectives, giving the reader a glimpse of the significance and richness of Girard's work for religious thinkers ... Girard is not a figure that theologians can afford to ignore, and this book is a fine example of engagement with his thought ... This reviewer commends Mimesis and Atonement to all scholars and students who have any interest in the significance of Girard for atonement theory, and for broader questions of sacrifice, violence, and reconciliation." --Reading Religion
"Perhaps no area of Christian theology stands to be more profoundly affected by mimetic theory than the doctrine of the atonement. This delightful collection of essays gathers the insights and the most up-to-date research from a variety of theological camps and disciplines. Together the authors touch on all of the central questions that anticipate and follow in the wake of atonement theory. The collection puts mimetic theory into conversation with a range of theological traditions and modes of application. It provides valuable resources for professors and students who are grappling with the doctrine of atonement itself, and who are trying to understand how this doctrine relates to the broader Christian experience and narrative. I recommend it highly, especially for courses centered on soteriology." --Grant Kaplan, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, Saint Louis University, USA "No topic in Christian theology promises to be more dramatically affected by the ground-breaking work of René Girard than the doctrine of atonement. Mimesis and Atonement is an exciting step toward realizing that transformation. The complexity in each area-theologies of the cross on one hand and mimetic theory on the other-has constrained the development of the conversation between them. This unusual volume brings together authors who combine expertise in Girard's thought with insight into the contemporary biblical and theological landscape. It complements that depth with an impressive ecumenical breadth of view. The integral relation between Christian accounts of salvation and mimetic theory stands at the center of Girard's vision, and yet is never fully defined by him on the theological end. This work is thus not only a constructive reflection in Christian thought, but an interpretive contribution to mimetic theory as well." --S. Mark Heim, Samuel Abbot Professor of Christian Theology, Andover Newton Theological School, USA