Can We Survive Our Origins?: Readings in René Girard's Theory of Violence and the Sacred (Studies in Violence, Mimesis, & Culture)

Are religions intrinsically violent (as is strenuously argued by the 'new atheists')? Or, as Girard argues, have they been functionally rational instruments developed to manage and cope with the intrinsically violent runaway dynamic that characterizes human social organization in all periods of human history? Is violence decreasing in this time of secular modernity post-Christendom (as argued by Steven Pinker and others)? Or are we, rather, at increased and even apocalyptic risk from our enhanced powers of action and our decreased socio-symbolic protections? Rene Girard's mimetic theory has been slowly but progressively recognized as one of the most striking breakthrough contributions to twentieth-century critical thinking in fundamental anthropology: in particular for its power to model and explain violent sacralities, ancient and modern. The present volume sets this power of explanation in an evolutionary and Darwinian frame. It asks: How far do cultural mechanisms of controlling violence, which allowed humankind to cross the threshold of hominization, i.e., to survive and develop in its evolutionary emergence, still represent today a default setting that threatens to destroy us? Can we transcend them and escape their field of gravity? Should we look to-or should we look beyond-Darwinian survival? What-and where (if anywhere)-is salvation? Foreword by Rowan Williams Introduction PART ONE. THE PROGRAMMING OF ORIGINS: SACRED VIOLENCE AND ITS LEGACY 1. A Covenant among Beasts: Human and Chimpanzee Violence in Evolutionary Perspective by Paul Dumouchel 2. Liminal Crises: Th e Origins of Cultural Order, the Default Mechanisms of Survival, and the Pedagogy of the Sacrificial Victim by Pierpaolo Antonello 3. Victims, Sacred Violence, and Reconciliation: A Darwinian-Girardian Reading of Human Peril and Human Possibility by Harald Wydra 4. Empire of Sacrifice: Violence and the Sacred in American Culture by Jon Pahl and James Wellman PART TWO. REBOOTING EVOLUTIONARY SURVIVAL: IS CHRISTIANITY CRUCIAL? 5. From Closed Societies to the Open Society: Parochial Altruism and Christian Universalism by Wolfgang Palaver 6. Girard, the Gospels, and the Symmetrical Inversion of the Founding Murder by Paul Gifford 7. Survival and Salvation: A Girardian Reading of Christian Hope in Evolutionary Perspective by Robert G. Hamerton-Kelly PART THREE. VIOLENT RECIPROCITIES AND PEACE-MAKING IN THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD 8. Northern Ireland: Breaking the Inheritance of Conflict and Violence by Duncan Morrow 9. Communities of Contrast: Modeling Reconciliation in Northern Ireland by Derick Wilson 10. Responses to Morrow and Wilson 10.1 Girardian Reflections on Israel and Palestine by Mel Konner 10.2 South Africa: Positive Mimesis and the Turn toward Peace by Leon Marincowitz 10.3 Peace-Making in Practice and Theory: An Encounter with René Girard by Scott Atran PART FOUR. BETWEEN PROGRESS AND ABYSS: OUR MODERNITY 11. Nuclear Apocalypse: The Balance of Terror and Girardian “Misrecognition” by Jean-Pierre Dupuy 12. Responses to Jean-Pierre Dupuy 12.1 The “Intermediary” Case by Margo Boenig-Liptsin 12.2 Misrecognition of “Misrecognition” by Paul Dumouchel 12.3 Survival without Salvation? by Paul Gifford 13. Girard, Climate Change, and Apocalypse by Michael Northcott 14. A New Heaven and a New Earth: Apocalypticism and Its Alternatives by Michael Kirwan Foreword / Rowan Williams -- A Covenant Among Beasts; Human And Chimpanzee Violence In Evolutionary Perspective / Paul Dumouchel -- Liminal Crises: The Origins Of Cultural Order, The Default Mechanisms Of Survival, And The Pedagogy Of The Sacrificial Victim / Pierpaolo Antonello -- Victims, Sacred Violence, And Reconciliation: A Darwinian-girardian Reading Of Human Peril And Human Possibility / Harald Wydra -- Empire Of Sacrifice: Violence And The Sacred In American Culture / Jon Pahl And James Wellman -- From Closed Societies To The Open Society: Parochial Altruism And Christian Universalism / Wolfgang Palaver -- Girard, The Gospels, And The Symmetrical Inversion Of The Founding Murder / Paul Gifford -- Survival And Salvation: A Girardian Reading Of Christian Hope In Evolutionary Perspective / Robert G. Hamerton-kelly -- Northern Ireland: Breaking The Inheritance Of Conflict And Violence / Duncan Morrow -- Communities Of Contrast: Modeling Reconciliation In Northern Ireland / Derick Wilson -- Girardian Reflections On Israel And Palestine / Mel Konner -- South Africa: Positive Mimesis And The Turn Toward Peace / Leon Marincowitz -- Peace-making In Practice And Theory: An Ancounter With René Girard / Scott Atran -- Nuclear Apocalypse: The Balance Of Terror And Girardian Misrecognition / Jean-pierre Dupuy -- The Intermediary Case / Margo Boenig-liptsin -- Misrecognition Of Misrecognition / Paul Dumouchel -- Survival Without Salvation? / Paul Gifford -- Girard, Climate Change, And Apocalypse / Michael Northcott -- A New Heaven And A New Earth: Apocalypticism And Its Alternatives / Michael Kirwan. Edited By Pierpaolo Antonello And Paul Gifford. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This book asks: How far do cultural mechanisms of controlling violence, which allowed humankind to cross the threshold of hominization - i.e., to survive and develop in its evolutionary emergence - still represent today a default setting that threatens to destroy us? Can we transcend them and escape their field of gravity? Should we look to - or should we look beyond - Darwinian survival?