Mimesis, Violence, and Saving Grace in Girard, Jung, and Gebser —with Paul Wrightman, Lisa Maroski, and John Dotson
Last November, Paul presented an overview of the thought of René Girard. Tonight, we revisit Girard’s theory of mimesis, mimetic desire, metaphysical desire, and the centrality of violence and scapegoating in human cultures. Taking up these themes, we will engage Jung’s theory of instinct and archetypes along with Jean Gebser’s description of archaic, magic, and mythic modes of consciousness. Each of these thinkers is deeply concerned about the suicidal tendency of human beings, and all three refer to the spiritual, or saving grace, in specifically Christian forms.