René Girard, Ph.D., "Violence and the Cross."
Dr. René Girard, Professor Emeritus at Stanford University, author of several works on literary criticism, anthropology and Biblical exegesis, presents "Violence and the Cross." In this lecture/discussion, Girard expounds the idea that the salvific value Christians confer upon the Cross prevents them from exploring the anthropological significance of the crucifixion, and because of this, anthropologists are left to this task. Yet these anthropologists conclude that Christianity is only mythology—overlooking the crucial idea that the Bible rejects the very violence that the archaic myths silently reflect. Girard presents the thesis that a truly scientific approach in comparative religions would not deny Judaic and Christian claims to unique truthfulness. Free and open to the public.
This Forum, part of the theodicy series linked to a CTNS-sponsored course at the GTU, is made possible by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation.