René Girard, Unlikely Apologist: Mimetic Theory and Fundamental Theology

by Grant Kaplan

Since the late 1970s, theologians have been attempting to integrate mimetic theory into different fields of theology, yet a distrust of mimetic theory persists in some theological camps. In René Girard, Unlikely Mimetic Theory and Fundamental Theology , Grant Kaplan brings mimetic theory into conversation with theology both to elucidate the relevance of mimetic theory for the discipline of fundamental theology and to understand the work of René Girard within a theological framework. Rather than focus on Christology or atonement theory as the locus of interaction between Girard and theology, Kaplan centers his discussion on the apologetic quality of mimetic theory and the impact of mimetic theory on fundamental theology, the subdiscipline that grew to replace apologetics. His book explores the relation between Girard and fundamental theology in several keys. In one, it understands mimetic theory as a heuristic device that allows theological narratives and positions to become more intelligible and, by so doing, makes theology more persuasive. In another key, Kaplan shows how mimetic theory, when placed in dialogue with particular theologians, can advance theological discussion in areas where mimetic theory has seldom been invoked. On this level the book performs a dialogue with theology that both revisits earlier theological efforts and also demonstrates how mimetic theory brings valuable dimensions to questions of fundamental theology.

Genres: Theology

280 pages, Hardcover

Published October 15, 2016

Reviews

[Andrew Marr · Rating 5 out of 5]

René Girard’s theory of mimetic desire has proved to be fruitful, not only for a fundamental understanding of human culture and anthropology, but also for Biblical interpretation and theological development. Kaplan’s fine book explore’s the potential of Girard’s thought for Christian apologetics. Apologetics is aimed at those outside of the faith and seeks to bridge the gap between those who believe and those who don’t. That is, apologetics converses with those cultures and cultural trends that remain aloof from the Faith. When I first became conversant with Girard’s thinking, I thought that the anthropological insights of his thinking, most particularly his analysis of the scapegoating mechanism, a phenomenon that has become quite apparent to just about everybody. The scapegoating mechanism’s relevance to a Gospel centered on just such a story should be obvious.

It is not possible to follow Kaplan’s arguments without knowing the basic of Girard’s thinking so Kaplan begins the book with a clear and solid introduction to Girard’s thought. Fundamental to the dialogue with what has become an unbelieving culture are issues of faith and reason and defending divine revelation. Traditionally, philosophical reasoning has been the main tool that Catholics have used to defend Christianity. Thomas Aquinas, for example worked with philosophical assumptions shared by ancient pagans such as Plato and Aristotle, Jews, and Moslems. In our time, science is has something of a cultural hegemony and is perhaps the most important interlocutor for an apologist. Girard consistently regarded his work as scientific, using anthropology and evolutionary theory as far as he could take them.

The three main areas covered in Kaplan’s book are the relationship between faith and reason, a theology of revelation, and the relationship between Christianity and world religion. Kaplan also explore a critique of “religion” which is fundamental to Girard but which has much theological support, especially in the Barthian tradition. In keeping with using the tools offered by an anthropological thinker, Kaplan eschews what he considers overly cognitive approaches to revelation in favor a theology of revelation grounded in history and concrete human experience, again a choice that fits well with Girard’s thought. Kaplan does not fully bridge the gaps between faith and reason or between world religions. He doesn’t try to. In fact, he argues that the gaps are simply not fully bridgeable. It isn’t that faith can’t reach reason; it’s because reason itself fails, in the end, to be airtight in defining reality, thus leaving room for faith and revelation in the midst of experience reflected upon.

The most important theme running throughout the book is conversion. Apologetics is not a head trip; it is a challenge for the whole embodied person. Even when taken at a humanistic level, Girard’s theory of the scapegoating thinking challenges us to change our life and the demands of the Gospel to repent are well-known. More than anything else, it is repentance and conversion that bridge the gaps between faith and reason and between Christianity and culture,

Kaplan presents his material with great clarity and with a minimum of jargon. That is to say, this book is quite readable without any specialized knowledge in theology. Anyone interested in Christian apologetics who would like to learn some new tools or anyone interested in deepening one’s study of Girard’s thought should find this a highly valuable book.

[Peter Noah]

Dense but insightful