In the past year I’ve come to appreciate Jesus afresh, through the lens of what’s called Mimetic Theory as pioneered by Rene Girard. This literary critic and philosopher reads the Gospels (and really, the Hebrew Bible and New Testament) through the lens of mimentic violence – looking at what happens when we humans imitate hostile and fearful acts, causing “violence begetting violence.” Mimetic theory puts Jesus’ life, death, and teachings in a whole new perspective that transcends – and if we’re honest, in many ways outright negates – traditional religious structures.

And yet, mimetics as I’ve encountered them leaves me wanting more. I want to see the conversation expand from philosophy, lit-crit and theology into other social sciences – even the so-called ‘hard’ sciences, like brain sciences. And I want to see some examples of positive mimesis, darn it! Surely we’re capable of imitating more than just the ‘bad.’

I think I may have discovered the bridge to ‘something more’ that I’m looking for – Jeremy Rifkin distilling his latest ground-breaking work, The Empathic Civilization. I won’t say much more except to watch this video! It’s over ten minutes long; get over it.  It’s ten minutes well-spent. You will be mesmerized! And just maybe, your entire outlook on life and what motivates people will be transformed.

This is what guides my passions, in both Presence and The David Group International – to see a new earth and a new humanity being birthed, a people with a deeper trust in a more expansive God, where common humanity creates the deepest of ties. Viva la empathetic mimesis!

Postmodern dialogue?! While there are many definitions for the word or category ‘postmodern,’ the way I’m employing the term here is in the broad generic sense that ultimate knowledge (truth) escapes us, whether that is because it cannot be known or is helplessly situational; i.e., it’s up to individual perspective(s).

Like other levels of development on the spiral of consciousness (such as warrior, traditional, modern) the postmodern level of consciousness carries its own set of dignities and disasters. What I will attempt to do in this post is mention some ideas I have centered around one of its plusses, even though this simultaneously means the possibility that some will no doubt miss the point and reply with an entire litany of minuses (oh the joy of blogging!). Continue reading…