Bringing peace through destabilization

A Christian answer to the culture of violence

Abstract

The reciprocal nature of violence and its importance in maintaining the social and cultural order have been discussed among scholars interested in René Girard’s “mimetic theory” for many years. Along the process more attention has been paid to the way violence escalates than to the possibility of stopping it from spreading. This article aims at discussing the possible way out of the vicious circle of violence. Firstly, on the level of the interdisciplinary theory the topic is systemized and presented. Secondly, the theological accuracy of Girard’s intuitions is analyzed with the help of Raymund Schwager’s pneumatological concepts. The conclusion is that although the mimetic theory seems to lead to a pessimistic conviction about man’s violent nature, it is possible to overcome violence, but it prompts unwelcome destabilization in the world.