Comments on: Mimesis in Violence http://young.anabaptistradicals.org/2007/01/18/mimesis-in-violence/ let's activate something Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:39:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Nathan Eanes http://young.anabaptistradicals.org/2007/01/18/mimesis-in-violence/#comment-349 Nathan Eanes Fri, 19 Jan 2007 21:12:29 +0000 http://young.anabaptistradicals.org/2007/01/18/mimesis-in-violence/#comment-349 Walter Wink is great. He has helped form my thoughts along with Gil Bailie, who writes a lot about both mimesis and the myth of redemptive violence. Bailie says that Christianity is engaged in a struggle between myth (which promotes all these rituals and sacred violence) and gospel, which is the only way out of that dangerous myth-world. We who are Mennonites have a lot to agree with, and build on, in Bailie's work. Walter Wink is great. He has helped form my thoughts along with Gil Bailie, who writes a lot about both mimesis and the myth of redemptive violence. Bailie says that Christianity is engaged in a struggle between myth (which promotes all these rituals and sacred violence) and gospel, which is the only way out of that dangerous myth-world. We who are Mennonites have a lot to agree with, and build on, in Bailie’s work.

]]> By: Hootsbuddy http://young.anabaptistradicals.org/2007/01/18/mimesis-in-violence/#comment-345 Hootsbuddy Fri, 19 Jan 2007 04:29:53 +0000 http://young.anabaptistradicals.org/2007/01/18/mimesis-in-violence/#comment-345 Explore the writings of Walter Wink about the myth of redemptive violence. It is one of the chief poisons of mankind reaching into pre-history. At this point there seems to be no effective antidote. Christianity offers a way out, but unfortunately most otherwise faithful Christians cannot grasp how that can be. Explore the writings of Walter Wink about the myth of redemptive violence. It is one of the chief poisons of mankind reaching into pre-history. At this point there seems to be no effective antidote. Christianity offers a way out, but unfortunately most otherwise faithful Christians cannot grasp how that can be.

]]> By: Lora http://young.anabaptistradicals.org/2007/01/18/mimesis-in-violence/#comment-338 Lora Thu, 18 Jan 2007 21:26:57 +0000 http://young.anabaptistradicals.org/2007/01/18/mimesis-in-violence/#comment-338 A former colleague of mine was teaching a class of Mennonite Brethren students in Colombia when one of them asked, "Why is it that we're literate, but violent?" He paused for a moment and then answered his own question by saying, "I guess because we're taught to read." The idea of redemptive violence is so pervasive in American collective memory and present understanding I think due in large part to the fact that the U.S. gained its independence through violent revolt (while many other British colonies earned independence through non-violent means) and was built up through the genocide and enslavement of whole races of people. That certainly affects our ideas of violence (even as it relates to Christianity) in ways that are likely difficult for most people to separate, or of which many are even aware. We assume, like you said, that force is the primary way to solve our problems. Our history--or at least the way it is taught--merely reinforces that belief. A former colleague of mine was teaching a class of Mennonite Brethren students in Colombia when one of them asked, “Why is it that we’re literate, but violent?” He paused for a moment and then answered his own question by saying, “I guess because we’re taught to read.”

The idea of redemptive violence is so pervasive in American collective memory and present understanding I think due in large part to the fact that the U.S. gained its independence through violent revolt (while many other British colonies earned independence through non-violent means) and was built up through the genocide and enslavement of whole races of people. That certainly affects our ideas of violence (even as it relates to Christianity) in ways that are likely difficult for most people to separate, or of which many are even aware.

We assume, like you said, that force is the primary way to solve our problems. Our history–or at least the way it is taught–merely reinforces that belief.

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