About
This purpose of this blog is to provide an forum for discussing hermeneutical issues, esp. as they pertain to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is the companion blog to the lds-herm listserv. The founders of lds-herm are Joe Spencer and Robert C. who are also regular contributors to the Feast upon the Word wiki and blog. Any questions can be posted below or sent to ldsZZZherm@gmail.com (without the ZZZ’s).
The “hermeneutical issues” we plan to discuss here will most likely draw heavily from Continental philosophers such as Paul Ricoeur, Emmanuel Levinas, Jacques Derrida, Jean-Luc Marion, Michel Henry, etc. We plan to have a sort of ongoing book group reading project going as part of the blog’s activity. The first author we will be taking up is Rene Girard. There should be a tab near the top of the blog showing the current reading schedule(s?). If you would like to suggest an author or book to take up, please feel free to comment below, or send an email to the address given above.
October 20, 2007 at 8:26 pm
I just found your website. I’ve been voraciously reading anything I can find by Girard in the last month or so and am very interested in participating in your discussions. Is this open to anyone?
I am LDS and particularly interested in Girard as he applies to understanding the atonement. I already come to Girard with certain unorthodox views of the atonement from reading to much Yoder and Hauerwas but am interested in the discussion.
October 21, 2007 at 7:03 am
Joshua, yes, we’re very glad to hear about someone else interested in Girard. We’ve sort of taken a hiatus for the last month or so, but maybe your comment will get us going again. Feel free to join the listserv and start any discussion about atonement and/or comment on any existing threads here.
I haven’t really read any Yoder or Hauerwas. Are there any particular books you’d recommend as an introduction to their thought? Care to elaborate on what you like about their ideas?
Also, you might be interested in this discussion we had a while back on the Feast blog regarding violence in the scriptures which played an important part in our deciding to take up Girard here. Welcome!
October 31, 2007 at 12:47 am
Sounds great.
I would recommend “Politics of Jesus” by Yoder. It is considered one of the most important books written in Christian Ethics ever. His “Original Revolution” is also very good. As for Hauerwas, “The peaceable kingdom” is very good. I actually prefer the Hauerwas reader, a collection of various writings.
I personally find Yoder’s reading of the NT and Jesus as the most compelling and refreshing readings I’ve come across. Interestingly enough he arrives in a very similar place as Girard does minus the anthropology some number of years earlier.
I am reading through the discussion you linked and enjoying it thoroughly. When I get a chance I will post here shortly.