Psalm 22 in the light of René Girard’s mimetic theory

Šimić, Krešimir (author), Vuković, Davor (author)

The article examines the narrative of Psalm 22 from the perspective of René Girard’s mimetic theory. First, the psalm is briefly contextualized in the Christian interpretive tradition, and its basic narrative structure is outlined. Next, based on Girard’s first two books – Mensonge romantique et vérité ro-manesque (1957) and Dostoïevski, du double à l’unité (1963) – we present Girard’s triangular model (in addition to the subject and object, there is also a mediator who is located beyond the subject-object line and is actually the focus of mimetic desire). Then, we point out the basic contours of the sacrificial mechanism and corrections of Freud in Girard’s third and most referenced book La violence et le sacré(1972). Finally, we indicate Girard’s turn towards the Bible and a kind of biblical deconstruction of the mythological sacrificial narrative in the book Des Choses cachées depuis la fondation du monde (1978) – which was later developed in the books La route antique des hommes pervers, (1985), Je vois Satan tomber comme l’eclair (1999) and Celui par qui le scandale arrive(2001). Finally, the psalm itself is analyzed from the perspective of Girard’s sacrificial theory.

• Language: English
• Keywords: mimetic theory, Bible, psalms, Psalm 22
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: TEOF - Theological Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 29.12.2025
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 985-997
• Numbering: Letn. 85, [št.] 4
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-177685
• UDC: 27-1-23
• ISSN on article: 0006-5722
• DOI: doi.org/10.34291/2025/04/Simic
• COBISS.SI-ID: 263146243
• Publication date in RUL: 31.12.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Bogoslovni vestnik
• Shortened title: Bogosl. vestn.
• Publisher: Bogoslovna akademija, Bogoslovna akademija, Teološka fakulteta v Ljubljani, Teološka fakulteta Univerze v Ljubljani, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 0006-5722
• COBISS.SI-ID: 8745472

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Psalm 22 v luči mimetične teorije Renéja Girarda

Abstract

Prispevek obravnava pripoved Psalma 22 z vidika mimetične teorije Renéja Girarda. Najprej je psalm na kratko umeščen v krščansko interpretativno tradicijo, opisana pa je tudi njegova osnovna pripovedna struktura. Nato je na podlagi Girardovih prvih dveh knjig – Mensonge romantique et vérité roma-nesque (1957) in Dostoïevski, du double à l'unité (1963) – predstavljen Girardov trikotni model (poleg subjekta in objekta obstaja tudi posrednik, ki se nahaja onkraj linije subjekt–objekt in je dejansko središče mimetične želje). Sledi predstavitev osnovnih kontur žrtvenega mehanizma in Freudovih popravkov v Girardovi tretji in najbolj citirani knjigi La violence et le sacré (1972). Nazadnje opozorimo na Girardov obrat k Svetemu pismu in nekakšno biblično dekonstrukcijo mitološkega žrtvenega pripovedovanja v knjigi Des Choses cachées depuis la fondation du monde (1978) – ki je bila kasneje razvita v knjigah La route antique des hommes pervers, (1985), Je vois Satan tomber comme l'eclair (1999) in Celui par qui le scandale arrive (2001). Nazadnje je psalm sam analiziran z vidika Girardove teorije žrtvovanja.

• Keywords: mimetična teorija, Sveto pismo, psalmi, Psalm 22