I Came to Cast Fire: An Introduction to René Girard

The Catholic anthropologist René Girard (1923–2015) has emerged as one of the most important thinkers of the past century. His sweeping mimetic theory changed the landscape of both the social sciences and Christian theology. And with the rise of social media, political polarization, and globalized conflict, Girard’s ideas have only proven increasingly prophetic with every passing year.

But where to begin with this “new Darwin of the human sciences”? His massive body of work remains daunting...