The true Resurrection is based not on the mythical lie of the guilty victim who deserves to die, but on the rectification of that lie, which comes from the true God and which reopens channels of communication mankind itself had closed through self-imprisonment in its own violent cultures.

In this quote, René Girard, a renowned literary critic and anthropologist, presents a theological interpretation of the Resurrection that challenges traditional mythological narratives. He asserts that the "true Resurrection" is not rooted in the myth of a guilty victim who deserves death, but in the exposure and correction of that myth. This victim, rather than being justly condemned, is actually innocent—a reality revealed by the Christian narrative of Christ. The Resurrection, then, is not merely a miraculous event, but a moral revelation that dismantles the cycle of violence and scapegoating.

Girard's theory of mimetic desire and the scapegoat mechanism plays a central role here. He believed that human societies historically maintained order by projecting their collective guilt and aggression onto a scapegoat, who was sacrificed under the false belief of guilt. This created a myth that legitimized violence. The Resurrection of Jesus, however, disrupts this pattern by revealing the victim’s innocence, thereby exposing the foundational lie of sacrificial culture. According to Girard, this is the turning point in history when divine truth begins to dismantle human deception.

The quote also addresses communication—the idea that humanity, through its commitment to violent cultures, has imprisoned itself and cut off true dialogue with the divine. The Resurrection, as Girard sees it, reopens these channels, allowing for a renewed relationship between humanity and God based on truth, forgiveness, and nonviolence. This interpretation emphasizes transformation not only of the individual but also of culture and collective consciousness.

The origin of this thought lies in Girard’s lifelong project of interpreting religious texts, myths, and literature through the lens of anthropology and theology. His works, such as "Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World", examine how violence and desire shape human societies, and how Christianity uniquely subverts those patterns. This quote encapsulates his belief that the Resurrection offers a profound critique of human violence and an invitation to transcend it through divine revelation.