The RavenCast: Episode 1: Mimetic Theory, Cancer, and Jesus

Show Notes

Welcome to The RavenCast, a product of the Raven Foundation, parent company of Teaching Nonviolent Atonement. Each Tuesday, we plan to post a video and mp3 to the Raven website discussing mimetic theory. Sometimes these videos will be an individual discussing mimetic theory, but sometimes we will interview people engaging mimetic theory.

In this video, Adam Ericksen introduces the RavenCast and mimetic theory by telling the story of his mother as a model of faith. Through her experience with cancer, she taught Adam how to live. When death is so close, we begin to discover what really matters in life. Our cultural models often tell us the things that matter are success, wealth, buying bigger house or more expensive car. Those are the ways we become good enough and lovable. But confronting death can teach us that what really matters is not our wealth, or even being good enough. What matters is receiving the love of God and sharing it with others. Adam’s mom ultimately learned that from Jesus, her model. And she passed that lesson to Adam.