1. Scandal: a way of being IN our WORLD & time
ANTHONY bARTLETT
Scandal is an intensely gospel theme. Acc. to Girard it is a systematic mimetic theory present at the heart of the gospel texts. We were taught to view scandal largely as a moral thing—like the multiple marriages and divorces of movie stars. Maybe including a certain shock value, like for example Lance Armstrong winning seven consecutive Tour de France while taking drugs. But that was all about breaking rules. Girard has shown us that scandal is an effect of desire and violence, of crises of imitative desire. It polarizes through violence. The fact that the gospel is talking about this, revealing it, shows we are dealing with the revelation of a structural human condition.

2. For Girard “scandal” is the gospel word for mimetic crisis.
Mimesis makes scandal not a moral thing but a structural relational thing.
What follows is a gospel catechesis…
Girard’s overall argument is that the generative effect of violence is a biblical revelation, with its climax in the gospels. Such is the universally structuring power of violence and right from the beginning of humanity, it cannot be disclosed unless by an external power. The fish in the water argument. The old fish says to two younger fish, “how’s the water?” One of the younger one comments, “What’s water?”

3. Revelation of scandal is biblical revelation
“The rationality I am disclosing, the mimeticism of human relations, is too systematic in principle, too complex in its effects, and too visibly present, both in the "theoretical" passages on scandal and in the accounts entirely controlled by it, to be there by accident. Nevertheless this rationality was not completely devised or created by those who put it there…At the text's origin there must have been someone outside the group, a higher intelligence that controlled the disciples and inspired their writings.” (Scapegoat, 163)
Here is Girard’s statement. Mimesis is visibly present and systematic in the biblical texts. He calls it a higher “intelligence” at work there. I would put it in a different way. We can only see human generative violence by means of divine generative nonviolence. The revelation would not happen without a differentiating horizon. There is a revolutionary transcendence of nonviolence to reveal the transcendence of violence. The Resurrection is its authentic symbol.

4. To understand Gospel usage we must break Scandal down into four types.
SCANDAL HAPPENS WHEN MIMETIC CONFLICT IS OUT IN THE OPEN AND OTHERS AROUND ARE INFECTED. WE ARE DRAWN TO TAKE SIDES.
To understand Gospel usage we must break Scandal down into four types.
When conflict is contained within a sacred order, of rules, hierarchy, roles (a lot like animals—ever seen a scandalized dog?) then there is no scandal. Open conflict is very dangerous as it infects everyone. The gospel situation is one of intense open conflict: the Baptist against temple, Pharisees against Saducees, zealots against Romans. Especially the presence of Romans as an illegal, impure war-fighting machine present on Israel’s soil

5. SCANDAL 1: THE OTHER
FOR GIRARD THE FIRST MEANING OF SCANDAL IS THE STUMBLING BLOCK WHICH THE RIVAL PRESENTS TO ME.
RIVALS “ALWAYS RETURN TO COLLIDE WITH THE FASCINATING OBSTACLE THAT EACH ONE HAS COME TO BE FOR THE OTHER.” (ISSF, 16)
The model-obstacle will not let us go and we can’t let go of it. Scandal is being inhabited or possessed by the other as rival. It is a condition of my mimetic being. It is not a moral failing, a lapse of good behavior. This is the first, implied level of scandal in the gospel.

6. SCANDAL 2: the BORG
SCANDALS CAN DOUBLE UP UNTIL THEY BECOMES A MASS CONTAGION WHICH INFECTS EVERYONE.
“Little scandals have a tendency to dissolve into larger ones, and the larger ones go on to contaminate one another until the strongest of these absorb the weaker ones. There is a mimetic competition of scandals which continues until the moment when the most polarizing scandal remains alone on the stage. This is when the whole community is mobilized against one and the same individual.” (ISSF, 23)
Second iteration. Things get more complicated. The Borg (the Star Trek phenom. turning all species into a cybernetic hive mind, sucking everything into itself) is a pop culture figure of this. So much of political persuasion is trying to harness the Borg of scandal against your opponent. Trump insults and belittles, mobilizing the mob. He also allows people to be offended by those who are offended, to scandalize back against p.c. scandalization in favor of women, foreigners, other religions.

7. Mob with phones… Thousands of people storm a jail in Dimapur, Nagaland, drag a man accused of rape out on the streets, strip him and lynch him. March
A gripping image of polarization of mob, all scandalized by/against one. Use of cell phones shows how media can fit this structure. They are structured according to our structure.

8. Jesus prophecies peter will be scandalized: i.e. magnetized by the mob.
Then Jesus said to them: All you shall be scandalized (scandlisthesesthe) in me this night. For it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be dispersed. But after I shall be risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. And Peter answering said to him: Although all shall be scandalized in thee, I will never be scandalized. Jesus said to him: Amen, I say to thee, that in this night before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. Peter said to him: Yea, though I should die with thee I will not deny thee. And in like manner said all the disciples. (Douai-Rheims, Matt. 26:31-35; see the triple denial.)
A passage like this demonstrates the systematic character of the theme of scandal in the gospels. The word is mentioned three times, all in the passive sense. You will be scandalized. Peter, the leader, pledges he will not be polarized against Jesus. But the story of his ‘betrayal’ follows precisely. Why? Because Jesus refuses to use violence and because Peter is a normal human being he cannot help but be scandalized. He does not have an alternative violence with which to be magnetized, and so he is magnetized by mob. (G. says the cock crowing thing is a distraction. Or, maybe it helped preserve the trad.)

9. Hint of freedom
Note the reference to the Resurrection in the midst of a prophecy of universal scandal. The Resurrection is the event of freedom from scandal.
Then Jesus said to them: All you shall be scandalized (scandlisthesesthe) in me this night. For it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be dispersed. But after I shall be risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. And Peter answering said to him: Although all shall be scandalized in thee, I will never be scandalized. Jesus said to him: Amen, I say to thee, that in this night before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. Peter said to him: Yea, though I should die with thee I will not deny thee. And in like manner said all the disciples. (Douai-Rheims, Matt. 26:31- 35; see the triple denial.)
Note the essential promise of freedom from scandal. Resurrection is the human antidote to scandal.

10. The gospel sees scandal in its mass form as a mountain of violence which it is almost impossible to get out from under. Side Note. Superheroes are supposed to resolve violence by a supreme final violence. But in the recent movie, Batman is scandalized by Superman’s violence, and Superman is scandalized by the world’s violence. The movie shows a knowledge that all violence is the same “scandal”—even for superheroes. (
Up to that point (resurrection) scandal is insuperable. The movie demonstrates pop culture’s increasing sensitivity to gospel truths: violence will always self-scandalize…

11. SCANDAL 3: That experienced passively by “little ones” (mikroi)
SCANDAL 3: That experienced passively by “little ones” (mikroi). Little ones are a code in Matthew for disciples.
1At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.4Whoever humbles (tapenosei) himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. 10“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. (Matt. 18:1-6)
Harshest thing said by Jesus. “Little ones” is code for disciples (also used for disciples of rabbis). (“Tapeinos” is used of Jesus—”I am meek and humble of heart.” Parallel to “praus” translated as nonviolent.) What’s at stake is the reinfection of disciples with violence / to be scandalized. This will happen by generative violence coming back as a theme into the Chrisitian community. How many ways has this happened!

12. Forgiveness key to avoiding scandal
Jesus said to his disciples, “Occasions for stumbling (skandala) are bound to come, but woe to anyone by whom they come! It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause one of these little ones to stumble (skandalisē). Be on your guard. If another disciple sins, your must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive. And if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive.” (Luke 17:1-4)
Parallel text in Luke, confirming we are talking about disciples, disciples who scandalize. How to deal with it?

13. little ones
Little ones correspond to “Wisdom’s Children” in Luke (7.35). The question is always how to teach disciples so they become strong in wisdom, in “non- scandalization,” i.e. it becomes difficult to remagnetize them.
The first step obviously is a catechesis about scandal. Fear of the world is a passive way of being scandalized—I become its victim. Resurrection is the way-of-being free of the world’s violence.

14. By the way…
In a lot of theology the meaning of little ones is expanded to all the weak and oppressed.
The judgment of the nations (i.e. not disciples) implies this: “Just as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers (who are hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, in prison) you did it to me.” (Matt: 25:40)
At a certain point the nations are treated as under judgment of scandal (“all the nations will be gathered before the Son of Man”), i.e. they are held responsible for removing the violence from the conditions of the poor and oppressed.

15. Scandal 4: Religious
The fourth type is scandal produced by religious people themselves.
John the Baptist sends word from prison asking a pointed question: “Are you the one who is coming, or are we waiting for another…?” Jesus replies citing prophecies of healing in Isaiah, “Go tell John what you see…and blessed is he who is not scandalized in me.” (Lk. 7:23) John is potentially scandalized/magnetized against Jesus and his nonviolent program.
Jesus rehearses healings as prophesied in Isaiah—blind see, lame walk, the poor (powerless) have the good news preached to them… John’s preaching is different from Jesus’ : “the ax is laid at the root of the tree…the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire…” And the coming one is from Malachi 3.1…” the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming…” Identified as Elijah at 4:5…” Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.” (See David Flusser, The Sage from Galilee, and A Marginal jew, J.P. Meier.)

16. How can Jesus scandalize Christians, so they become a mob?
CHRISTIAN SCANDAL
“There will be throughout Christian history a tendency of Christians to choose Jesus as an alternative scandal, that is a tendency to lose themselves and merge into the mob of persecutors.” (ISSF, 23).
How can Jesus scandalize Christians, so they become a mob?
"The distinctiveness of the true Logos has never been noticed, since to miss it is exactly the same thing as being under the illusion of welcoming it, while participating in the process of expulsion." Things Hidden, 272.
Girard hints strongly both that Christians are scandalized, and also basically they have not understood their Logos. In the 11th century feudal Christianity re-formulated the cross as God’s violence, to satisfy God’s honor which was a quantum of violence traded between rivals, model/obstacles Thus from Christianity being the revelation of nonviolence it becomes the revelation of violence…thus Christians are scandalized in Jesus, and effectively polarize God as violence (make God scandalized).

17. JESUS SCANDALIZED?
Jesus also says he can be scandalized in this way, i.e. infected by generative violence. “But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block (skandalon) to me; for you are setting your mind not on things of God but things of men.” (Matt. 16:23)
This demonstrates Jesus’ humanity and illustrates “…tempted in every way like us but did not sin (i.e. re-engage generative violence, Heb.4:15). It shows Jesus’ humanity and the offer of an alternative humanity—his decision was in the human sphere….

18. Demons
A closely related topic. A big phenom in the gospels. Part of the mimetic structure and its effects. Unbearable public violence becomes the internal structure of an individual. Even in this image you can see how the demon is inhabited/oppressed by another and seems to welcome it. Completely identified with the violent other.

19. A demoniac is someone scandalized to their core
A demoniac is someone scandalized to their core. If scandal is the magnetizing force of violence, by the other or the crowd, the demoniac has nothing left but that magnetization. Any self that might be independent to the power of violence is gone.
“Then Jesus asked him, ‘What is your name?’ He replied, “My name is Legion…” (Mk. 5:9)
Demons are commonplace in the gospels. More than anywhere in the O.T. The mental cosmology of demons might be influenced by Persian culture, Zoroastrianism, but the anthropology is straight 1st century Palestine. The Romans presence in Judea was a deep offense (26Ad Pilates’s troops carried imperial flags and medallions into city, provoking a five day demonstration in Caesarea with the Jews prepared to die, and forcing Pilate to relent.) The episode of the demoniac of Gerasa gives us his name which is then at once glossed as crowd. Jesus uses “twelve legions of angels” (Matt. 26:53) and he certainly means that in a military sense. Once again the text preserves something essential.

20. Legion: “Their exercises were unbloody battles, and their battles bloody exercises.” (Josephus, Jewish War)
The Roman legion was the supreme first century instrument of violence. A permanent institution to command an empire. Equivalent to the Pentagon. The demoniac could have said “My name is Pentagon.”

21. Scandal in sense 2 magnetizes and mobilizes
Contemporary society thrives on scandal. It is its single greatest mobilizing force. 9/11 scandalized the new millennium.
Stephen Fry: Twitter is “a stalking ground for the sanctimoniously self-righteous who love to second guess, to leap to conclusions and be offended—worse, to be offended on behalf of others they do not even know.”
This brings us to the topic of the conference. 9/11 brought multiple wars, national security, Wikileaks, Edward Snowden, continuous destabilization etc. We are in a political world of scandal, mobilization against the enemy. There are reportedly over 800 U.S. military bases, “our military garrisons the world.” As suggested before social media can be a zone where systemic scandalt plays out. There are trolls lay across our path, literally, in facebook. As Fry says people “love to be offended (scandalized).” Why? Because it is a way of being, a way to be alive. This willingness to be scandalized or permanent state of scandal sets the scene for a reflection on the police. This is intended as a scriptural light on our discussions.

22. Reality 101
“What works for 24-hour [news]? What is it incentivized for? Here’s what you would want it to be incentivized for—clarity. It is incentivized for what? Conflict.The voices that are amplified are the ones that are the most conflict oriented, the most extreme. Those are the guys that get the airtime. Trump is not playing this, everybody keeps talking like “He’s amazing,” he’s not. This is the first season of Survivor. This is reality show 101.” (Axe Files with Jon Stewart, 5/9/16)

23. Militarization is a form of scandal (i. e. being scandalized)
Militarization is a form of scandal (i.e. being scandalized). In turn it magnetizes everything around.
The police have been scandalized/polarized by the endemic scandal of society. These images are of the more extreme forms of militarization. But Swat teams are standard, and individual police are likely continually scandalized/magnetized by contextual violence. It’s not the Romans, it’s the armed state of the whole society around us. In these conditions we have to ask a couple of questions, first personal and then structural. How does an individual police person protect themselves against scandal. And then how does the organization protect itself, understanding the magnetizing power of violence and taking steps against it? My part is not to deal with these questions, but to show the spiritual source of a solution. Which is resurrection.

24. The gospel solution, New humanity.
Image by Piero della Francesca. The single resurrection of Jesus changes the simple sense of endtime judgment and vindication in Daniel. It is the entry of a new systemic principle into history, a transformative symbol, source and engine of nonviolence.

25. Not a flesh-denying bit of magic, but a flesh-transforming change of meaning. An interpretive circle between nonviolence, G-d and life.
Scandal is systemic, so we have to have a systemic answer. Morality is not enough.