This month’s episode of Samsara Audio features a conversation with
(PhD, Columbia) who writes about continental philosophy, science, and the book of Genesis at her Substack. Cleo has taught and published for decades about the psychology of religion, the anthropology of ritual, and the reading of the Abrahamic Scriptures. Cleo is a sister in Christ and an esteemed colleague, so I’m particularly delighted to share this conversation with you.Right out of the gate we get to hear Cleo’s critiques of Rene Girard, before we transition to explore the virgin Mary’s sacrifice and her role in overseeing Christ’s passage from the imaginary to the symbolic. Cleo deftly guides us through a theory of sacrifice, as well as through the differences between the priest and the shaman, including her belief that the prophet is a sub-type of the shaman. Finally, she briefly provokes us with a suggestion about Deleuze’s value for theological work.
I highly recommend Cleo’s book The Virgin Mary, Monotheism, and Sacrifice.
Samsara Audio is the audio vision of Samsara Diagnostics, a newsletter about religion, philosophy, and psychoanalysis. Subscribe for free, or sign up for a paid subscription to support my ongoing work.
Time Stamps:
00:00 Intro
01:53 Critiquing Girard: Delving into Mimetic Theory and Sacrifice
06:58 Marian Sacrifice vs. Abrahamic Sacrifice: A Theological Exploration
15:38 Mary's Role and Theology: A Deep Dive into Marian Dogmas
23:46 Vatican II and Its Impact on Catholic Doctrine
31:18 Ecumenical Dialogues and Personal Journeys of Faith
38:52 Exploring Liturgical Energy and Sacrifice
39:06 The Role of Sacraments and Liturgy Across Traditions
40:43 Diving Into Theology: Eucharist and Church Divides
42:37 Anthropological Perspectives on Sacrifice
45:04 The Symbolic and the Real: Navigating Tradition
52:07 Mary's Role and the Question of Sacrifice
57:07 Shamanism and Ritual: A Personal Journey
59:27 Shamanism vs. Priesthood: Understanding Different Roles
01:07:06 The Challenge of Sharing Esoteric Insights
01:11:42 Deleuze's Contribution to Theological Thought
01:17:33 Final Thoughts and Future Conversations
