Christianity, Sacrificial and Shamanic | with Cleo Kearns

This month’s episode of Samsara Audio features a conversation with Cleo Kearns (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 Intro01:53 Critiquing Girard: Delving into Mimetic Theory and Sacrifice06:58 Marian Sacrifice vs. Abrahamic Sacrifice: A Theological Exploration15:38 Mary's Role and Theology: A Deep Dive into Marian Dogmas23:46 Vatican II and Its Impact on Catholic Doctrine31:18 Ecumenical Dialogues and Personal Journeys of Faith38:52 Exploring Liturgical Energy and Sacrifice39:06 The Role of Sacraments and Liturgy Across Traditions40:43 Diving Into Theology: Eucharist and Church Divides42:37 Anthropological Perspectives on Sacrifice45:04 The Symbolic and the Real: Navigating Tradition52:07 Mary's Role and the Question of Sacrifice57:07 Shamanism and Ritual: A Personal Journey59:27 Shamanism vs. Priesthood: Understanding Different Roles01:07:06 The Challenge of Sharing Esoteric Insights01:11:42 Deleuze's Contribution to Theological Thought01:17:33 Final Thoughts and Future Conversations Get full access to Moloch Theory at samsara.substack.com/subscribe