Back to Exponent Menu Printer Friendly Page   LOCAL FEATURES Friday, March 15, 2002 Religious day studies resurrection amid culture of violence By Susan K. Virgalitte CANFIELD — On Sept. 11 after terrorists crashed a plane full of people into the Pentagon, a military officer ran through the smoke-filled blackness of a hallway, calling out, “Is there anyone here?” Terrified voices called out to him, and he told them, “Come toward my voice.” “When we read about terrorism, we think of the blackness and darkness of our world. Then we are reminded of those who run through the darkness and call, ‘Head toward my voice,’” said Dominican Sister Diana Culbertson, keynote speaker at this year’s Religious Conference Day at the Ursuline Motherhouse here March 2. Sister Diana is a member of the Akron Dominican Congregation. The hero who calls to us in the darkness is actually the Holy Spirit, who is responsible for the dramatic, saving events performed by God’s agents, Sister Diana told her audience. Her topic, “Death and Resurrection in a Culture of Violence,” touched upon the ancient roots of human violence and what Jesus’ Resurrection means to humanity. Sister Diana described the “mechanism of violence” that has dominated human history. Two things contribute to violence: Rivalry and the crowd/mob mentality. Every culture throughout history has had to control these two tendencies in order to preserve its society and save it from deteriorating into violence and destruction, she said. Every culture has established its own taboos, all designed to reduce the level of desire, and thus rivalry, in the community. In addition, the speaker said, every culture has had some form of controlling dangerous mob violence by encouraging its members to choose a “victim” upon which to vent its anger. Thus, the community turns from fighting among itself to expelling or persecuting a common enemy. When the enemy/victim is expelled or murdered, a calm ensues, everyone goes home, and order prevails. Thus, Sister Diana said, the sacrifice of a victim was the key to keeping communities from tearing themselves apart internally. Ancient cultures understood this very well and used it to enforce order and peace. “Sacrifice in every culture is a form of violence designed to keep the group at peace,” she said. “They learned to bond by identifying an outsider. They learned to come together by finding someone in the group to persecute. Violence is so instinctive to us, to humans in groups, that when we begin expelling and persecuting, we will come together.” In all cultures, Sister Diana said, the victim is, of course, presumed to be guilty. While ancient civilizations stressed the need to control human desire and thus the rivalry that could destroy the community, our modern civilization is the first to be based on increasing desire. “Our culture is built on arousing desire,” Sister Diana said. “Our entertainment and advertisements increase sexual desire and the desire for luxury objects. We are the first culture to say the best way is to keep desiring more and more. It’s not surprising that our culture is so violent.” Added to that problem is the fact that the world has become so localized through instantaneous communications, people can see what other people have and want them. “It causes resentment. We start to compare ourselves to others. It is the beginning of violence within ourselves.” The Judeo-Christian Scriptures demythologize all the myths of human culture, especially the myth that victims are always guilty of something. Jesus reversed the world order by insisting that the blind, lame or poor were not guilty of sin, Sister Diana said. “The definition of sin is reversed. It is not the victim who is the sinner but those who expel the victim. Jesus did not take on the punishment for sin. He took on sin itself. The crucifixion was [the action of ] a lynch mob. From the depths of human violence, Jesus said ‘Father forgive them. They do not know what they are doing.’ And we didn’t. Jesus takes on the sin and enters into the heart of his persecutors, knowing that they are blind, and forgives them. He enters into the heart of darkness. He returns not punishment, but mercy and love.” “The cross is our only hope,” Sister Diana concluded. “In the cross there is peace. Only God’s love can transform violence into love. We see in the crucifixion infinite mercy and love strong enough to transform us from within. Only God’s love can redeem us. With the Resurrection, we discover that our victims are innocent, and it is we ourselves who are blind.” In a later interview with the Exponent, Sister Diana expounded on her talk by saying that all human communities throughout history have been bonded to one another by persecuting the “other,” by making someone the victim and expelling or killing that person. “The Jews were the first, in terms of their texts, to suggest that the victim might be innocent,” she said. “When you get to Jesus’ crucifixion, it becomes perfectly clear from the text that the victim was innocent.” Christian community today, she said, is defined by the fact that Christians do not drive away the victim, but gather around the innocent victim. “That is what holds us together. We have a completely different kind of community. The bond of Christian community is the Holy Spirit. The energy that drives Christians to gather around and protect the victim is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Defender or Paraclete. Christians form completely different kinds of communities. It is this Spirit that is at the heart of the universe and is more powerful than any violence.” Sister Diana is professor emerita of English and Literature and former director of Religious Studies at Kent State University. She is the current president of the International Colloquium on Violence and Religion and an editor and writer for the Center for Learning, a Catholic publishing house sponsored by the Sisters of the Humility of Mary. In addition, she has written and published three books and is working on a fourth. The annual Religious Conference Day of the Diocese of Youngstown provides members of women’s and men’s religious communities an opportunity to hear a speaker on a relevant topic, to socialize, and to honor those who are marking major jubilees in religious life.   Back to Exponent Menu Printer Friendly Page   Other Articles of 2002   Christmas letter from El Salvador missions thanks diocesan Catholics   Bishop shares views, discussion with Central students   ETC slates Christmas specials throughout the season   My Favorite Christmas Memories   Guidelines on religious ed homeschooling are issued   Local Catholic radio station targets Feb. 1 date   HMs end 98-years of service to Salem St. Paul Parish   Learn ‘language’ of young, youth meet speaker urges   Bishop Tobin: Meeting in D.C. on norms was ‘anxious, tense, difficult’   Priests must ask one another the tough questions, speaker says   Catholic death and funeral rites   Deacons mark 25th with Mass, dinner, memories   Diocesan Ministry Convocation Speaker: Global solidarity, not globalization, should be aim   Jusseaume inaugurated as sixth Walsh president   Diaconate marks 25th anniversary with Oct. 27 fete   New norms sent to priests, deacons on Communion under both kinds   Ashtabula parishes are ‘one Catholic community’   Jusseaume to become Walsh’s sixth president   Charismatic speaker: ‘Church being tested in faithfulness’   Lutheran/Catholic covenant event draws 140 to Walsh   Canton St. Joseph Parish observes centennial celebration   HMHP CEO Michael Rowan   Stewardship speaker: It’s about gratitude and thanking God first   Imagination is key to resolving crisis, priests told   War with Iraq? Expo readers opposed by 81-19%   Newspaper columns didn’t give complete story, official says   Diocesan Ministry Convocation set Oct. 26 at YSU’s Kilcawley   New year brings new faculty, changes at diocesan high schools   Mont St. Michel, Avignon’s papal palace are treasures   Preparing for the priesthood   Entering well-earned retirement, Sr. Marcella’s not slowing down   Warren St. Mary observes 100th year for church building   Lay Ministry Formation program attracting new audience   The cathedrals of France: Monuments of faith in stone   Executive summary of the ad hoc commission on athletics in diocesan high schools   ‘No widespread abuse’ found   Milburn leaving pro-life post to pursue grad studies   Return to France yields history, memories, surprises   Two new members appointed for Diocesan Finance Council   Former SS. C&M school razed, but memories remain   Pastor, 80, keeps busy with ‘lots of interests’   Ravenna IC boasts 5 high school valedictorians for ‘02   Humility Sister Sandy Pedone to profess perpetual vows July 21   NRLC convention filled with good news   ‘Capture the Romance’ is theme for NFP Week   Question of moral evil discussed at Walsh symposium   Notre Dame Sisters will celebrate jubilees July 14   ‘A great lady’ retires   Statement of Bishop Tobin on the meeting of the U. S. Conference   Haladej, Celuch ordained to priesthood, diaconate in Slovakia   Bishop plans implementation of norms on sexual abuse   Kevin McCaffrey, Robert Miller are newest priests   Theologian: ‘Behave toward others as though God were there’   Fr. Bonnot: Use good judgment for TV, movie viewing   MOMS: ‘A place to claim yourself’   Storm ‘changed lives forever’ for Jackson Twp. family   Bishop will ordain Miller, McCaffrey at May 25 ceremony   Update on child abuse   Vicar general addresses issue of not giving priest names to media   New Middletown St. Paul youth — called to be ‘witnesses’ for Christ   New Ursuline Sisters leadership team elected to 6-year term   Two receive first pastorates; two pastors change parishes   Abuse coverage   Walsh University dedicates new ‘David’ campus center   Sisters’ HIV/AIDS ministry critical, heartbreaking   Bishop visits St. Peter’s as rebuilding process begins   Chrism Mass theme: Priests can’t afford discouragement   Bishop’s Appeal stresses meeting needs, funding ministries   Diocese OKs closing Conneaut St. Frances Cabrini K-8; preschool stays   St. Stan’s marks 100th year   Canton St. Joseph choir enjoys ‘incredible trip’   New schools superintendent   Four journeys of faith among hundreds marked here   DPC considers direction, importance of youth ministry   Richard Jusseaume named as Walsh University’s sixth president   Pro-life dinner heralds new beginning in Stark County   Kids at church   Religious day studies resurrection amid culture of violence   Richard Jusseaume named as Walsh University’s sixth president   Keynoter: Eucharist should change us   Speaker: ‘Truth’ key concept in Gospel of John   Parishes offer Lenten missions for spiritual enrichment   Parishes offer Lenten missions, speakers series   Working in Medjugorje   TV anchorman finds faith not incompatible with journalism   Action alert on cloning set in diocese for Feb. 2-3   Austintown parishioner finds fulfillment in El Salvador   ‘Where Faith and Knowledge Meet’   Resisting TEMPTATION: It’s worth the effort, teens say   4th annual Diocesan Pro-life Mass set Jan. 26   Catholic/Lutheran dialogue, death of Walsh president top news   Diocese helping Afghanistan relief   Past Articles From 2001