Jesus Christ

First-century Jewish preacher from Galilee — the central figure of Christianity — whose teachings, crucifixion, and claimed resurrection became the foundation of the world's largest religion, and who for René Girard represents the unique moment in history when the scapegoat victim's innocence is proclaimed by the text that recounts his death.

For Girard, the Gospels are the first sacred texts that take the side of the victim rather than the mob — revealing the scapegoat mechanism rather than concealing it — making Jesus's crucifixion not just a religious event but the pivotal moment of human cultural history.