Preacher: James Alison

At Open Icon Baptist Church, we value great preaching — preaching that engages deeply, humbly and honestly with Jesus, the Bible, and the pain and joy of living in the real world. And since going permanently online, we have been able to welcome great preachers from all over the world without having to wait for them to visit our shores. Click here to meet the inspirational preachers depicted in the gallery above, none of whom have preached for us!


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Preacher: James Alison

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James Alison

Fr James Alison is a prominent English Catholic priest, theologian, and author known for his work on mimetic theory and LGBTQ+ issues within the Church. He is widely recognised for applying the thought of French philosopher René Girard to systematic theology, particularly concerning the concepts of sacrifice, scapegoating, and the "forgiving victim". James' work centres on a biblical hermeneutic that views Jesus as the ultimate "forgiving victim" who exposes the violence of human scapegoating. He uses René Girard’s insights into human desire and violence to explain how Christianity offers a way out of the cycles of imitation and conflict that lead to exclusion. He argues for a vision of God who is entirely without violence or death, describing the divine as an "ineffable effervescence". James lives in Madrid and travels globally as an itinerant preacher and lecturer.

Sermons by James Alison