Christianity and the triumph of humor : from Dante to David Javerbaum / Bernard Schweizer.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Schweizer, Bernard, 1962- author.

Series:

Routledge new critical thinking in religion, theology, and biblical studies.

Routledge new critical thinking in religion, theology and biblical studies

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Wit and humor--Religious aspects--Christianity.

Wit and humor.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (254 pages).

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Milton : Routledge, 2020.

Summary:

This book traces the development of religious comedy and leverages that history to justify today's uses of religious humor in all of its manifestations, including irreverent jokes. It argues that regulating humor is futile and counterproductive, illustrating this point with a host of comedic examples. Humor is a powerful rhetorical tool for those who advocate and for those who satirize religious ideals. The book presents a compelling argument about the centrality of humor to the story of Western Christianity's cultural and artistic development since the Middle Ages, taking a multi-disciplinary approach that combines literary criticism, religious studies, philosophy, theology, and social science. After laying out the conceptual framework in Part 1, Part 2 analyzes key works of religious comedy across the ages from Dante to the present, and it samples the breadth of contemporary religious humor from Brad Stine to Robin Williams, and from Monty Python to South Park. Using critical, historical, and conceptual lenses, the book exposes and overturns past attempts by church authorities, scholars, and commentators to limit and control laughter based on religious, ideological, or moral criteria. This is a unique look into the role of humor and comedy around religion. It will, therefore, be of great interest to scholars of Religious Studies, Humor Studies, and the Sociology of Religion.

Contents:

Cover

Half Title

Series

Title

Copyright

Contents

Acknowledgments

List of figures

List of tables

Abbreviation

Introduction: the way, the truth, and the laugh

Part 1 Ideological and theological coordinates of humor

1 Ideology and laughter: against the liberal paradigm of humor

2 Theology and laughter: against the confessional paradigm of humor

Part 2 Christian religious comedy: historical developments and the contemporary scene

3 A chronicle of triumph: religious humor from Dante to David Javerbaum

4 Varieties of humorous irreverence: contemporary religious comedy from Brad Stine to South Park

Conclusion

Epilogue: beyond Christianity: humor in other religious traditions

Key terms and definitions

Bibliography

Appendixes

Index.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

0-429-19669-5

0-429-59160-8

0-429-58966-2

9780429196690

OCLC:

1109817161